Imparied Immunity Is Linked With Treatment Delay

HIVers who start therapy when they have severe immune system damage may end up with incomplete immune recovery, according to a study in the December 15 edition of Journal of Infectious Diseases. A total of 199 HIV-positive people who began HAART with CD4 counts below 50 were studied to determine their reactions to antigen tests and vaccines. More than 80% of the study subjects had negative responses to candida and mumps antigens. Eighty-six percent of the study participants had an impaired response to a tetanus vaccine, and 54% responded poorly to hepatitis A inoculations. Researchers determined, however, that an incomplete recovery did not translate into a heightened risk for AIDS-related opportunistic infections.