Principal Investigator: Catherine Koofhethile, PhD and Mathias Lichterfeld, PhD

Study Objectives:

To assess cellular and humoral immune responses in HIV-1-infected children and teenagers receiving SARS-CoV2-specific mRNA vaccines in Botswana.

We will characterize memory B and T cell responses in HIV-1- infected pediatric patients undergoing vaccination with SARS-CoV2-specific mRNA vaccines from Pfizer/Biotech or Moderna, to determine the functionality and durability of mRNA vaccine-induced memory responses in this specific patient population. These data will be critical for designing future personalized therapeutic HIV mRNA vaccines incorporating autologous viral sequences

Study Design:

The study will be a prospective cohort study of two groups of children. Group 1 will include 20 children living with HIV; Group 2 will include 20 children, similar in age to Group 1, who are not living with HIV; this group will serve as a comparator group.

Study Population & Sample size:

Group 1 (n=20)

Children <12 years living with HIV and already initiated ART. This group will include children in the EIT Study; from other BHP cohorts, or from pediatric ART clinics in Botswana.

Group 2 (n=20)

Children <12 years without HIV recruited either from active BHP studies, or from those who were previously screened for participation in the EIT study but tested negative.

About 40 children will be enrolled into this study

Study duration: 2-3 years

Study Results: Study is on-going and no results yet.

Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development