Investigating the Association between Immune-Related SNPs with Perinatal HIV Acquisition, Viral Load, and CD4/CD8 Ratios

This study focused on three key objectives related to the role of host genetic variation in perinatal HIV infection and disease progression: To compare the distribution of immune-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between youth with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) and those who were perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected (PHEU). This comparison aimed to identify genetic variants that may have conferred susceptibility or resistance to HIV acquisition at birth. To describe the association between immune-related SNPs and viral load among individuals with PHIV. By examining how genetic variation influenced viral burden, this objective sought to clarify the contribution of host genomics to viral control and potential disease progression. To describe the association between immune-related SNPs and CD4/CD8 ratios in PHIV. The CD4/CD8 ratio, as a marker of immune health and recovery, was analyzed to determine whether specific genetic variants were linked to better or worse immune reconstitution in youth living with HIV.