Grau O, Kovacic R, Feuillie V, Lafeuillade A, Rozenbaum W, Beaumont JL, Bois C, Jeannel D, Blanchard A, Montagnier L; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11; 9: 290 (abstract no. PO-B02-0931).
Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
AIDS is characterized by a profound alteration of the immune system, essentially bearing on the function and the number of CD4+ lymphocytes. It is well known that there is a long period of latency between the primary infection by HIV and the development of a severe immunodeficiency. Factors determining pathogenesis are apparently complex. It is possible that different stimuli or co-factors such as infectious agents different from HIV could act as activators to induce the multiplication of the virus, residing until then in a latent state in the genomic DNA of the cell. It has been suggested from in vitro studies that one of these co-factors could be mycoplasmas. It is necessary to study the influence of mycoplasmas on the course of HIV infection in HIV+ subjects. The first step is to compare the prevalence of the different species of mycoplasmas in HIV infected individuals compared to HIV- controls. We have undertaken a transversal study based on the detection by PCR of mycoplasmas in the blood (PBMCs fraction) of 200 HIV+ and 150 HIV- subjects. The latter are divided into two groups: one is characterized by a low risk for HIV sexual transmission, and the other one is composed of subjects "at risk" for HIV sexual transmission. Seven mycoplasmas which have been associated with human diseases are being investigated. So far, results have been analyzed for M. fermentans, M. pirum and M. genitalium. M. fermentans is detected in about 10% of the HIV+ population and in some of the HIV- "not at risk" subjects. It is distributed equivalently in every clinical stage of the disease. These results are not in accordance with results published by other authors, who do not detect this mycoplasma in the healthy population. M. pirum was detected only in the HIV+ patients (5%). M. genitalium was not detected. M. fermentans was also detected in 55% of the "at risk" HIV- subjects, which suggested that this mycoplasma is sexually-transmitted. The facts that it could have the same natural way of transmission than HIV and that it was found associated with PBMCs support our hypothesis about its eventual role as a co-factor. In conclusion, mycoplasmas are found with a non negligeable prevalence in the blood of HIV+ as well as HIV- subjects. However, their role as co-factors in progression to AIDS remains to be demonstrated, and only a longitudinal epidemiological study will allow to answer this question.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
- Epidemiologic Studies
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- In Vitro
- Longitudinal Studies
- Mycoplasma
- Mycoplasma Infections
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Prevalence
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
Other ID:
UI: 102203806
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