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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1, Antibodies, Viral, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Cell Proliferation, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Epitope Mapping, Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte, Female, Flow Cytometry, Forkhead Transcription Factors, HIV Infections, Herpes Genitalis, Humans, Interferon-gamma, Lymphocyte Activation, Male, Membrane Glycoproteins, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory, Viral Load.
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Is coinfection with herpes simplex virus type 2 associated with reduced HIV-specific T cell responses and systemic immune activation? Context: Chronic coinfection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been associated with an increased HIV viral load and more rapid disease progression, perhaps related to HSV-2-associated alterations in host immunity. Studies were nested within (1) a cross-sectional study of men coinfected with HIV and HSV-2 and (2) women not infected with HIV, both before and after HSV-2 acquisition. HSV-2 infection status was determined by ELISA. HIV-specific CD8(+) T cell epitopes were mapped, and proliferation of HIV-specific cells was also assessed. Systemic inflammatory and regulatory T cell populations were assayed by flow cytometry. The breadth of both the HIV-specific CD8(+) T cell interferon-gamma and proliferative responses was reduced in participants coinfected with HIV and HSV-2, independent of the HIV plasma viral load and CD4(+) T cell count, and the magnitude of the responses was also reduced. HSV-2 infection in this group was associated with increased T cell CD38 expression but not with differences in the proportion of CD4(+) FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells. However, in women not infected with HIV, acquisition of HSV-2 was associated with an increase in the proportion of regulatory T cells.
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HSV-2 coinfection was associated with reduced HIV-specific T cell responses and systemic inflammation. The immune effects of HSV-2 may underlie the negative impact that this coinfection has on the clinical course of HIV infection. Final Decision: yes