Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load and CD4+ T-cell Count After ART in a Patient Diagnosed With AIDS Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report

Yasuhiro Umekage; Mayumi Hatayama; Akari Yagita; Kiichi Nitanai; Hiraku Yanada; Ryota Shigaki; Yoshinori Minami; Takaaki Sasaki

doi:10.7759/cureus.51189

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load and CD4+ T-cell Count After ART in a Patient Diagnosed With AIDS Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report

Cureus. 2023 Dec 27;15(12):e51189. doi: 10.7759/cureus.51189. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Yasuhiro Umekage¹, Mayumi Hatayama², Akari Yagita³, Kiichi Nitanai³, Hiraku Yanada³, Ryota Shigaki³, Yoshinori Minami³, Takaaki Sasaki³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infection Control, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Asahikawa, JPN.
² Division of Metabolism and Biosystemic Science, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, JPN.
³ Division of Respiratory Medicine and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, JPN.

Abstract

We describe the case of a 36-year-old man diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) following prolonged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia. The patient had a complication of pneumocystis pneumonia. Upon initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy, we monitored HIV RNA levels, CD4+ T-cell count, SARS-CoV-2 viral load, and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. At 167 days post SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, the patient's CD4+ T-cell count increased to 180 cells/μL. IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were undetectable despite a decreased SARS-CoV-2 viral load. HIV screening is necessary in cases of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia or persistent SARS-CoV-2 shedding. When diagnosed with HIV infection, it is advisable to consider the possibility of pneumocystis pneumonia.

Keywords: acquired immune deficiency syndrome (aids); aids; hiv; pneumocystis pneumonia; sars-cov-2.

Publication types

Case Reports