Transient increment of HTLV-2 proviral load in HIV-1-co-infected patients during treatment intensification with raltegravir

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies have analyzed the effects of raltegravir intensification on HIV-1 viral replication in infected individuals receiving suppressive combined antiretroviral treatment (cART). Nevertheless, there are only two studies on the effect of raltegravir in HTLV-1 infection, and none in HTLV-2.

Objective: To study the effect of raltegravir on HTLV-2 infection in HIV-1-co-infected individuals.

Study design: This retrospective longitudinal study included four HTLV-2-HIV-1-co-infected individuals who received raltegravir-based cART during 48 weeks and 11 HTLV-2-HIV-1-co-infected individuals under cART without raltegravir during 48 weeks. HTLV-2 proviral load, CD4 and CD8 count and frequency were analyzed.

Results: HTLV-2 proviral load significantly increased at week 24 compared to baseline among all the patients who received raltegravir (p=0.003), while no significant increases were found in the control group. No significant variation in either CD8 or CD4 counts was found during the follow up in both groups.

Conclusions: Raltegravir induced a transient increment on total HTLV-2 DNA proviral load in HTLV-2/HIV-1-coinfected individuals on suppressive cART after 24 weeks.

Keywords: HIV-1 coinfection; HTLV-2 proviral load; Raltegravir.