T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in HIV patients

Authors / Institutions

Olga E. Pobegalova / Academician I.P.Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation

Dmitriy A. Lioznov / Academician I.P.Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation / A.A.Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation

Tamara V. Antonova / Academician I.P.Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation

Marina A. Shuklina / A.A.Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation

Anna-Polina S. Shurygina / A.A.Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation

Objective. To assess the T-cell immune status against SARS-CoV-2 in HIV patients with or without antiretroviral therapy.
Patients and methods. The study included 21 HIV patients who had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between September and December 2021 without previous immunization against SARS-CoV-2. The characteristics of HIV infection (CD4-lymphocytes count, HIV viral load in blood plasma, the presence of antiretroviral therapy) and COVID-19 (the severity degree and duration of the disease) were analyzed, the T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 was assessed using the ELISPOT method 1 month
after COVID-19. Statistical analysis was carried out by non-parametric methods (Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient) using the IBM SPSS Statistics 22 software package.
Results. The study showed a more favorable course of COVID-19 in HIV-infected persons who achieved HIV suppression in the blood: a mild form of the disease was significantly more common, and the virus was eliminated faster. T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 was recorded more frequently in these patients. Significant correlation of T-cell immune status with the CD4-lymphocytes count and HIV suppression in the blood was revealed.
Conclusion. Thus, T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 as assessed using the ELISPOT method was registered significantly more frequently in patients with HIV infection controlled by effective antiretroviral therapy.
Key words: COVID-19, antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection, T-cell immune response
For citation: Pobegalova O.E., Lioznov D.A., Antonova T.V., Shuklina M.A., Shurygina A.-P.S. T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in HIV patients. Infekc. bolezni (Infectious Diseases). 2023; 21(1): 5–9. (In Russian). DOI: 10.20953/1729-9225-2023-1-5-9