Figure 2.
Malaria coinfection of acutely simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)–infected animals resulted in severe and rapid lymphoid depletion in the lymph nodes, spleen, and rectal mucosa. A, B, Histopathology images indicating lymphoid depletion/destruction in lymph nodes (top, 50× magnification) and spleens (bottom, 50× magnification) of 2 representative macaques (subjects 7282, 7289) in the malaria/acutely SHIV–coinfected group. Note the destruction of lymphoid structures, the disappearance of both germinal centers and T-cell zones, and apparent necrosis in lymph nodes and spleens collected at necropsy at day 21 after the coinfection. Shown on the left are 2 sets of control images (25× magnification). The first set from a representative uninfected macaque indicated normal structures of T-cell zones/germinal centers in the lymph node and white/red pulps in the spleen. The other set from SHIV-only macaque (subject 7351, necropsied on day 627 post-SHIV infection) showed enlarged germinal centers, but no lymphoid destruction or necrosis. A lack of necrosis and marked lymphoid depletion was also seen in acute viral infection phase of SHIV-only controls. Of note, acute SHIV infection of macaques did not cause lymphoid destruction, necrosis, or disappearances of germinal centers despite the minor decreases in cell density in T-cell zones and subtle paracortical hyperplasia were seen in lymph nodes collected 1 month after SHIV infection (data not shown). All samples were formalin-fixed sections stained by hematoxylin and eosin. Red arrows indicate germinal centers; green arrows indicate necrotic regions without germinal centers/T-cell zones or normal structures; and yellow arrows indicate depleted germinal centers and necrosis in spleen. Ci, Histopathology images of rectal mucosa collected at day 21 after SHIV from representative SHIVinfected control (left 2 panels) and malaria/acute SHIV–coinfected macaques (right 2 panels). Malaria/acute SHIV–coinfected macaques shows decreased densities of lymphoid cells in gut mucosa overall, with fewer lymphocytes seen (400× magnification).