Hossein Rahimi - Hematology Department, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Seyyed Abdolrahim Rezaee - Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Narges Valizade - Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Rosita Vakili - Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Houshang Rafatpanah - Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

  Objective(s): HTLV-I and HIV virus quantification is an important marker for assessment of virus activities. Since there is a direct relationship between the number of virus and disease progression, HTLV- I and HIV co-infection might have an influence on the development of viral associated diseases, thus, viral replication of these viruses and co-infection were evaluated.   Materials and Methods: In this study, ۴۰ subjects were selected; ۱۴ HIV infected, ۲۰ HTLV-I infected and ۶ HTLV-I/HIV co-infected subjects. The amount of viruses was measured using qPCR TaqMan method and CD۴ and CD۸ lymphocytes were assessed by flow cytometry. Results: The mean viral load of HIV infected subjects and HTLV-I infected individuals were ۱۳۴۶۲۶.۰۷±۶۰۰۳۱.۰۷ copies/ml and ۳۷۳.۶±۱۴۳.۳ copies/۱۰۴ cells, respectively. The mean HIV viral load in co-infected group was ۱۵۸۹۴۷±۷۸۲۰۳.۵۹ copies/ml which is higher than HIV infected group. The mean proviral load of HTLV-I in co-infected group was ۲۲۲.۳۳±۸۲.۵۶ copies/ml which is lower than HTLV-I infected group (P<۰.۰۵). Also, the mean white blood cell count was higher in co-infected group (۵۶۶۶.۶۷±۱۱۴۶.۴۹ cells/μl). However, the differences between these subjects did not reach to a statistical significance within ۹۵% confidence interval level (P =۰.۱). No significant differences were observed regarding CD۴ and CD۸ positive lymphocytes between these groups.   Conclusion: HTLV-I/HIV co-infection might promote HIV replication and could reduce the HTLV-I proviral load, in infected cells. Considering the presence of both viruses in Khorasan provinces, it encourages researchers and health administrators to have a better understanding of co-infection outcome.

HIV viral load, HTLV-I/HIV co-infection, HTLV-I proviral load, Lymphocytes