Pneumococcal Risks Remain Elevated

A study in the June 1 edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that the incidence of pneumococcal disease, including meningitis and pneumonia, remains high among HIV-positive adults despite successes in suppressing HIV viral loads and boosting CD4 counts through highly active antiretroviral therapy. The disease also was shown to be as likely to occur in HIV patients with a CD4 cell count of more than 200 as in those with CD4 counts under 200 and to carry an overall 21% risk of death for all HIV-positive study subjects, according to researchers. Some of the causes for rates of pneumococcal disease remaining high while other AIDS-related diseases have diminished in the HAART era are likely other risk factors, including injection drug use and certain immune system markers, including immunoglobulin A levels, mononuclear cells, and humoral host responses, the researchers report.