MVA-B vaccination was a safe strategy to increase Gag-specific T cell responses in chronically HIV-1-infected individuals, but it did not have a major impact on the latent reservoir or the rebound of plasma viral load after interruption of cART when given alone or in combination with disulfiram.

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Folk medicinal plants are potential sources of useful therapeutic compounds including some with antiviral activities. Extracts prepared from 10 South American medicinal plants (Baccharis trinervis, Baccharis teindalensis, Eupatorium articulatum, Eupatorium glutinosum, Tagetes pusilla, Neurolaena lobata, Conyza floribunda, Phytolacca bogotensis, Phytolacca rivinoides and Heisteria acuminata) were screened for in vitro antiviral activity against herpes simplex type I (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and poliovirus type 1. The most potent inhibition was observed with an aqueous extract of B. trinervis, which inhibited HSV-1 replication by 100% at 50-200 mg/mL, without showing cytotoxic effects. Good activities were also found with the ethanol extract of H. acuminata and the aqueous extract of E. articulatum, which exhibited antiviral effects against both DNA and RNA viruses (HSV-1 and VSV, respectively) at 125-250 mg/mL. The aqueous extracts of T. pusilla (100-250 mg/mL), B. teindalensis (50-125 mg/mL) and E. glutinosum (50-125 mg/mL) also inhibited the replication of VSV, but none of the extracts tested had any effect on poliovirus replication.

As part of our screening of anti-AIDS agents from natural sources, extracts of 15 medicinal plants widely used in the folk medicines of North America and Europe were evaluated in vitro. Most of the extracts tested were relatively nontoxic to human lymphocytic MT-2 cells, but only the extracts of Hysopp officinalis and Dittrichia viscosa exhibited anti-HIV activity in an in vitro MTT assay. The 50% hydroalcohol extract of Hysopp officinalis and the aqueous extract of Dittrichia viscosa showed inhibitory effects against HIV-1 induced infections in MT-2 cells at concentrations ranging from 50 to 100 microg/mL and 25 to 400 microg/mL, respectively. Both extracts showed no appreciable cytotoxicity at these concentrations.

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We provide comprehensive data on the clinical correlates of both CMV genotypic follow-up by standard and deep sequencing and the clinical outcomes, as well as recombinant phenotypic results of this novel mutation. Our study emphasizes that the clinical follow-up in combination with genotypic and phenotypic studies is essential for the assessment and optimization of patients experiencing HCMV relapses or not responding to antiviral therapy.

Two kidney and hematopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients received maribavir (MBV) after cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection clinically resistant to standard therapy. Both patients achieved CMV-DNA clearance within 30 and 18 days, however, the UL97 C480F variant emerged causing recurrent CMV infection after cumulative 2 months of MBV and 15 or 4 weeks of valganciclovir/gangciclovir treatment, respectively. C480F was not detected under ganciclovir before MBV treatment. Recombinant phenotyping showed C480F conferred the highest level of MBV resistance and ganciclovir cross-resistance, with impaired viral growth. Clinical follow-up, genotypic and phenotypic studies are essential for the assessment and optimization of patients with suspected MBV resistance.