Comparative study on some systemic humoral and cellular immune markers in only HIV or HIV and hepatitis B infected children.

Three different groups of asymptomatic children, aged from 12 to 24 months (30 subjects per each group), i.e. controls, only HIV, or HIV/hepatitis B virus (HBV) double infected, were studied, as concerned the following systemic immune parameters: immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD) levels; absolute numbers of blood CD+4, CD+8, CD+16 and CD+19 cells; phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-blast responsiveness of T lymphocytes; natural killer (NK) cell activity--as tested by means of cytotoxicity assays; per cent suppression of PHA-dependent T cell blastogenesis in the presence of concanavalin A (Con A) selected T suppressor (Ts) cells. On the other hand, in 15 ARC-shifting cases belonging to HIV, and HIV/HBV groups, respectively, a second serum sample was collected and searched comparatively with the corresponding first serum sample, as regarded: presence of total and anti-p24 HIV antibodies, patterns of Western Blot (WB), as well as amounts of free p24-HIV antigen. In asymptomatic double HIV/HBV infected subjects, some immune disorders occurred, at a more significant degree, as compared to only HIV-infected. Once the shift toward ARC being installed, in both infected groups a decrease of anti-p24 HIV antibody presence, disappearance of corresponding band in WB confirmation test, as well as presence of free p24 antigen in serum, were noticed. However, greater amounts of p24 antigen in HIV/HBV infected, as compared to only HIV infected patients, were found. Some considerations about diagnostic and predictive value of presented data are discussed.