HIV and COVID-19: review of clinical course and outcomes

Abstract

Background:Understanding the relationship between HIV and SARS-CoV-2 has important public health implications.

Objective:To summarize current research on COVID-19 among people with HIV (PWH) as published through 15 July 2021.

Methods: We conducted a search of PubMed, Scopus, preprint databases (medRxiv, bioRxiv), and the references of publications found using key terms relevant to COVID-19 (‘COVID-19’ OR ‘SARS-CoV-2’ OR ‘coronavirus’) AND to HIV (‘HIV’ OR ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’ OR ‘AIDS’ OR ‘Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome’). We summarized all articles that reported data or opinions on SARS-CoV-2 and HIV coinfection.

Conclusions: Although many initial case series and cohort studies found no increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 outcomes among PWH, recent studies have signaled an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease progression even in the setting of well-controlled HIV. Whether this is due to the increased prevalence of comorbidities in PWH and other social determinants of health is unknown. These conflicting findings highlight the continued need for COVID-19 related research among PWH that addresses COVID-19 disease course as well as exacerbation of existing comorbidities already disproportionately represented among PWH.

Keywords:

• Human immunodeficiency virus
• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19
• coinfection

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging [R01AG054366-05S] and the GEMS-Health Professionals Program [R25HL103286]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. KME has received grant funding from Gilead Sciences (paid to the University of Colorado).

Notes on contributors

Lauren K. Barbera

Lauren K. Barbera is an MD candidate at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, CO.

Kevin F. Kamis

Kevin F. Kamis, MPH, is a Researcher at Denver Public Health, a department within Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, CO, USA.

Sarah E. Rowan

Sarah E. Rowan, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado Denver and the Associate Director of HIV and Viral Hepatitis Prevention at Denver Public Health, a division of Denver Health and Hospital Authority.

Amelia J. Davis

Amelia J. Davis is a MD/MPH candidate at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Colorado School of Public Health in Aurora, CO.

Soraya Shehata

Soraya Shehata is a MD/PhD candidate at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, currently completing her thesis work in the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department of CU Boulder.

Jesse J. Carlson

Jesse J. Carlson is a Research Associate at Denver Public Health and an MPH candidate at the Colorado School of Public Health in Aurora, CO.

Steven C. Johnson

Steven C. Johnson, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and the Associate Division Head for Clinical Affairs in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado.

Kristine M. Erlandson

Kristine M. Erlandson, MD, MS is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Colorado in Aurora, CO.