2009 H1N1 Influenza and HIV Infection

During the past year, all eyes were on the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, as investigators scurried to understand the virus, develop a vaccine, and communicate prevention measures. Those of us working with HIV-positive patients had our own set of questions: Would our patients be more susceptible to 2009 H1N1 influenza? Would the disease be more severe? Would viral shedding be increased? Would HIV-positive patients respond to the vaccine?

One thing that became apparent early on was the paucity of literature on seasonal influenza and HIV infection, making it difficult to predict the impact of a novel strain in this population. At the 2010 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, a late-breaker session entitled “Swine Flu Mee…