ABSTRACT
Vitamin A administered to children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus before influenza vaccination in a double-blind randomized study did not enhance vaccine serologic responses but did dampen the increase in the human immunodeficiency virus viral load 14 days after immunization (vitamin A, decrease of 0.13 +/- 0.09 log(10) copies/mL; placebo, increase of 0.14 +/- 0.08, P =.02).
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/drug effects , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV Infections/virology , HIV-1 , Influenza A virus/immunology , Influenza B virus/immunology , Influenza Vaccines/immunology , Viral Load , Vitamin A/administration & dosage , Adolescent , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Child , Child, Preschool , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Time Factors , Vaccines, Inactivated/immunologyABSTRACT
Low plasma vitamin A levels (mean, 18.1 +/- 10.3 micrograms/dl, 62% below normal) were demonstrated in South African children with pulmonary tuberculosis. More extensive or severe disease (e.g., additional extrapulmonary tuberculosis) and low levels of retinol binding protein, prealbumin, and albumin were associated with low vitamin A levels. High-dose vitamin A therapy had no effect on disease outcome.