Effectiveness of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) Plus Anti-HIV Therapy in HIV-Positive Patients

The purpose of this study is to find out if the immune systems of HIV-positive patients can be improved by treatment with anti-HIV medications plus interleukin-2 (IL-2) in the early stages of HIV infection. IL-2 is a protein found naturally in the blood that can help boost the immune system. HIV spreads throughout the body by invading CD4 cells, which are cells of the immune system that fight infection. Doctors hope that adding IL-2 to a current anti-HIV drug combination can help restore the CD4 cell count and the immune functions. This study will look at how the HIV virus acts during the early stages of HIV infection, how the immune system responds to HIV, and what impact early treatment with anti-HIV medications has on the course of HIV infection.