Tetanus vaccination with IL-2 during highly active antiretroviral therapy induces sustained and pronounced specific CD4 T-cell responses

HIV-1 infection results in profound dysfunction of the CD4 T-cell population. Although highly active antiretroviral therapy allows the reconstitution of CD4 T-cell numbers, functional abnormalities remain, including inadequate responses to vaccination. IL-2 increases CD4 T-cell numbers and function. We report the effects of IL-2 given with tetanus vaccination in two patients in a larger immunotherapy study. In one case IL-2 induced sustained responses, which may have been caused by the timing of IL-2 with vaccination.