HIV-1 Proviral DNA Loads (as Determined by Quantitative PCR) in Patients Subjected to Structured Treatment Interruption after Antiretroviral Therapy Failure

The impact of Structured Treatment Interruption (STI) in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proviral reservoirs in 41 highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated viremic individuals at baseline and 12 weeks after STI was determined using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Viral load increased 0.7 log(10) and CD4 decreased 97.5 cells/mm(3) after 12 weeks. A total of 28 of the 41 individuals showed an increased proviral load, 19 with a statistically significant increase above 10%. An increase in active viral replication is an important factor in the replenishment of the proviral reservoir even for short time periods.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Div Infect Dis, Retrovirol Lab, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Lab Ctr Genomas, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Dept Biol Mol, Fundacao Prosangue Hemoctr São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Discipline Informat Technol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Div Infect Dis, Retrovirol Lab, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 03/11781-1Web of Scienc