Alcoholism is known to cause perturbations in cellular and humoral immunity, and some data suggest that acute alcohol ingestion enhances HIV replication in the lymphocytes of drinkers.
Methods
To study the acute effects of alcohol ingestion on HIV replication, oral ethanol (1 g/kg) was administered to 12 healthy volunteers in a controlled clinical setting. In vitro replication of HIV in the subjects' cultured lymphocytes and changes in lymphocyte phenotypes were evaluated.
Results
Statistically significant increases in peripheral lymphocytes and natural killer cell numbers were identified after the initial ethanol trial. HIV replication also increased in the isolated lymphocytes of some subjects after ethanol ingestion, but most subjects in the second trial showed essentially no changes in any of these parameters.
Conclusions
Our results are consistent with either a subtle, study-induced stress-related enhancement in HIV replication or significant individual variation in response to ethanol. The results do not provide evidence for a general increase in HIV replication in the lymphocytes of subjects following a single in vivo ethanol dose of 1 g/kg.
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