Coinfection with Schistosoma mansoni reactivates viremia in rhesus macaques with chronic simian-human immunodeficiency virus clade C infection

Infect Immun. 2007 Apr;75(4):1751-6. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01703-06. Epub 2007 Feb 5.

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that helminth parasite coinfection would intensify viremia and accelerate disease progression in monkeys chronically infected with an R5 simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) encoding a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) clade C envelope. Fifteen rhesus monkeys with stable SHIV-1157ip infection were enrolled into a prospective, randomized trial. These seropositive animals had undetectable viral RNA and no signs of immunodeficiency. Seven animals served as virus-only controls; eight animals were exposed to Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. From week 5 after parasite exposure onward, coinfected animals shed eggs in their feces, developed eosinophilia, and had significantly higher mRNA expression of the T-helper type 2 cytokine interleukin-4 (P = 0.001) than animals without schistosomiasis. Compared to virus-only controls, viral replication was significantly increased in coinfected monkeys (P = 0.012), and the percentage of their CD4(+) CD29(+) memory cells decreased over time (P = 0.05). Thus, S. mansoni coinfection significantly increased viral replication and induced T-cell subset alterations in monkeys with chronic SHIV clade C infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4 Antigens / analysis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Eosinophilia
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Integrin beta1 / analysis
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis
  • Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Macaca mulatta
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Schistosoma mansoni
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / complications*
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / immunology
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / physiopathology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications*
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / immunology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / virology
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / isolation & purification
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / physiology*
  • Viral Load
  • Viremia*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • Integrin beta1
  • RNA, Viral
  • Interleukin-4