Association between neopterin and beta-2-microglobulin levels and HIV status in Romanian orphanage children
Zaknun, D.; DiFranco, M.; Oswald, H.P.; Zaknun, J.; Mayersbach, P.; Vuja, E.; Wachter, H.; Fuchs, D.
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 105(10): 284-288
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0043-5325 PMID: 8517058 Document Number: 413335
Serologic markers of immune activation, neopterin and beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), have been shown to predict progressive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease based on cohort studies in adults. Both parameters appear also to be valuable in distinguishing HIV-1 infants with progressive disease from asymptomatic infants and HIV-1 seronegative infants. In a cross-sectional study we examined the utility of neopterin and B2M testing in 135 infants of an orphanage in Romania, 69 of the infants (51%) were found to be HIV-1 antibody seropositive; 95% of the 135 infants were either hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigen or antibody seropositive. In the HIV-1 seronegative infants B2M was higher in those with HBV antigenaemia. Serum neopterin and B2M concentrations were higher in HIV-1 seropositive than in seronegative infants (p = 7 times 101-12 and 1 times 10-6). Children with CDC stage P2 had only slight higher neopterin and B2M values as compared to stage P1 (P = 0.04 and 0.08). Our study indicates that measurement of neopterin and B2M is useful to monitor HIV-1 infection, particularly in areas where laboratory facilities are limited. Both parameters continue to be associated with HIV-1 infection even when there is a high background rate of other infections.