Virus specific humoral immune response to Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) in AIDS patients with oropharyngeal herpes simplex infection

Abstract

It is well known that the most of AIDS patient have evidence of more severe herpetic infection than immunocompetent persons. In this study we examined the characteristics of humoral immune response during active herpes simplex virus infection in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, and correlate the value of specific markers (titre of specific anti-HSV-IgM, anti-HSV-IgG antibody, titre of neutralization antibody and avidity of IgG) between these 2 groups. The results have shown that although AIDS patients have severe depression of their cellular immune response, they can mount an intensive humoral antiviral response during the active HSV-1 infection. They have higher titre and avidity of specific anti-HSV antibody than immunocompetent persons. But even with high titre of specific antibody, AIDS patient have no enough neutralizing antibodies. According to the clinical manifestation of herpetic infection in AIDS patient, our result showed significant association between the quantity of in vitro neutralizing activity and in vivo protection from severe herpetic infection.