HIV

Since its initial identification as the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1981, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a significant global health challenge. This retrovirus was first isolated in 1983 by research teams in France and the USA. Notably, the earliest known HIV-1 blood sample dates back to 1959. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2022, approximately 39 million people globally were living with HIV/AIDS. That year, around 1.3 million new infections and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths were reported. People living with HIV (PLHIV) are in the risk of a wide range of comorbidities, some examples are cardiovascular diseases, hematological malignancies, and other infectious diseases.

HIV primarily targets the body’s immune system, by infecting CD4+ T lymphocytes. The virus exists mainly in two types: HIV-1, the most virulent and widespread form responsible for the majority of infections worldwide, and HIV-2, which is less transmissible and predominantly found in West Africa (Royle CM et al. (2014)). The primary modes of HIV transmission include sexual contact, exposure to infected blood, and vertical transmission from mother to child during childbirth or through breastfeeding. Initial, acute HIV infection often presents with nonspecific, flu-like symptoms including fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes (CDC (2024)). Without treatment, HIV infection typically advances to AIDS, characterized by a severe decrease in CD4+ T cells and consequent in state of immunodeficiency.

Diagnosis of HIV involves testing blood samples for the presence of HIV. This can be done through various methods, including antigen-antibody tests (which detect both HIV antigens and antibodies), antibody tests (which detect HIV antibodies), or nucleic acid tests (which measure the amount of virus, also known as the HIV viral load). By measuring the CD4 T cell count, the progression of the HIV infection can be monitored as HIV targets and destroys CD4 T cells. A CD4 T cell count below 200 cells/ul defines the state of immunodeficiency-AIDS. Although there is no cure for HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART) can effectively suppress viral replication, enabling individuals to live healthy, active, and full lives.

Differential Abundance Analysis Results

This section presents the results of the differential protein abundance analysis, visualized through a volcano plot and summarized in the accompanying table for all three comparisons: 1) disease vs. healthy samples, 2) disease vs. diseases from the same class, and 3) disease vs. all other diseases.