Are there any similarities in the immune response to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and SARS-CoV-2?
The severe lymphopenia observed in COVID-1922 is similar to that reported in HIV infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The latter is characterized by CD4+ T cell lymphopenia, whereas COVID-19 causes general lymphopenia. However, severe lymphopenia development in COVID-19 happens in weeks, whereas HIV-induced lymphopenia takes years.23 HIV and SARS-CoV-2 are RNA viruses and follow similar replication pathways; hence some RNA replication drugs may work in both diseases.24