AIDS, caused by the retrovirus HIV, is the leading cause of death of economically-active
people (age 15 59) in sub-Saharan Africa. It is characterised by high HIV viral load and
reduced (< 200 cells/mm3) CD4+ T-cell count. b-defensins are broad-spectrum antimicrobial
genes that are also chemotactic for dendritic cells and T-cells through the CCR6. b-defensin
genes have previously been shown to be copy number variable, that is, different individuals
have different numbers of the same gene. In this cohort study we analysed the relationship …

AIDS, caused by the retrovirus human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is the leading cause of
death of economically active people (age, 15–59 years) in sub-Saharan Africa. The host
genetic variability of immune response to HIV and immune reconstitution following initiation
of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is poorly understood. Here we focused on
copy number variation of the β-defensin genes, which have been shown to have anti-HIV
activity, and are important chemoattractants for Th17 lymphocytes via the chemokine …