Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2)

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) is a retrovirus that causes a clinical syndrome similar to AIDS, though it is generally less pathogenic and progresses more slowly than HIV-1 (NIH, 2023). It is primarily endemic to West Africa but has been identified globally due to international travel and migration (CDC, 2022). Like HIV-1, HIV-2 targets CD4+ T cells, leading to progressive immune system failure and opportunistic infections if left untreated (PubMed: 22036480). The virus utilizes key enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease for its replication cycle, which serve as the primary targets for antiretroviral therapy (UniProt). A critical therapeutic challenge is that HIV-2 is intrinsically resistant to all non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and the fusion inhibitor enfuvirtide (WHO, 2021). Consequently, treatment regimens must be specifically tailored, typically involving a combination of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) (StatPearls, 2023). Monitoring the efficacy of these drugs requires specialized HIV-2 viral load assays, as standard HIV-1 tests are not cross-reactive (PubMed: 15103012). Despite its slower progression, HIV-2 remains a significant public health concern requiring lifelong management to prevent the development of AIDS (NIH, 2023).

Other names

HIV-2Human T-lymphotropic virus type IVLAV-2Lymphadenopathy-associated virus type 2

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibition, integrase strand transfer inhibition, protease inhibition, and CCR5 antagonism.