Overview
SCOPE is an observational, prospective study of HIV-1 infected volunteers designed to provide a specimen bank of samples with carefully characterized clinical data. SCOPE specimens will be used to examine multiple questions involving virologic, immunologic, and host factors involved in HIV-1 infection, progression, non-progression, response to treatment, control of HIV-1 virus, and evolution of drug resistance.
Description
SCOPE is an observational, prospective study of HIV-1 infected volunteers designed to provide a specimen bank of samples with carefully characterized clinical data. Samples from SCOPE will be used to examine:
- Virologic, immunologic, and host factors involved in the natural control of HIV-1 infection (long term non-progression and/or virologic control of HIV-1 without antiretroviral therapy)
- Virologic and immune correlates associated with disease progression
- Evolution of antiretroviral drug resistance
- Factors associated with transmission or acquisition of HIV infection
Enrolled subjects are seen at San Francisco General Hospital every four months for a detailed interview, saliva collection, and blood draw. Baseline visits take approximately one hour, follow up visits take approximately 20-40 minutes. No personal identifiers are used for specimen bank samples.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
SCOPE is currently recruiting HIV-1 infected subjects with any of the following criteria:
- Documented HIV viral load less than 2000 copies/ml WITHOUT taking antiretroviral therapy
- Undetectable HIV viral load with CD4 T-cells consistently less than 350 for the last 12 months while taking a stable antiretroviral regimen.
- Antiretroviral naive and planning to start an antiretroviral regimen - any CD4 or HIV viral load acceptable.
- Long-term Non Progressors: HIV-positive at least 10 years, no antiretroviral therapy for the past 10 years or more, any viral load acceptable, CD4-T cell count always above 500.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Active opportunistic infection or systemic treatment for opportunistic infection within the last 4 months (oral candidiasis acceptable)
- Active treatment for cancer
- Active treatment for hepatitis C requiring interferon based therapy
- Immunosuppressive therapy taken within the last 4 months