Decay kinetics of HIV-1 specific T cell responses in vertically HIV-1 exposed seronegative infants.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The majority of infants born, in developed countries, to HIV-1 positive women are exposed to the HIV-1 virus in utero or peri/post-partum, but are born uninfected. We, and others, have previously shown HIV-1 specific T cell responses in HIV-1 exposed seronegative (HESN) neonates/infants. Our objective in this study was to examine the rate of decay in their HIV-1 specific T cell response over time from birth. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of HIV-1 specific T cell responses in HESN infants were performed. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from 18 HIV-1 DNA PCR negative infants born to HIV-1 infected mothers receiving care at the Jaco..