COVID-19 among HIV-infected population

Abstract

Novel coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, has been declared as a pandemic on March 11th, 2020. The devastating impact of COVID-19 has affected every sectors and individuals worldwide. No definite and specific treatment has been discovered up till now, apart from symptomatic or experimental treatments. Individuals with chronic disease comorbidity are identified to have worse outcomes and greater risk of mortality. Moreover, certain chronic infectious disease, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is also included as affected individuals by COVID-19 with unknown extent. Various recent studies suggested that there is no higher risk of COVID-19 among HIV-infected population, but subjects are limited. Additionally, controversies still exist regarding the outcome of COVID-19 in HIVinfected population as well as the role of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in COVID-19. Another problems regarding COVID-19 pandemic in this context impede medical access and disturb adherence to ART in HIV patients, further increasing risk of lethal morbidity and mortality of COVID-19. Because of the urgency of COVID-19 pandemic as well as chronicity, mortality, and great number of HIV infections, clinicians should be aware of the relationship between HIV infection and COVID-19. This review article summarized the association between HIV infection and COVID-19 during the pandemic, including the current evidence of ART in COVID-19.