T-CELL SUBSETS AND SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN LEVELS IN INFANTS BORN TO HIVSEROPOSITIVE MOTHERS - A LONGITUDINAL EVALUATION

Early predictive factors of HIV infection in infants born to HIV infec ted mothers were carried out to evaluate the roles of immunological pa rameters for the diagnosis and prognosis of HIV infection. T-lymphocyt e subsets and serum immunoglobulins were studied on cord blood in thre e groups of neonates: 14 infected infants, 29 sero-reverted infants an d 31 control neonates. No differences were observed between the three groups. At 3 months, IgG were significantly higher in the infected inf ants than in sero-reverted infants. After 6 months, CD4 + cell counts, CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly lower in the infected infants and se rum IgG, IgA and IgM were significantly higher in the infected group. Antigenemia p24 was detected in 78% of the infected group before 6 mon ths. Total HIV-specific antibody persisted and progressed after 6 mont hs. These data and viral detection appear to be complementary and usef ul for therapeutic strategies.