Swine flu: AIDS patients not at greater risk of infection
R. PRASAD
|
Though the CD4 cells are less, other parts of the immune system are able to fight the flu
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The immune system
of people with HIV/
AIDS is compromised.
Yet, they are
not considered to be at a
greater risk of getting infected
with swine flu compared
with the general population.
"HIV infected people are
not at a greater risk of getting
infected with swine flu compared
to the general population,"
said Dr. R. Paranjape,
Director of the National
AIDS Research Institute,
Pune.
According to the U.K. National
Health Services (NHS),
the risk of catching swine flu
by a person who is HIV positive
is probably not high. "Although
HIV infects CD4 cells
and reduces their number
and function, there are other
parts of the immune system
that are able to fight the flu,"
it states.
Dr. Joel Gallant, Professor
of Medicine and Epidemiology
in the Division of Infectious
Diseases at the Johns
Hopkins University School of
Medicine explains in thebody.
com the reason why people
with HIV/AIDS are not
particularly at risk of getting
infected.
Not more susceptible
"HIV-infected people are
not in general at greater risk
of influenza or flu than other
people. And that's in part because
the cellular immune
system, the part of the immune
system that the CD4
cells comprise, is not really
responsible for fighting the
flu.
As a result, HIV doesn't
make you more susceptible.
For most people with HIV,
the swine flu is pretty much
the same as it would be with
somebody without HIV," Dr.
Gallant was quoted as saying
in thebody.com.
Sujatha Rao, Director General
of the National AIDS
Control Organisation (NACO),
Delhi, shares Dr. Paranjape's
views. "There are no
special precautions that people
with HIV/AIDS need take
to prevent swine flu infection,"
she said.
In fact, an advisory sent by
the NACO to all centres that
provide antiretroviral therapy
(ART) does not talk of any
special precautions that people
with HIV/AIDS should
take to prevent swine flu infection.
The advisory only mentions
that people with any of the
common symptoms of swine
flu - cough, fever, sore throat,
running nose, body ache,
chills or fatigue - should wear
a mask before entering the
centre.
The ART centres in turn
should provide masks at the
entrance of the centres to
such people who are not wearing
it. The ART centres are
also required to examine
these patients on a first priority
basis.
But HIV positive people
who are infected with swine
flu are at a greater risk of suffering
from complications.
Severe complications
"If you have a low CD4
count (under 200), you may
be more likely to suffer complications
like pneumonia
from any type of flu, including
swine flu," notes the NHS.
"But how those [HIV positive
people] infected with
swine flu would suffer is not
known as the swine flu virus
is new and we don't have
enough data," said Dr.
Paranjape.
It would probably be correct
to assume that many
people with no underlying
disease and with good immune
system will be able to
fight the infection even without
any medication.
HIV positive people with
their immune system compromised
may therefore suffer
from greater
complications from swine flu.
According to the Centres
for Disease Control (CDC),
Atlanta, United States, HIV
positive people, and especially
those with low CD4 cell
counts are known to be at
higher risk for viral and bacterial
lower respiratory tract
infections and for recurrent
pneumonias.
"It is possible that HIV-infected
adults and adolescents
are also at higher risk for novel
influenza A(H1N1) virus infection
complications," the
CDC states.
The CDC notes that "Evidence
that influenza can be
more severe for HIV-infected
adults and adolescents comes
from studies among HIV-infected
persons who had seasonal
influenza; these data
are limited."
According to the CDC, people
with HIV/AIDS and especially
persons with low CD4
cell counts or AIDS can experience
more severe complications
of seasonal influenza.
And it is possible that HIVinfected
adults and adolescents
are also at higher risk
for novel influenza A (H1N1)
virus infection
complications.
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