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BACKGROUND: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can lead to significant changes to the HIV reservoir and HIV immune responses, indicating that further characterisation of HIV infected patients undergoing HSCT is warranted.METHODS: We studied three patients who underwent HSCT after either reduced intensity conditioning or myeloablative conditioning regimen. We measured HIV antigens and antibodies (Ag/Ab), HIV specific CD4+ T cell responses, HIV RNA and DNA in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), isolated CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood and lymph node cells. The patients remained on ART throughout the follow up period.RESULTS: All patients have been in continued remission for 4-6 years post-HSCT. Analyses of HIV RNA and DNA levels showed substantial reductions in HIV reservoir related measurements in all three patients, changes in immune response varied with pronounced reductions in two patients and a less dramatic reduction in one patient. One patient experienced unexpected viral rebound 4 years after HSCT.CONCLUSION: These three cases highlight the substantial changes to the HIV reservoir and the HIV immune response in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT. The viral rebound observed in one patient indicates that replication competent HIV can re-emerge several years following HSCT despite these marked changes.

Infections were examined as possible risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a population-based case-control study in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Incident cases (n = 694) had no history of HIV infection or transplantation. Controls (n = 694) were randomly selected from electoral rolls and frequency matched to cases by age, sex, and area of residence. A postal questionnaire and telephone interview measured history of specific infections, occupational exposures, and behavioral and other risk factors for infection. Blood samples were tested for antibodies to human T-lymphotrophic virus type I and hepatitis C virus. Logistic regression models included the three matching variables and ethnicity. There was no association between risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and any of the variables analyzed, including sexually transmitted infections, sexual behavior, blood transfusions, influenza, acne, and either occupational or domestic exposure to zoonotic infections. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk was nonsignificantly elevated (odds ratio, 2.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-11.51) for those with a history of injecting drug use. Three cases and two controls (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.22-7.98) tested positive to hepatitis C virus infection and none tested positive to human T-lymphotrophic virus type I/II infection. This study provides consistent evidence that sexually transmitted infections and zoonoses are not risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma