There are conflicting reports on the effects of HIV on COVID-19. Here, we analyzed disease severity and immune cell changes during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection in 236 participants from South Africa, of which 39% were people living with HIV (PLWH), during the first and second (Beta dominated) infection waves. The second wave had more PLWH requiring supplemental oxygen relative to HIV-negative participants. Higher disease severity was associated with low CD4 T cell counts and higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios (NLR). Yet, CD4 counts recovered and NLR stabilized after SARS-CoV-2 clearance in wave 2 infected PLWH, arguing for an interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and HIV infection leading to low CD4 and high NLR. The first infection wave, where severity in HIV negative and PLWH was similar, still showed some HIV modulation of SARS-CoV-2 immune responses. Therefore, HIV infection can synergize with the SARS-CoV-2 variant to change COVID-19 outcomes.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, HIV, virus, Antiretroviral therapy, Beta variant, 【초록키워드】 SARS-COV-2 infection, severity, disease severity, neutrophil, variant, SARS-CoV-2 variant, Infection, oxygen, CD4, outcomes, lymphocyte, T cell, South Africa, immune responses, second wave, Beta, change, PLWH, HIV infection, NLR, Interaction, Immune cell, supplemental oxygen, Wave, Participants, modulation, HIV-negative, participant, CD4 counts, SARS-CoV-2 clearance, Effect, analyzed, with HIV, CD4 count, had more, requiring supplemental oxygen, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 variant, Alter, immune cell response,