In our HIV-positive cohort, who were essentially successfully treated, this viral load increase was modest and transient – although it lasted for several weeks. No patient had to be switched to a different treatment regimen following immunization. Thus, our observations should not lead to concerns or discourage immunization of HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy, as currently recommended for their protection. However,
this effect requires to be further evaluated before the AS03 adjuvant can be considered safe in HIV-1-infected patients, especially in areas of the world where access to effective antiretroviral therapy monitoring has not yet been secured. This work was supported by an Institutional grant from BAY 80-6946 the Centre de Recherche Clinique of the University Hospitals selleck chemical of Geneva and Medical Faculty of Geneva, by the Louis Jeantet Foundation and by the Centre of Vaccinology. MB was supported by the Swiss Federal Office
of Public Health. We would like to thank Dr Baljit Phull for his careful reading of the manuscript and his useful modifications. The members of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) are: J. Barth, M. Battegay, E. Bernasconi, J. Böni, H. C. Bucher, C. Burton-Jeangros, A. Calmy, M. Cavassini, C. Cellerai, M. Egger, L. Elzi, J. Fehr, J. Fellay, M. Flepp, P. Francioli (President of the SHCS), H. Furrer (Chairman of the Clinical and Laboratory Committee), C. A. Fux, M. Gorgievski, H. Günthard (Chairman of the Scientific Board), D. Haerry (deputy of ‘Positive Council’), B. Hasse, H. H. Hirsch, B. Hirschel, I. Hösli, C. Kahlert, L. Kaiser, O. Keiser, C. Kind, T. Klimkait, H. Kovari, B. Ledergerber, G. Martinetti, B. Martinez de Tejada, K. Metzner, N. Müller, D. Nadal, G. Pantaleo, A. Rauch, S. Regenass,
M. Rickenbach Miconazole (Head of Data Center), C. Rudin (Chairman of the Mother & Child Substudy), P. Schmid, D. Schultze, F. Schöni-Affolter, J. Schüpbach, R. Speck, P. Taffé, P. Tarr, A. Telenti, A. Trkola, P. Vernazza, R. Weber and S. Yerly. Author contributions: AC, CC, SY, LK, BH and CAS contributed to study design and data interpretation. AC, MB, AN, CD, SM and SY contributed to data acquisition. Statistical analyses were performed by CC and CD. AC and CAS wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript and agreed to its submission. Funding: This work was supported by the Center for Clinical Research and the Center for Vaccinology (Geneva University Hospitals and Medical School), the Louis Jeantet Foundation and, in the framework of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant # 33CS30_134277). MB was supported by a grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. The H1N1 Study Group of the Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland is as follows: C. A. Siegrist, K. Posfay-Barbe, S. Meier, M. Bel, S. Grillet and G. Sealy (Centre for Vaccinology); J. Demeules, S. Charvat, M. Verdon and C. Combescure (Clinical Research Centre); B. Hirschel, A. Calmy, A. Nguyen and C.