Abstract
Lymphocyte subsets, activation markers and apoptosis were assessed in 20 HIV-exposed noninfected (ENI) children born to HIV-infected women who were or not exposed to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs during pregnancy and early infancy. ENI children and adolescents were aged 6–18 years and they were compared to 25 age-matched healthy non-HIV-exposed children and adolescents (Control). ENI individuals presented lower CD4
+
T cells/mm
3
than Control group (control: 1120.3 vs. ENI: 876.3;
t
-test,
p
= 0.030). ENI individuals had higher B-cell apoptosis than Control group (Control: 36.6%, ARV exposed: 82.3%, ARV nonexposed: 68.5%; Kruskal–Wallis,
p
< 0.05), but no statistical difference was noticed between those exposed and not exposed to ARV. Immune activation in CD4
+
T, CD8
+
T and in B cells was comparable in ENI and in Control children and adolescents. Subtle long-term immune alterations might persist among ENI individuals, but the clinical consequences if any are unknown, and these children require continued monitoring.
