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ABSTRACT: Elite suppressors maintain normal CD4(+) T cell counts and viral loads of <50 copies of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA per milliliter of plasma without antiviral therapy. We report here a case of virologic escape in a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*57-positive patient shortly after seroconversion. This escape was associated with the development of mutations in 2 HLA-B*57-restricted CD8(+) T cell Gag epitopes, reversion of the drug-resistance mutation M184V, and reversion of a novel polymorphism in Vpu. The present study suggests that control of viral replication in elite suppressors may be due to HIV-1-specific CD8(+) T cells and, in some cases, mutations that have subtle effects on viral fitness.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases 07/2007; 196(1):50-5. · 6.41 Impact Factor
