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Sample records for healthy hiv-1 uninfected

  1. Nosocomial infections in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    One HIV-infected child died of varicella pneumonia. Other common nosocomial infections encountered in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children respectively were upper respiratory tract infections (pharyngitis, tonsillitis or rhinitis) affecting 21 and four, otitis media in five and one, oral candidiasis in seven and zero, urinary ...

  2. Imbalance of naive and memory T lymphocytes with sustained high cellular activation during the first year of life from uninfected children born to HIV-1-infected mothers on HAART.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, E; Nunes dos Santos, A M; de Menezes Succi, R C; Machado, D M; de Angelis, D S A; Salomão, R; Kallás, E G; de Moraes-Pinto, M I

    2008-08-01

    The immune consequences of in utero HIV exposure to uninfected children whose mothers were submitted to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) during gestation are not well defined. We evaluated 45 HIV-exposed uninfected (ENI) neonates and 45 healthy unexposed control (CT) neonates. All HIV-infected mothers received HAART during pregnancy, and the viral load at delivery was ENI neonates were further evaluated after 12 months and compared to 23 unexposed healthy age-matched infants. Immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry in cord and peripheral blood. Cord blood lymphocyte numbers did not differ between groups. However, ENI neonates had a lower percentage of naive T cells than CT neonates (CD4+, 76.6 vs 83.1%, P ENI neonates (CD4+, 62.2 vs 52.1, P = 0.007; CD8+, 47.7 vs 35.3, P ENI infants still had higher mean fluorescence intensity of CD38 on T cells (CD4+, 34.2 vs 23.3, P < 0.001; CD8+, 26.8 vs 19.4, P = 0.035). Despite effective maternal virologic control at delivery, HIV-exposed uninfected children were born with lower levels of naive T cells. Immune activation was present at birth and remained until at least 12 months of age, suggesting that in utero exposure to HIV causes subtle immune abnormalities.

  3. Seroprevalence of Human Herpesvirus-8 in HIV-1 Infected and Uninfected Individuals in Cameroon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Owen Wood

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available We evaluated the prevalence of HHV-8 antibodies in 516 plasma samples collected from HIV positive and negative patients from blood banks and urban areas of Cameroon. Among HIV-1 positive samples, HHV-8 seropositivity rate was 61% based on combined reactivity using both ELISA and IFA techniques. HIV negative samples showed 62% seropositivity rate for HHV-8 antibodies. Our results indicate a high HHV-8 prevalence rate in both HIV infected and uninfected individuals in Cameroon.

  4. Clinical epidemiology of bocavirus, rhinovirus, two polyomaviruses and four coronaviruses in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected South African children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta C Nunes

    Full Text Available Advances in molecular diagnostics have implicated newly-discovered respiratory viruses in the pathogenesis of pneumonia. We aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of human bocavirus (hBoV, human rhinovirus (hRV, polyomavirus-WU (WUPyV and -KI (KIPyV and human coronaviruses (CoV-OC43, -NL63, -HKU1 and -229E among children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI.Multiplex real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was undertaken on archived nasopharyngeal aspirates from HIV-infected and -uninfected children (<2 years age hospitalized for LRTI, who had been previously investigated for respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza I-III, adenovirus and influenza A/B.At least one of these viruses were identified in 274 (53.0% of 517 and in 509 (54.0% of 943 LRTI-episodes in HIV-infected and -uninfected children, respectively. Human rhinovirus was the most prevalent in HIV-infected (31.7% and -uninfected children (32.0%, followed by CoV-OC43 (12.2% and hBoV (9.5% in HIV-infected; and by hBoV (13.3% and WUPyV (11.9% in HIV-uninfected children. Polyomavirus-KI (8.9% vs. 4.8%; p = 0.002 and CoV-OC43 (12.2% vs. 3.6%; p<0.001 were more prevalent in HIV-infected than -uninfected children. Combined with previously-tested viruses, respiratory viruses were identified in 60.9% of HIV-infected and 78.3% of HIV-uninfected children. The newly tested viruses were detected at high frequency in association with other respiratory viruses, including previously-investigated viruses (22.8% in HIV-infected and 28.5% in HIV-uninfected children.We established that combined with previously-investigated viruses, at least one respiratory virus was identified in the majority of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children hospitalized for LRTI. The high frequency of viral co-infections illustrates the complexities in attributing causality to specific viruses in the aetiology of LRTI and may indicate a

  5. Immunogenicity and effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in HIV infected and uninfected African children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhi, Shabir A; Kuwanda, Locadiah; Saarinen, Leena; Cutland, Clare; Mothupi, Rosalia; Käyhty, Helena; Klugman, Keith P

    2005-12-01

    The quantitative (anti-Hib capsular polysaccharide antibody concentrations; anti-HibPS) and qualitative (bactericidal activity and avidity) aspects in immune responses to Haemophilus influenzae type b polyribosyl ribitol phospshate-CRM(197) conjugate vaccine (HibCV; HibTiter) were evaluated in 66 HIV infected children not receiving anti-retroviral therapy and 127 HIV uninfected children. Surveillance was conducted for invasive Hib disease in a cohort of 39,865 (approximately 6.4% of whom were HIV infected) children from March 1998 to June 2004. HIV infected children had lower anti-HibPS geometric mean antibody concentrations 1 month post-immunisation than HIV uninfected children (Por=1.0 microg/ml (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.43-0.69). A lower proportion of HIV infected children than HIV uninfected children (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.66-0.93) had measurable anti-Hib serum bactericidal activity (SBA) and the HibPS antibody concentration required for 50% killing of Hib bacteria was greater among HIV infected than HIV uninfected children (P=0.001). The estimated risk of HibCV failure was 35.1-fold greater (95% CI 14.6-84.6) amongst HIV infected than HIV uninfected children.

  6. Epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection hospitalizations among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected South African children, 2010-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moyes, Jocelyn; Cohen, Cheryl; Pretorius, Marthi; Groome, Michelle; von Gottberg, Anne; Wolter, Nicole; Walaza, Sibongile; Haffejee, Sumayya; Chhagan, Meera; Naby, Fathima; Cohen, Adam L; Tempia, Stefano; Kahn, Kathleen; Dawood, Halima; Venter, Marietjie; Madhi, Shabir A

    2013-12-15

    There are limited data on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among children in settings with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We studied the epidemiology of RSV-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) hospitalizations among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children in South Africa. Children aged infection among HIV-infected and uninfected children were examined. The relative risk of hospitalization in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children was calculated in 1 site with population denominators. Of 4489 participants, 4293 (96%) were tested for RSV, of whom 1157 (27%) tested positive. With adjustment for age, HIV-infected children had a 3-5-fold increased risk of hospitalization with RSV-associated ALRTI (2010 relative risk, 5.6; [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.5-6.4]; 2011 relative risk, 3.1 [95% CI, 2.6-3.6]). On multivariable analysis, HIV-infected children with RSV-associated ALRTI had higher odds of death (adjusted odds ratio. 31.1; 95% CI, 5.4-179.8) and hospitalization for >5 days (adjusted odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.5-10.6) than HIV-uninfected children. HIV-infected children have a higher risk of hospitalization with RSV-associated ALRTI and a poorer outcome than HIV-uninfected children. These children should be targeted for interventions aimed at preventing severe RSV disease.

  7. Unintended pregnancy, contraceptive use, and childbearing desires among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women in Botswana: across-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayondi, Gloria K; Wirth, Kathleen; Morroni, Chelsea; Moyo, Sikhulile; Ajibola, Gbolahan; Diseko, Modiegi; Sakoi, Maureen; Magetse, Jane Dipuo; Moabi, Kebaiphe; Leidner, Jean; Makhema, Joseph; Kammerer, Betsy; Lockman, Shahin

    2016-01-16

    Little is known about the impact of knowledge of HIV serostatus on pregnancy intention and contraceptive use in high-HIV-burden southern African settings in the era of widespread antiretroviral treatment availability. We analyzed interview data collected among 473 HIV-uninfected and 468 HIV-infected pregnant and recently postpartum women at two sites in southern Botswana. Participants were interviewed about their knowledge of their HIV status prior to pregnancy, intendedness of the pregnancy, contraceptive use, and future childbearing desires. The median age of the 941 women was 27 years, median lifetime pregnancies was 2, and 416 (44%) of pregnancies were unintended. Among women reporting unintended pregnancy, 36% were not using a contraceptive method prior to conception. Among contraception users, 81% used condoms, 13% oral contraceptives and 5% an injectable contraceptive. In univariable analysis, women with unintended pregnancy had a higher number of previous pregnancies (P = HIV-infected, 48% reported knowing they were HIV-uninfected, and 22% reported not knowing their HIV status prior to conception. In multivariable analysis, women who did not know their HIV status pre-conception were more likely to report their pregnancy as unintended compared to women who knew that they were HIV-uninfected (aOR = 1.7; 95%CI: 1.2-2.5). After controlling for other factors, unintended pregnancy was not associated with knowing one's HIV positive status prior to conception (compared with knowing one's negative HIV status prior to conception). Among women with unintended pregnancy, there was no association between knowing their HIV status and contraceptive use prior to pregnancy in adjusted analyses. Sixty-one percent of women reported not wanting any more children after this pregnancy, with HIV-infected women significantly more likely to report not wanting any more children compared to HIV-uninfected women (aOR = 3.9; 95%CI: 2.6-5.8). The high rates of reported unintended

  8. EFFECT OF HIGHLY ACTIVE ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY ON VAGINAL Candida spp. ISOLATION IN HIV-INFECTED COMPARED TO HIV-UNINFECTED WOMEN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia de Souza Dantas ALCZUK

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC in HIV-infected women contributed to the impairment of their quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART use on the vaginal Candida spp. isolation in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected women. This cross-sectional study included 178 HIV-infected (HIV group and 200 HIV-uninfected women (control that were studied at the Specialized Assistance Service (SAE for sexually transmitted diseases (STD/AIDS of the city of Maringá, Brazil, from April 1 to October 30, 2011. The yeasts were isolated and identified by phenotypic and molecular methods. The in vitro antifungal susceptibility to fluconazole, itraconazole, nystatin and amphotericin B was tested by the reference microdilution method. Higher frequencies of total vaginal Candida spp. isolation were found in the HIV-infected group than in the control group. However, both groups showed a similar frequency of colonization and VVC. Although C. albicans was the most frequent and sensitive to azolics and polyenes in both HIV-infected and uninfected women, the emerging resistance of C. glabrata to amphotericin B in the HIV-infected women was observed. Although higher frequency of vaginal Candida spp. isolation had been observed in the HIV-infected than in HIV-uninfected women, colonization and VVC showed similar frequency in both groups, indicating that HAART appears to protect against vaginal colonization and VVC.

  9. Depression in perinatally HIV-infected pregnant women compared to non-perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angrand, Ruth C; Sperling, Rhoda; Roccobono, Kinga; Osborne, Lauren M; Jao, Jennifer

    2018-05-18

    "Depression (as noted in chart by a physician)" was compared between HIV infected pregnant women and controls. Perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV), non-perinatally HIV-infected (NPHIV), and HIV-uninfected (HIV-U) pregnant women were all compared using a logistic regression model. Overall, HIV-infected women had higher rates of depression than HIV-U, with PHIV women demonstrating a clinically and statistically significant increased risk compared to HIV-U women [adjusted OR: 15.9, 95% CI = 1.8-143.8]. Future studies in larger populations are warranted to confirm these findings and further elucidate mental health outcomes of PHIV and NPHIV pregnant women.

  10. CD4 cell count recovery in HIV/TB co-infected patients versus TB uninfected HIV patients

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    Wanchu A

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is lack of data comparing the improvement in CD4 count following antitubercular (ATT and antiretroviral therapy (ART in patients presenting with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Tuberculosis (HIV/TB dual infection compared with CD4 matched cohort of TB uninfected HIV patients initiated on ART. We sought to test the hypothesis; TB additionally contributes to reduction in CD4 count in HIV/TB co-infected patients and this would result in greater improvement in count following treatment compared with CD4 matched TB uninfected individuals. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective cohort study design we studied the change in CD4 cell counts in two groups of patients - those with CD4 cell count >100 cells / mm 3 (Group 1 and <100/mm 3 (Group 2 at presentation. In each group the change in CD4 cell count in dually infected patients following six-month ATT and ART was compared to cohorts of CD4 matched TB uninfected patients initiated on ART. Results: In Group 1 (52 patients dually infected subjects′ CD4 count improved from 150 cells/ mm 3 to 345 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001. In the control TB uninfected patients, the change was from 159 cells/mm 3 to 317 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001. Additional improvement in dually infected patients compared to the control group was not statistically significant (P=0.24. In Group 2 (65 patients dually infected subjects count improved from 49 cells/mm3 to 249 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001 where as in control TB uninfected patients improvement was from 50 cells/ mm 3 to 205 cells/mm 3 (P=0.001, there being statistically significant additional improvement in dually infected subjects (P=0.01. Conclusion: Greater increment in CD4 counts with ATT and ART in dually infected patients suggests that TB additionally influences the reduction of CD4 counts in HIV patients.

  11. "I Did Not Want to Give Birth to a Child Who has HIV": Experiences Using PrEP During Pregnancy Among HIV-Uninfected Kenyan Women in HIV-Serodiscordant Couples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pintye, Jillian; Beima-Sofie, Kristin M; Kimemia, Grace; Ngure, Kenneth; Trinidad, Susan Brown; Heffron, Renee A; Baeten, Jared M; Odoyo, Josephine; Mugo, Nelly; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Kelley, Maureen C; John-Stewart, Grace C

    2017-11-01

    The perceptions, motivations, and beliefs of HIV-uninfected women about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use during pregnancy can influence its uptake and adherence. This study elicited the views of HIV-uninfected women with personal experience taking PrEP during pregnancy. Qualitative interviews were conducted with HIV-uninfected women who had personal experience taking PrEP while pregnant. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 HIV-uninfected Kenyan women in HIV-serodiscordant couples enrolled in an open-label PrEP demonstration project who became pregnant while using PrEP and continued PrEP through their pregnancy. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed into English. A qualitative descriptive analysis was performed, using a constant comparison approach to identify key themes related to PrEP use in pregnancy. Desire to remain HIV uninfected and have an HIV-free infant were strong motivators influencing continued use of PrEP during pregnancy. Supporting HIV-infected partners and childbearing within an HIV-serodiscordant relationship were also motivators. Women had challenges distinguishing normal pregnancy symptoms from PrEP side effects and were concerned that observed side effects could be signs of danger for the infant related to PrEP exposure. Health care providers were important conduits of knowledge about PrEP, and continuity of PrEP providers throughout pregnancy facilitated adherence. HIV-uninfected women in HIV-serodiscordant couples were motivated to use PrEP during pregnancy to remain HIV uninfected and to have an HIV-free child but had concerns about side effects. Health care providers will be important for PrEP messaging and adherence support in this unique population.

  12. Airflow limitation in people living with HIV and matched uninfected controls

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ronit, Andreas; Lundgren, Jens; Afzal, Shoaib

    2018-01-01

    -matched controls from the Copenhagen General Population Study were included. Lung function was assessed using FEV1 and FVC, while airflow limitation was defined by the lower limit of normal (LLN) of FEV1/FVC and by FEV1/FVClinear regression models were used......INTRODUCTION: Whether HIV influences pulmonary function remains controversial. We assessed dynamic pulmonary function in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and uninfected controls. METHODS: A total of 1098 PLWHIV from the Copenhagen Co-morbidity in HIV infection study and 12 161 age-matched and sex...

  13. [Obesity, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia, and untreated diabetes in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Adults in Mbuji-Mayi (Democratic republic of congo)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukeba-Tshialala, D; Nachega, J B; Mutombo-Tshingwali, M; Arendt, V; Gilson, G; Moutschen, M

    2017-12-01

    Little is known about the major cardiovascular risk factors in HIV-infected as compared to the HIV-uninfected patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). We determined the prevalence of hypertension, obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ), total cholesterol > 200 mg/dl, HDLcholesterol &≤ 40 mg/dl, and glycemia > 126 mg/dl. We also calculated the average and/or median of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and glycemia among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.We conducted a cross-sectional study that enrolled 592 HIV-uninfected and 445 HIV-infected patients of whom 425 (95.5%) were on first-line antiretroviral therapy based on stavudine-lamivudine-nevirapine. Clinical and laboratory data of the patients were collected. The results were analyzed by chi-square, t-student, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. 11.5% of HIV-infected patients had an average blood pressure suggesting hypertension versus 10.6% of HIV-uninfected (P = 0.751). But in absolute value, HIVinfected patients had a median of diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg versus 85 mmHg of HIV-uninfected (P 200 mg/dl and HDL-cholesterol ≤ 40 mg/dl. Proactive screening and prompt management of dyslipidemia and hypertension in this population should be a priority.

  14. Metabolic health across the BMI spectrum in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lake, Jordan E; Li, Xiuhong; Palella, Frank J; Erlandson, Kristine M; Wiley, Dorothy; Kingsley, Lawrence; Jacobson, Lisa P; Brown, Todd T

    2018-01-02

    In the general population, metabolic health often declines as BMI increases. However, some obese individuals maintain metabolic health. HIV and antiretroviral therapy have been associated with metabolic disturbances. We hypothesized that HIV-infected (HIV) men on suppressive antiretroviral therapy experience less metabolic health than HIV-uninfected (HIV) men across all BMI categories. In a cross-sectional analysis of 1018 HIV and 1092 HIV men enrolled in the multicenter AIDS cohort study, Poisson regression with robust variance determined associations between HIV serostatus and metabolic health prevalence (defined as meeting ≤2 of 5 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III metabolic syndrome criteria), adjusting for age, race, BMI category, smoking, and hepatitis C virus infection status. HIV men were younger (54 vs. 59 years) and had lower median BMI (25 vs. 27 kg/m). Nonobese HIV men had lower metabolic health prevalence than HIV men (BMI ≤25 kg/m: 80 vs. 94%, P BMI 25-29 kg/m: 64 vs. 71%, P = 0.05), but metabolic health prevalence among obese men did not differ by HIV serostatus (BMI 30-34 kg/m: 35 vs. 39%, P = 0.48; BMI ≥35 kg/m: 27 vs. 25%, P = 0.79). In the adjusted model, nonobese HIV men were less likely to demonstrate metabolic health than nonobese HIV men. Among HIV men, per year darunavir, zidovudine, and stavudine use were associated with lower metabolic health likelihood. Metabolically healthy obesity prevalence does not differ by HIV serostatus. However, among nonobese men, HIV infection is associated with lower metabolic health prevalence, with associations between lack of metabolic health and darunavir and thymidine analog nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor exposure observed.

  15. Recreational Drug Use and T Lymphocyte Subpopulations in HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected Men

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Chun; Jacobson, Lisa P; Tashkin, Donald; Martínez-Maza, Otoniel; Roth, Michael D; Margolick, Joseph B; Chmiel, Joan S; Rinaldo, Charles; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Detels, Roger

    2009-01-01

    The effects of recreational drugs on CD4 and CD8 T cells in humans are not well understood. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of men who have sex with men (MSM) enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study to define associations between self-reported use of marijuana, cocaine, poppers and amphetamines, and CD4 and CD8 T cell parameters in both HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected MSM. For the HIV-infected MSM, we used clinical and laboratory data collected semiannually before 1996 to avoid potential effects of antiretroviral treatment. A regression model that allowed random intercepts and slopes as well as autoregressive covariance structure for within subject errors was used. Potential confounders adjusted for included length of follow-up, demographics, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, risky sexual behaviors, history of sexually transmitted infections, and antiviral therapy. We found no clinically meaningful associations between use of marijuana, cocaine, poppers, or amphetamines and CD4 and CD8 T cell counts, percentages, or rates of change in either HIV-uninfected or -infected men. The regression coefficients were of minimum magnitude despite some reaching statistical significance. No threshold effect was detected for frequent (at least weekly) or continuous substance use in the previous year. These results indicate that use of these substances does not adversely affect the numbers and percentages of circulating CD4 or CD8 T cells in either HIV-uninfected or -infected MSM. PMID:18180115

  16. The Immune System of HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu-Raya, Bahaa; Kollmann, Tobias R; Marchant, Arnaud; MacGillivray, Duncan M

    2016-01-01

    Infants born to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected women are HIV-exposed but the majority remains uninfected [i.e., HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU)]. HEU infants suffer greater morbidity and mortality from infections compared to HIV-unexposed (HU) peers. The reason(s) for these worse outcomes are uncertain, but could be related to an altered immune system state. This review comprehensively summarizes the current literature investigating the adaptive and innate immune system of HEU infants. HEU infants have altered cell-mediated immunity, including impaired T-cell maturation with documented hypo- as well as hyper-responsiveness to T-cell activation. And although prevaccination vaccine-specific antibody levels are often lower in HEU than HU, most HEU infants mount adequate humoral immune response following primary vaccination with diphtheria toxoid, haemophilus influenzae type b, whole cell pertussis, measles, hepatitis B, tetanus toxoid, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. However, HEU infants are often found to have lower absolute neutrophil counts as compared to HU infants. On the other hand, an increase of innate immune cytokine production and expression of co-stimulatory markers has been noted in HEU infants, but this increase appears to be restricted to the first few weeks of life. The immune system of HEU children beyond infancy remains largely unexplored.

  17. Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of Salmonella: comparison of isolates from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolday, D; Erge, W

    1998-07-01

    A retrospective analysis of all cases of Salmonella infections occurring between 1991 and 1995 was undertaken in order to evaluate the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of the isolates from both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected and uninfected Ethiopian patients. During the 5-year study period, we identified 147 cases of Salmonella infections. Only in 49 cases was the HIV serostatus known; 22 (44.9%) of the infections were in HIV seronegative patients while 27 (55.9%) were in HIV seropositive patients. The strains were isolated from blood (71.4%), urine (18.4%) and stool (8.2%). Salmonella infection was found to be more frequent (55.15% versus 44.9%) among HIV positive than HIV-negative patients. Moreover, Salmonella isolates recovered from HIV-seropositive patients were significantly resistant to many of the antibiotics tested when compared to the isolates from HIV-seronegative patients. The only chloramphenicol resistant Salmonella typhi occurred in a patient who was seropositive for HIV. According to these results, Ethiopian patients infected with HIV may be at risk of acquiring infections, especially non-typhoidal salmonellas, that are multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains than HIV-uninfected subjects. The emergence of MDR Salmonella infection among HIV-positive patients requires reassessment of chemotherapeutic approaches in this patient population, and warrants continued laboratory surveillance.

  18. Response to 2009 pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines co-administered to HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected former drug users living in a rehabilitation community in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pariani, Elena; Boschini, Antonio; Amendola, Antonella; Poletti, Raffaella; Anselmi, Giovanni; Begnini, Marco; Ranghiero, Alberto; Cecconi, Gianluca; Zanetti, Alessandro R

    2011-11-15

    2009 A(H1N1) pandemic influenza vaccination was recommended as a priority to essential workers and high-risk individuals, including HIV-infected patients and people living in communities. HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected former drug-users (18-60 years old) living in a rehabilitation community (San Patrignano, Italy) received one dose of a MF59-adjuvanted 2009 pandemic influenza vaccine and one dose of a 2009-2010 seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (containing A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1), A/Brisbane/10/2007(H3N2), B/Brisbane/60/2008) simultaneously. Antibodies against each vaccine antigen were determined at the time of vaccination and one and six months post-vaccination by hemagglutination-inhibition test. 49 HIV-infected and 60 HIV-uninfected subjects completed the study. Most (98%) HIV-infected participants were on antiretroviral treatment, the median CD4+ cell count was 350 (IQR 300)cells/μl and viremia was suppressed in 91.8% of cases. One month post-vaccination, no significant changes in immune-virological parameters were observed. One month post-vaccination, the immune responses to both pandemic and seasonal vaccine met the EMA-CPMP criteria for immunogenicity of influenza vaccines in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected subjects. No difference in vaccine responses was observed between the two groups. Six months after vaccination, the percentages of vaccinees with antibody titres ≥1:40 and antibody geometric mean titres significantly decreased in both groups. However, they were significantly lower in HIV-infected than in HIV-uninfected vaccinees. In subjects who had been primed to seasonal influenza the year before (through either vaccination or natural infection), levels of antibodies against 2009 A(H1N1) were higher than those measured in unprimed subjects, both one month and six months post-vaccination. The co-administration of a single dose of 2009 pandemic MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccine with a seasonal vaccine provided a protective immune

  19. Working Memory Profiles in HIV-Exposed, Uninfected and HIV-Infected Children: A Comparison with Neurotypical Controls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milligan, Robyn; Cockcroft, Kate

    2017-01-01

    This study compared the working memory profiles of three groups of children, namely HIV-infected (HIV-I; n = 95), HIV-exposed, uninfected (HIV-EU; n = 86) and an HIV-unexposed, uninfected, (HIV-UU; n = 92) neurotypical control group. Working memory, an executive function, plays an important role in frontal lobe-controlled behaviors, such as motivation, planning, decision making, and social interaction, and is a strong predictor of academic success in school children. Memory impairments have been identified in HIV-I children, particularly in visuospatial processing. Verbal working memory has not been commonly investigated in this population, while it is unknown how the working memory profiles of HIV-EU children compare to their HIV-I and HIV-UU peers. Of interest was whether the working memory profiles of the HIV-EU children would be more similar to the HIV-I group or to the uninfected control group. The results revealed no significant differences in working memory performance between the HIV-I and HIV-EU groups. However, this does not mean that the etiology of the working memory deficits is the same in the two groups, as these groups showed important differences when compared to the control group. In comparison to the controls, the HIV-I group experienced difficulties with processing tasks irrespective of whether they drew on a verbal or visuospatial modality. This appears to stem from a generalized executive function deficit that also interferes with working memory. In the HIV-EU group, difficulties occurred with verbally based tasks, irrespective of whether they required storage or processing. For this group, the dual demands of complex processing and using a second language seem to result in demand exceeding capacity on verbal tasks. Both groups experienced the greatest difficulties with verbal processing tasks for these different reasons. Thus, disruption of different cognitive abilities could result in similar working memory profiles, as evidenced in this

  20. Working Memory Profiles in HIV-Exposed, Uninfected and HIV-Infected Children: A Comparison with Neurotypical Controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milligan, Robyn; Cockcroft, Kate

    2017-01-01

    This study compared the working memory profiles of three groups of children, namely HIV-infected (HIV-I; n = 95), HIV-exposed, uninfected (HIV-EU; n = 86) and an HIV-unexposed, uninfected, (HIV-UU; n = 92) neurotypical control group. Working memory, an executive function, plays an important role in frontal lobe-controlled behaviors, such as motivation, planning, decision making, and social interaction, and is a strong predictor of academic success in school children. Memory impairments have been identified in HIV-I children, particularly in visuospatial processing. Verbal working memory has not been commonly investigated in this population, while it is unknown how the working memory profiles of HIV-EU children compare to their HIV-I and HIV-UU peers. Of interest was whether the working memory profiles of the HIV-EU children would be more similar to the HIV-I group or to the uninfected control group. The results revealed no significant differences in working memory performance between the HIV-I and HIV-EU groups. However, this does not mean that the etiology of the working memory deficits is the same in the two groups, as these groups showed important differences when compared to the control group. In comparison to the controls, the HIV-I group experienced difficulties with processing tasks irrespective of whether they drew on a verbal or visuospatial modality. This appears to stem from a generalized executive function deficit that also interferes with working memory. In the HIV-EU group, difficulties occurred with verbally based tasks, irrespective of whether they required storage or processing. For this group, the dual demands of complex processing and using a second language seem to result in demand exceeding capacity on verbal tasks. Both groups experienced the greatest difficulties with verbal processing tasks for these different reasons. Thus, disruption of different cognitive abilities could result in similar working memory profiles, as evidenced in this

  1. Working Memory Profiles in HIV-Exposed, Uninfected and HIV-Infected Children: A Comparison with Neurotypical Controls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robyn Milligan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This study compared the working memory profiles of three groups of children, namely HIV-infected (HIV-I; n = 95, HIV-exposed, uninfected (HIV-EU; n = 86 and an HIV-unexposed, uninfected, (HIV-UU; n = 92 neurotypical control group. Working memory, an executive function, plays an important role in frontal lobe-controlled behaviors, such as motivation, planning, decision making, and social interaction, and is a strong predictor of academic success in school children. Memory impairments have been identified in HIV-I children, particularly in visuospatial processing. Verbal working memory has not been commonly investigated in this population, while it is unknown how the working memory profiles of HIV-EU children compare to their HIV-I and HIV-UU peers. Of interest was whether the working memory profiles of the HIV-EU children would be more similar to the HIV-I group or to the uninfected control group. The results revealed no significant differences in working memory performance between the HIV-I and HIV-EU groups. However, this does not mean that the etiology of the working memory deficits is the same in the two groups, as these groups showed important differences when compared to the control group. In comparison to the controls, the HIV-I group experienced difficulties with processing tasks irrespective of whether they drew on a verbal or visuospatial modality. This appears to stem from a generalized executive function deficit that also interferes with working memory. In the HIV-EU group, difficulties occurred with verbally based tasks, irrespective of whether they required storage or processing. For this group, the dual demands of complex processing and using a second language seem to result in demand exceeding capacity on verbal tasks. Both groups experienced the greatest difficulties with verbal processing tasks for these different reasons. Thus, disruption of different cognitive abilities could result in similar working memory profiles, as

  2. Thymic size in uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers and fed with pasteurized human milk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, Dorthe Lisbeth; Hasselbalch, H; Ersbøll, A K

    2003-01-01

    AIM: To examine the size of the thymus in uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers and to study the effects of feeding by human donor milk on the size of the thymus in these infants. METHODS: The absolute and relative thymic size was assessed by sonography as thymic index (Ti), and the Ti....../weight-ratio (Ti/w) at birth and at 4 mo of age in 12 healthy uninfected infants born to HlV-infected mothers. All infants were exclusively fed pasteurized donor milk. The results were compared with those obtained from a previous cohort of exclusively breastfed, partially breastfed and exclusively formula......-fed infants. RESULTS: At birth the Ti was reduced in infants born to HIV-infected mothers in comparison with that in control infants but this difference disappeared when their birthweights were taken into consideration (Ti/w-ratio). At 4 mo of age the geometric mean Ti of infants fed donor milk was 23...

  3. Placental malaria among HIV-infected and uninfected women receiving anti-folates in a high transmission area of Uganda

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    Dorsey Grant

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV infection increases the risk of placental malaria, which is associated with poor maternal and infant outcomes. Recommendations in Uganda are for HIV-infected pregnant women to receive daily trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TS and HIV-uninfected women to receive intermittent sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP. TS decreases the risk of malaria in HIV-infected adults and children but has not been evaluated among pregnant women. Methods This was a cross sectional study comparing the prevalence of placental malaria between HIV-infected women prescribed TS and HIV-uninfected women prescribed intermittent preventive therapy with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPT-SP in a high malaria transmission area in Uganda. Placental blood was evaluated for malaria using smear and PCR. Results Placentas were obtained from 150 HIV-infected women on TS and 336 HIV-uninfected women on IPT-SP. The proportion of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women with placental malaria was 19% vs. 26% for those positive by PCR and 6% vs. 9% for those positive by smear, respectively. Among all infants, smear+ placental malaria was most predictive of low birth weight (LBW. Primigravidae were at higher risk than multigravidae of having placental malaria among HIV-uninfected, but not HIV-infected, women. Adjusting for gravidity, age, and season at the time of delivery, HIV-infected women on TS were not at increased risk for placental malaria compared to HIV-uninfected women on IPT-SP, regardless of the definition used. Conclusion Prevalence of placental malaria was similar in HIV-infected women on TS and HIV-uninfected women on IPT-SP. Nonetheless, while nearly all of the women in this study were prescribed anti-folates, the overall risk of placental malaria and LBW was unacceptably high. The population attributable risk of placental malaria on LBW was substantial, suggesting that future interventions that further diminish the risk of placental malaria may have a

  4. A phase I double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study of a multigenic HIV-1 adenovirus subtype 35 vector vaccine in healthy uninfected adults.

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    Michael C Keefer

    Full Text Available We conducted a phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of escalating doses of two recombinant replication defective adenovirus serotype 35 (Ad35 vectors containing gag, reverse transcriptase, integrase and nef (Ad35-GRIN and env (Ad35-ENV, both derived from HIV-1 subtype A isolates. The trial enrolled 56 healthy HIV-uninfected adults.Ad35-GRIN/ENV (Ad35-GRIN and Ad35-ENV mixed in the same vial in equal proportions or Ad35-GRIN was administered intramuscularly at 0 and 6 months. Participants were randomized to receive either vaccine or placebo (10/4 per group, respectively within one of four dosage groups: Ad35-GRIN/ENV 2×10(9 (A, 2×10(10 (B, 2×10(11 (C, or Ad35-GRIN 1×10(10 (D viral particles.No vaccine-related serious adverse event was reported. Reactogenicity events reported were dose-dependent, mostly mild or moderate, some severe in Group C volunteers, all transient and resolving spontaneously. IFN-γ ELISPOT responses to any vaccine antigen were detected in 50, 56, 70 and 90% after the first vaccination, and in 75, 100, 88 and 86% of Groups A-D vaccine recipients after the second vaccination, respectively. The median spot forming cells (SFC per 10(6 PBMC to any antigen was 78-139 across Groups A-C and 158-174 in Group D, after each of the vaccinations with a maximum of 2991 SFC. Four to five HIV proteins were commonly recognized across all the groups and over multiple timepoints. CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses were polyfunctional. Env antibodies were detected in all Group A-C vaccinees and Gag antibodies in most vaccinees after the second immunization. Ad35 neutralizing titers remained low after the second vaccination.Ad35-GRIN/ENV reactogenicity was dose-related. HIV-specific cellular and humoral responses were seen in the majority of volunteers immunized with Ad35-GRIN/ENV or Ad35-GRIN and increased after the second vaccination. T-cell responses were broad and polyfunctional

  5. Surviving and Thriving—Shifting the Public Health Response to HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children: Report of the 3rd HIV-Exposed Uninfected Child Workshop

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    Amy L. Slogrove

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Great gains were achieved with the introduction of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, including improved child survival. Transition to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs focused on surviving, thriving, and transforming, representing an important shift to a broader public health goal, the achievement of which holds the promise of longer-term individual and societal benefits. A similar shift is needed with respect to outcomes for infants born to women living with HIV (WLHIV. Programming to prevent vertical HIV transmission has been successful in increasingly achieving a goal of HIV-free survival for infants born to WLHIV. Unfortunately, HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU children are not achieving comparable health and developmental outcomes compared with children born to HIV-uninfected women under similar socioeconomic circumstances. The 3rd HEU Child Workshop, held as a satellite session of the International AIDS Society's 9th IAS Conference in Paris in July 2017, provided a venue to discuss HEU child health and development disparities. A summary of the Workshop proceedings follows, providing current scientific findings, emphasizing the gap in systems for long-term monitoring, and highlighting the public health need to establish a strategic plan to better quantify the short and longer-term health and developmental outcomes of HEU children.

  6. Differences in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of Israeli HIV-uninfected gay men in HIV-discordant vs. concordant steady relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tairy, Daniel; Levy, Itzchak; Turner, Dan; Livnat, Yuval; Mor, Zohar

    2018-06-01

    HIV-discordant gay male couples may play an important role in HIV-transmissions. This cross-sectional study compared the knowledge, attitudes and sexual behaviors of HIV-uninfected gay men, between those in HIV-discordant and those in HIV-concordant steady relationships. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed electronically in designated gay-related internet sites and in AIDS-clinics in 2015. The dependent variable was defined as a steady relationship of an HIV-uninfected man with an HIV-infected partner. Risky sexual behavior was defined as unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with a sex partner whose HIV-status was either positive or unknown. Of 2,319 responders, 460 (20%) were HIV-uninfected gay men in steady relationships, of whom 72 were in HIV-discordant relationships and 388 were in HIV-concordant relationships. Those in HIV-discordant relationships presented better established knowledge regarding HIV-transmission, more lenient attitudes regarding UAI, and reported being involved in riskier sexual behavior, both within and outside their steady relationship compared to men in HIV-concordant relationships. UAI was performed by 48% of the HIV-discordant couples and was associated with the use of sero-positioning strategy and with achieving undetectable viral-load. These findings reflect the complexity of constant use of condoms during long-term sero-discordant relationships. Targeted interventions for HIV-prevention in HIV-discordant couples should be employed for balancing the partners' desire for intimacy and sexual pleasure in the relationship, while reducing the risk for acquiring HIV. ART: Antiretroviral therapy; PEP: Post exposure prophylaxis; PrEP: Pre exposure prophylaxis; STI: Sexually transmitted infections; UAI: Unprotected anal intercourse.

  7. Antiretroviral Drug Use in a Cohort of HIV-Uninfected Women in the United States: HIV Prevention Trials Network 064.

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    Iris Chen

    Full Text Available Antiretroviral (ARV drug use was analyzed in HIV-uninfected women in an observational cohort study conducted in 10 urban and periurban communities in the United States with high rates of poverty and HIV infection. Plasma samples collected in 2009-2010 were tested for the presence of 16 ARV drugs. ARV drugs were detected in samples from 39 (2% of 1,806 participants: 27/181 (15% in Baltimore, MD and 12/179 (7% in Bronx, NY. The ARV drugs detected included different combinations of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors (1-4 drugs/sample. These data were analyzed in the context of self-reported data on ARV drug use. None of the 39 women who had ARV drugs detected reported ARV drug use at any study visit. Further research is needed to evaluate ARV drug use by HIV-uninfected individuals.

  8. Thymic size in uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers and fed with pasteurized human milk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeppesen, D; Hasselbalch, H; Ersbøll, A K; Heilmann, C; Valerius, N H

    2003-06-01

    To examine the size of the thymus in uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers and to study the effects of feeding by human donor milk on the size of the thymus in these infants. The absolute and relative thymic size was assessed by sonography as thymic index (Ti), and the Ti/weight-ratio (Ti/w) at birth and at 4 mo of age in 12 healthy uninfected infants born to HlV-infected mothers. All infants were exclusively fed pasteurized donor milk. The results were compared with those obtained from a previous cohort of exclusively breastfed, partially breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants. At birth the Ti was reduced in infants born to HIV-infected mothers in comparison with that in control infants but this difference disappeared when their birthweights were taken into consideration (Ti/w-ratio). At 4 mo of age the geometric mean Ti of infants fed donor milk was 23.8 and the mean Ti/w-ratio was 4.2. Compared with those of exclusively breastfed infants, the Ti and Ti/w-ratio of infants fed donor milk were significantly reduced (p milk-fed infants compared with that in the formula-fed infants (p = 0.02). At birth the size of the thymus was smaller in uninfected infants of HIV-positive mothers compared with infants of HIV-negative mothers but when birthweight was taken into account this difference disappeared. Feeding by human donor milk seemed to result in an increased size of the thymus at 4 mo of age compared with thymic size in infants that were exclusively formula fed.

  9. Lack of definitive severe mitochondrial signs and symptoms among deceased HIV-uninfected and HIV-indeterminate children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dominguez, K; Bertolli, J; Fowler, M; Peters, [No Value; Ortiz, [No Value; Melville, S; Rakusan, T; Frederick, T; Hsu, H; D'Almada, P; Maldonado, Y; Wilfert, C; Ammann, AJ; Rubinstein, A

    2000-01-01

    Background: In response to recent reports of mitochondrial dysfunction in HIV-uninfected infants exposed to antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis., the Perinatal Safety Review Working Group reviewed deaths in five large HIV-exposed perinatal cohorts in the United States to determine if similar cases of

  10. Antigen-driven C–C Chemokine-mediated HIV-1 Suppression by CD4+ T Cells from Exposed Uninfected Individuals Expressing the Wild-type CCR-5 Allele

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furci, Lucinda; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Burastero, Samuele; Tambussi, Giuseppe; Colognesi, Claudia; Quillent, Caroline; Longhi, Renato; Loverro, Patrizia; Borgonovo, Barbara; Gaffi, Davide; Carrow, Emily; Malnati, Mauro; Lusso, Paolo; Siccardi, Antonio G.; Lazzarin, Adriano; Beretta, Alberto

    1997-01-01

    Despite repeated exposure to HIV-1, certain individuals remain persistently uninfected. Such exposed uninfected (EU) people show evidence of HIV-1–specific T cell immunity and, in rare cases, selective resistance to infection by macrophage-tropic strains of HIV-1. The latter has been associated with a 32–base pair deletion in the C–C chemokine receptor gene CCR-5, the major coreceptor of macrophage-tropic strains of HIV-1. We have undertaken an analysis of the HIV-specific T cell responses in 12 EU individuals who were either homozygous for the wild-type CCR-5 allele or heterozygous for the deletion allele (CCR-5Δ32). We have found evidence of an oligoclonal T cell response mediated by helper T cells specific for a conserved region of the HIV-1 envelope. These cells produce very high levels of C–C chemokines when stimulated by the specific antigen and suppress selectively the replication of macrophage-tropic, but not T cell–tropic, strains of HIV-1. These chemokine-producing helper cells may be part of a protective immune response that could be potentially exploited for vaccine development. PMID:9236198

  11. Disparities in Rates of Spine Surgery for Degenerative Spine Disease Between HIV Infected and Uninfected Veterans

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Joseph T.; Gordon, Adam J.; Perkal, Melissa F.; Crystal, Stephen; Rosenthal, Ronnie A.; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C.; Butt, Adeel A.; Gibert, Cynthia L.; Rimland, David; Simberkoff, Michael S.; Justice, Amy C.

    2011-01-01

    Study Design Retrospective analysis of nationwide Veterans Health Administration (VA) clinical and administrative data. Objective Examine the association between HIV infection and the rate of spine surgery for degenerative spine disease. Summary of Background Data Combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) has prolonged survival in patients with HIV/AIDS, increasing the prevalence of chronic conditions such as degenerative spine disease that may require spine surgery. Methods We studied all HIV infected patients under care in the VA from 1996–2008 (n=40,038) and uninfected comparator patients (n=79,039) matched on age, gender, race, year, and geographic region. The primary outcome was spine surgery for degenerative spine disease defined by ICD-9 procedure and diagnosis codes. We used a multivariate Poisson regression to model spine surgery rates by HIV infection status, adjusting for factors that might affect suitability for surgery (demographics, year, comorbidities, body mass index, cART, and laboratory values). Results Two-hundred twenty eight HIV infected and 784 uninfected patients underwent spine surgery for degenerative spine disease during 700,731 patient-years of follow-up (1.44 surgeries per 1,000 patient-years). The most common procedures were spinal decompression (50%), and decompression and fusion (33%); the most common surgical sites were the lumbosacral (50%), and cervical (40%) spine. Adjusted rates of surgery were lower for HIV infected patients (0.86 per 1,000 patient-years of follow-up) than for uninfected patients (1.41 per 1,000 patient-years; IRR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.74, Pdegenerative spine disease. Possible explanations include disease prevalence, emphasis on treatment of non-spine HIV-related symptoms, surgical referral patterns, impact of HIV on surgery risk-benefit ratio, patient preferences, and surgeon bias. PMID:21697770

  12. Lung cancer incidence and survival among HIV-infected and uninfected women and men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hessol, Nancy A; Martínez-Maza, Otoniel; Levine, Alexandra M; Morris, Alison; Margolick, Joseph B; Cohen, Mardge H; Jacobson, Lisa P; Seaberg, Eric C

    2015-06-19

    To determine the lung cancer incidence and survival time among HIV-infected and uninfected women and men. Two longitudinal studies of HIV infection in the United States. Data from 2549 women in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) and 4274 men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), all with a history of cigarette smoking, were analyzed. Lung cancer incidence rates and incidence rate ratios were calculated using Poisson regression analyses. Survival time was assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazard analyses. Thirty-seven women and 23 men developed lung cancer (46 HIV-infected and 14 HIV-uninfected) during study follow-up. In multivariable analyses, the factors that were found to be independently associated with a higher lung cancer incidence rate ratios were older age, less education, 10 or more pack-years of smoking, and a prior diagnosis of AIDS pneumonia (vs. HIV-uninfected women). In an adjusted Cox model that allowed different hazard functions for each cohort, a history of injection drug use was associated with shorter survival, and a lung cancer diagnosis after 2001 was associated with longer survival. In an adjusted Cox model restricted to HIV-infected participants, nadir CD4 lymphocyte cell count less than 200 was associated with shorter survival time. Our data suggest that pulmonary damage and inflammation associated with HIV infection may be causative for the increased risk of lung cancer. Encouraging and assisting younger HIV-infected smokers to quit and to sustain cessation of smoking is imperative to reduce the lung cancer burden in this population.

  13. Erectile dysfunction drug receipt, risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Robert L; McGinnis, Kathleen A; Samet, Jeffrey H; Fiellin, David A; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Rodriquez-Barradas, Maria C; Kraemer, Kevin L; Gibert, Cynthia L; Braithwaite, R Scott; Goulet, Joseph L; Mattocks, Kristin; Crystal, Stephen; Gordon, Adam J; Oursler, Krisann K; Justice, Amy C

    2010-02-01

    Health care providers may be concerned that prescribing erectile dysfunction drugs (EDD) will contribute to risky sexual behavior. To identify characteristics of men who received EDD prescriptions, determine whether EDD receipt is associated with risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and determine whether these relationships vary for certain sub-groups. Cross-sectional study. Two thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven sexually-active, HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men recruited from eight Veterans Health Affairs outpatient clinics. Data were obtained from participant surveys, electronic medical records, and administrative pharmacy data. EDD receipt was defined as two or more prescriptions for an EDD, risky sex as having unprotected sex with a partner of serodiscordant or unknown HIV status, and STDs, according to self-report. Overall, 28% of men received EDD in the previous year. Eleven percent of men reported unprotected sex with a serodiscordant/unknown partner in the past year (HIV-infected 15%, HIV-uninfected 6%, P sexual behavior (11% vs. 10%, p = 0.9) and STDs (7% vs 7%, p = 0.7). In multivariate analyses, EDD receipt was not significantly associated with risky sexual behavior or STDs in the entire sample or in subgroups of substance users or men who had sex with men. EDD receipt was common but not associated with risky sexual behavior or STDs in this sample of HIV-infected and uninfected men. However, risky sexual behaviors persist in a minority of HIV-infected men, indicating ongoing need for prevention interventions.

  14. Evaluating Safer Conception Options for HIV-Serodiscordant Couples (HIV-Infected Female/HIV-Uninfected Male: A Closer Look at Vaginal Insemination

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    Okeoma Mmeje

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available HIV serodiscordant couples represent at least half of all HIV-affected couples worldwide. Many of these couples have childbearing desires. Safer methods of conception may allow for pregnancy while minimizing the risk of sexual transmission of HIV. In serodiscordant partnerships with an HIV-infected female and HIV-uninfected male, vaginal insemination of a partner's semen during the fertile period coupled with 100% condom use may be the safest method of conception.

  15. HIV-1 specific IgA detected in vaginal secretions of HIV uninfected women participating in a microbicide trial in Southern Africa are primarily directed toward gp120 and gp140 specificities.

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    Kelly E Seaton

    Full Text Available Many participants in microbicide trials remain uninfected despite ongoing exposure to HIV-1. Determining the emergence and nature of mucosal HIV-specific immune responses in such women is important, since these responses may contribute to protection and could provide insight for the rational design of HIV-1 vaccines.We first conducted a pilot study to compare three sampling devices (Dacron swabs, flocked nylon swabs and Merocel sponges for detection of HIV-1-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in vaginal secretions. IgG antibodies from HIV-1-positive women reacted broadly across the full panel of eight HIV-1 envelope (Env antigens tested, whereas IgA antibodies only reacted to the gp41 subunit. No Env-reactive antibodies were detected in the HIV-negative women. The three sampling devices yielded equal HIV-1-specific antibody titers, as well as total IgG and IgA concentrations. We then tested vaginal Dacron swabs archived from 57 HIV seronegative women who participated in a microbicide efficacy trial in Southern Africa (HPTN 035. We detected vaginal IgA antibodies directed at HIV-1 Env gp120/gp140 in six of these women, and at gp41 in another three women, but did not detect Env-specific IgG antibodies in any women.Vaginal secretions of HIV-1 infected women contained IgG reactivity to a broad range of Env antigens and IgA reactivity to gp41. In contrast, Env-binding antibodies in the vaginal secretions of HIV-1 uninfected women participating in the microbicide trial were restricted to the IgA subtype and were mostly directed at HIV-1 gp120/gp140.

  16. The Cervicovaginal Microbiota and Its Associations With Human Papillomavirus Detection in HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reimers, Laura L; Mehta, Supriya D; Massad, L Stewart; Burk, Robert D; Xie, Xianhong; Ravel, Jacques; Cohen, Mardge H; Palefsky, Joel M; Weber, Kathleen M; Xue, Xiaonan; Anastos, Kathryn; Minkoff, Howard; Atrio, Jessica; D'Souza, Gypsyamber; Ye, Qian; Colie, Christine; Zolnik, Christine P; Spear, Gregory T; Strickler, Howard D

    2016-11-01

     Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by low abundance of Lactobacillus species, high pH, and immune cell infiltration and has been associated with an increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. We molecularly assessed the cervicovaginal microbiota over time in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and HIV-uninfected women to more comprehensively study the HPV-microbiota relationship, controlling for immune status.  16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing and HPV DNA testing were conducted annually in serial cervicovaginal lavage specimens obtained over 8-10 years from African American women from Chicago, of whom 22 were HIV uninfected, 22 were HIV infected with a stable CD4 + T-cell count of > 500 cells/mm 3 , and 20 were HIV infected with progressive immunosuppression. Vaginal pH was serially measured.  The relative abundances of Lactobacillus crispatus and other Lactobacillus species were inversely associated with vaginal pH (all P < .001). High (vs low) L. crispatus relative abundance was associated with decreased HPV detection (odds ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, .24-.96; P trend = .03) after adjustment for repeated observation and multiple covariates, including pH and study group. However, there were no associations between HPV and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus species as a group, nor with Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus iners, and Lactobacillus jensenii individually.  L. crispatus may have a beneficial effect on the burden of HPV in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women (independent of pH). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Quality of Caregiving is Positively Associated With Neurodevelopment During the First Year of Life Among HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Familiar, Itziar; Collins, Shalean M; Sikorskii, Alla; Ruisenor-Escudero, Horacio; Natamba, Barnabas; Bangirana, Paul; Widen, Elizabeth M; Achidri, Daniel; Achola, Harriet; Onen, Daniel; Boivin, Michael; Young, Sera L

    2018-03-01

    We sought to evaluate whether maternal characteristics and infant developmental milieu were predictive of early cognitive development in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HU) infants in Uganda. Longitudinal pregnancy study. Ugandan women (n = 228) were enrolled into the Postnatal Nutrition and Psychosocial Health Outcomes study with a 2:1 HIV-uninfected: infected ratio. Maternal sociodemographic, perceived social support, and depressive symptomatology were assessed. Infant growth and neurocognitive development were assessed at 6 and 12 months of age using Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Caldwell Home Observation for Home Environment was used to gauge caregiving quality. Linear mixed-effects models were built to examine the relationships between maternal and infant characteristics with infant MSEL scores by HIV exposure. Two MSEL measures were available for 215 mother-child dyads: 140 infants (65%) were HIV-uninfected (HU), 57 (27%) were HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) with mothers reporting antiretroviral therapy, and 18 (8%) were HEU with mothers not reporting antiretroviral therapy. HEU had lower MSEL Composite (β = -3.94, P = 0.03) and Gross Motor scores (β = -3.41, P = 0.01) than HU. Home Observation for Home Environment total score was positively associated with MSEL Composite (β = 0.81, P = 0.01), Receptive Language (β = 0.59, P = 0.001), and Expressive Language (β = 0.64, P = 0.01) scores. HIV exposure is associated with lower infant cognitive development scores. Increasing maternal quality of caregiving may improve early cognitive development.

  18. Pharmacokinetics of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women in Western Kenya

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Green, Michael D.; van Eijk, Annemieke M.; ter Kuile, Feiko O. van; Ayisi, John G.; Parise, Monica E.; Kager, Piet A.; Nahlen, Bernard L.; Steketee, Richard; Nettey, Henry

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is among the most commonly used antimalarial drugs during pregnancy, yet the pharmacokinetics of SP are unknown in pregnant women. HIV-infected (HIV(+)) women require more frequent doses of intermittent preventive therapy with SP than do HIV-uninfected

  19. Unmet Need for Family Planning, Contraceptive Failure, and Unintended Pregnancy among HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Women in Zimbabwe

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCoy, Sandra I.; Buzdugan, Raluca; Ralph, Lauren J.; Mushavi, Angela; Mahomva, Agnes; Hakobyan, Anna; Watadzaushe, Constancia; Dirawo, Jeffrey; Cowan, Frances M.; Padian, Nancy S.

    2014-01-01

    Background Prevention of unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV infection is a strategy recommended by the World Health Organization for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). We assessed pregnancy intentions and contraceptive use among HIV-positive and HIV-negative women with a recent pregnancy in Zimbabwe. Methods We analyzed baseline data from the evaluation of Zimbabwe’s Accelerated National PMTCT Program. Eligible women were randomly sampled from the catchment areas of 157 health facilities offering PMTCT services in five provinces. Eligible women were ≥16 years old and mothers of infants (alive or deceased) born 9 to 18 months prior to the interview. Participants were interviewed about their HIV status, intendedness of the birth, and contraceptive use. Results Of 8,797 women, the mean age was 26.7 years, 92.8% were married or had a regular sexual partner, and they had an average of 2.7 lifetime births. Overall, 3,090 (35.1%) reported that their births were unintended; of these women, 1,477 (47.8%) and 1,613 (52.2%) were and were not using a contraceptive method prior to learning that they were pregnant, respectively. Twelve percent of women reported that they were HIV-positive at the time of the survey; women who reported that they were HIV-infected were significantly more likely to report that their pregnancy was unintended compared to women who reported that they were HIV-uninfected (44.9% vs. 33.8%, pHIV status and lack of contraception use prior to pregnancy. Conclusions Unmet need for family planning and contraceptive failure contribute to unintended pregnancies among women in Zimbabwe. Both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women reported unintended pregnancies despite intending to avoid or delay pregnancy, highlighting the need for effective contraceptive methods that align with pregnancy intentions. PMID:25144229

  20. [Congenital cytomegalovirus infection manifesting as neonatal respiratory distress in an HIV-exposed uninfected newborn].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, A; El Mjati, H; Nathan, N; Kieffer, F; Mitanchez, D

    2017-09-01

    Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common intrauterine infections, affecting approximately 1% of all live births. There are few reports on congenital CMV infections manifesting as isolated pneumonitis. We report a case of congenital CMV with neonatal respiratory distress affecting an HIV-exposed uninfected infant. This infant required noninvasive ventilation beginning within the first 15min of life. The initial chest X-ray showed diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacifications. Bacterial infection, meconium aspiration and hyaline membrane disease were excluded. Salivary quantitative CMV PCR was positive (2,342,261IU/mL) and serum viral load for CMV was low (476IU/mL). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed on day 12 for quantitative CMV PCR was significantly positive (1,045,942IU/mL). Intravenous ganciclovir treatment was started on day 14 (7.5mg/kg/12h) for 2 weeks and oral valganciclovir (15mg/kg/12h) was given for 4 weeks afterwards. Ventilatory support was stopped on day 18. HIV serum viral load was negative on day 30. Congenital CMV infection can present as isolated pneumonitis with persistent neonatal respiratory symptoms, emphysematous lung disease, or persistent pulmonary hypertension. If this diagnosis is suspected, and even if CMV viremia remains low, BAL with quantitative CMV PCR must be performed to ascertain the diagnosis and indicate antiviral treatment. HIV-exposed uninfected infants have higher rates of congenital CMV infection when the mother's CD4 rate isCMV transmission in HIV-exposed uninfected infants have occurred by maternal endogenous reactivation or reinfection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Insulin resistance change and antiretroviral therapy exposure in HIV-infected and uninfected Rwandan women: a longitudinal analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutimura, Eugene; Hoover, Donald R; Shi, Qiuhu; Dusingize, Jean Claude; Sinayobye, Jean D'Amour; Cohen, Mardge; Anastos, Kathryn

    2015-01-01

    We longitudinally assessed predictors of insulin resistance (IR) change among HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected (ART-initiators and ART-non-initiators) Rwandan women. HIV-infected (HIV+) and uninfected (HIV-) women provided demographic and clinical measures: age, body mass index (BMI) in Kg/(height in meters)2, Fat-Mass (FMI) and Fat-Free-Mass (FFMI) index, fasting serum glucose and insulin. Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) was calculated to estimate IR change over time in log10 transformed HOMA measured at study enrollment or prior to ART initiation in 3 groups: HIV- (n = 194), HIV+ ART-non-initiators (n=95) and HIV+ ART-initiators (n=371). ANCOVA linear regression models of change in log10-HOMA were fit with all models included the first log10 HOMA as a predictor. Mean±SD log10-HOMA was -0.18±0.39 at the 1st and -0.21±0.41 at the 2nd measure, with mean change of 0.03±0.44. In the final model (all women) BMI at 1st HOMA measure (0.014; 95% CI=0.006-0.021 per kg/m2; pchange in BMI from 1st to 2nd measure (0.024; 95% CI=0.013-0.035 per kg/m2; pchange. When restricted to subjects with FMI measures, FMI at 1st HOMA measure (0.020; 95% CI=0.010-0.030 per kg/m2; pchange in FMI from 1st to 2nd measure (0.032; 95% CI=0.020-0.043 per kg/m2; pchange in HOMA. While ART use did not predict change in log10-HOMA, untreated HIV+ women had a significant decline in IR over time. Use or duration of AZT, d4T and EFV was not associated with HOMA change in HIV+ women. Baseline BMI and change in BMI, and in particular fat mass and change in fat mass predicted insulin resistance change over ~3 years in HIV-infected and uninfected Rwandan women. Exposure to specific ART (d4T, AZT, EFV) did not predict insulin resistance change in ART-treated HIV-infected Rwandan women.

  2. Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in HIV Infected and Uninfected Pregnant Women with and without Preeclampsia.

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    Maharaj, Niren Ray; Phulukdaree, Alisa; Nagiah, Savania; Ramkaran, Prithiksha; Tiloke, Charlette; Chuturgoon, Anil Amichund

    2017-01-01

    Preeclampsia and HIV/AIDS are inflammatory conditions that contribute significantly to adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. The immune reconstitution effects of HAART on inflammatory mediators has not been adequately studied in pregnancy and may impact on the inflammatory cytokine network in women with co-morbid preeclampsia. Our study evaluated changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-6 in HIV infected preeclamptic women on HAART. A prospective experimental study was conducted at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital between July 2013 and September 2014. One hundred and ninety three pregnant women were recruited into 4 groups: uninfected normotensive (50; 26%), infected normotensive (45; 23%), uninfected preeclamptic (53; 28%) and infected preeclamptic women (45; 23%). Serum levels of cytokines TNF-α, IFN- γ, IL-2 and IL-6 were determined using commercially available kits and a Cytometric Bead Array (CBA). Comparative data was recorded and analysed descriptively. In the control groups (normotensive), significantly lower values were found in IL-2 (p = 0.010), TNF-α (p = 0.045), and IL-6 (p = 0.005); and a non-significant decrease was observed in IFN-γ (p = 0.345) in HIV infected women on HAART compared to uninfected controls. In the experimental group (preeclamptic) women, significantly reduced levels were observed in IL-2 and TNF-α (p = 0.001; p = 0.000) and non-significant decreases were observed in IFN-γ and IL-6 (p = 0.023; p = 0.086) in HIV infected women on HAART compared with uninfected preeclamptic women. Non-significant differences were observed between uninfected preeclamptic and normotensive women. In uncomplicated/normotensive pregnancies, HIV/HAART is associated with significant decreases in IL-2, TNF-α and IL-6, and in preeclamptic women significant decreases in IL-2 and TNF-α were observed. These findings suggest that HIV/HAART impacts on pro-inflammatory cytokines in women with co-morbid preeclampsia. This provides a

  3. Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in HIV Infected and Uninfected Pregnant Women with and without Preeclampsia.

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    Niren Ray Maharaj

    Full Text Available Preeclampsia and HIV/AIDS are inflammatory conditions that contribute significantly to adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. The immune reconstitution effects of HAART on inflammatory mediators has not been adequately studied in pregnancy and may impact on the inflammatory cytokine network in women with co-morbid preeclampsia. Our study evaluated changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-6 in HIV infected preeclamptic women on HAART.A prospective experimental study was conducted at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital between July 2013 and September 2014. One hundred and ninety three pregnant women were recruited into 4 groups: uninfected normotensive (50; 26%, infected normotensive (45; 23%, uninfected preeclamptic (53; 28% and infected preeclamptic women (45; 23%. Serum levels of cytokines TNF-α, IFN- γ, IL-2 and IL-6 were determined using commercially available kits and a Cytometric Bead Array (CBA. Comparative data was recorded and analysed descriptively.In the control groups (normotensive, significantly lower values were found in IL-2 (p = 0.010, TNF-α (p = 0.045, and IL-6 (p = 0.005; and a non-significant decrease was observed in IFN-γ (p = 0.345 in HIV infected women on HAART compared to uninfected controls. In the experimental group (preeclamptic women, significantly reduced levels were observed in IL-2 and TNF-α (p = 0.001; p = 0.000 and non-significant decreases were observed in IFN-γ and IL-6 (p = 0.023; p = 0.086 in HIV infected women on HAART compared with uninfected preeclamptic women. Non-significant differences were observed between uninfected preeclamptic and normotensive women.In uncomplicated/normotensive pregnancies, HIV/HAART is associated with significant decreases in IL-2, TNF-α and IL-6, and in preeclamptic women significant decreases in IL-2 and TNF-α were observed. These findings suggest that HIV/HAART impacts on pro-inflammatory cytokines in women with co-morbid preeclampsia. This provides

  4. Unmet need for family planning, contraceptive failure, and unintended pregnancy among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women in Zimbabwe.

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    Sandra I McCoy

    Full Text Available Prevention of unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV infection is a strategy recommended by the World Health Organization for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT. We assessed pregnancy intentions and contraceptive use among HIV-positive and HIV-negative women with a recent pregnancy in Zimbabwe.We analyzed baseline data from the evaluation of Zimbabwe's Accelerated National PMTCT Program. Eligible women were randomly sampled from the catchment areas of 157 health facilities offering PMTCT services in five provinces. Eligible women were ≥16 years old and mothers of infants (alive or deceased born 9 to 18 months prior to the interview. Participants were interviewed about their HIV status, intendedness of the birth, and contraceptive use.Of 8,797 women, the mean age was 26.7 years, 92.8% were married or had a regular sexual partner, and they had an average of 2.7 lifetime births. Overall, 3,090 (35.1% reported that their births were unintended; of these women, 1,477 (47.8% and 1,613 (52.2% were and were not using a contraceptive method prior to learning that they were pregnant, respectively. Twelve percent of women reported that they were HIV-positive at the time of the survey; women who reported that they were HIV-infected were significantly more likely to report that their pregnancy was unintended compared to women who reported that they were HIV-uninfected (44.9% vs. 33.8%, p<0.01. After adjustment for covariates, among women with unintended births, there was no association between self-reported HIV status and lack of contraception use prior to pregnancy.Unmet need for family planning and contraceptive failure contribute to unintended pregnancies among women in Zimbabwe. Both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women reported unintended pregnancies despite intending to avoid or delay pregnancy, highlighting the need for effective contraceptive methods that align with pregnancy intentions.

  5. Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in South African Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

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    Madhi, Shabir A; Cutland, Clare L; Downs, Sarah; Jones, Stephanie; van Niekerk, Nadia; Simoes, Eric A F; Nunes, Marta C

    2018-05-17

    Limited data exist on the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness among pregnant women, to determine their potential benefit from RSV vaccination. We evaluated the incidence of RSV illness from midpregnancy until 24 weeks postpartum in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-uninfected and HIV-infected women and their infants. Mother-infant dyads were enrolled in maternal influenza vaccine efficacy trials. These included 1060 and 1056 HIV-uninfected pregnant women in 2011 and 2012, respectively, 194 HIV-infected pregnant women in 2011, and their infants. Upper respiratory tract samples obtained at illness visits were tested for RSV. The incidence (per 1000 person-months) of RSV illness (n = 43 overall) among HIV-uninfected women was lower in 2011 (1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], .6-2.2) than in 2012 (4.0; 95% CI, 2.8-5.6). The incidence of RSV illness (n = 5) in HIV-infected women was 3.4 (95% CI, 1.4-8.1). Maternal RSV infection was associated with respiratory symptoms including cough (72.1%), rhinorrhea (39.5%), sore throat (37.2%), and headache (42%), but fever was absent. RSV infection during pregnancy was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Postpartum, RSV infection in mothers (n = 27) was associated with concurrent infection among 51.9% of their infants and, conversely, 29.8% of mothers investigated within 7 days of their infants having an RSV illness also tested positive for RSV. RSV infection is associated with respiratory illness during pregnancy and postpartum. Vaccination of pregnant women against RSV could benefit the mother, albeit primarily against nonfebrile illness, and her infant. NCT01306669 and NCT01306682.

  6. Absolute leukocyte telomere length in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals: evidence of accelerated cell senescence in HIV-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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    Joseph C Y Liu

    Full Text Available Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART has extended the longevity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected individuals. However, this has resulted in greater awareness of age-associated diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. Accelerated cellular senescence may be responsible, but its magnitude as measured by leukocyte telomere length is unknown and its relationship to HIV-associated COPD has not yet been established. We measured absolute telomere length (aTL in peripheral leukocytes from 231 HIV-infected adults. Comparisons were made to 691 HIV-uninfected individuals from a population-based sample. Subject quartiles of aTL were assessed for relationships with measures of HIV disease severity, airflow obstruction, and emphysema severity on computed tomographic (CT imaging. Multivariable regression models identified factors associated with shortened aTL. Compared to HIV-uninfected subjects, the mean aTL in HIV-infected patients was markedly shorter by 27 kbp/genome (p<0.001; however, the slopes of aTL vs. age were not different (p=0.469. Patients with longer known durations of HIV infection (p=0.019 and lower nadir CD4 cell counts (p=0.023 had shorter aTL. Shorter aTL were also associated with older age (p=0.026, smoking (p=0.005, reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (p=0.030, and worse CT emphysema severity score (p=0.049. HIV-infected subjects demonstrate advanced cellular aging, yet in a cART-treated cohort, the relationship between aTL and age appears no different from that of HIV-uninfected subjects.

  7. Exclusive breastfeeding, diarrhoeal morbidity and all-cause mortality in infants of HIV-infected and HIV uninfected mothers: an intervention cohort study in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

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    Nigel C Rollins

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Antiretroviral drug interventions significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission to infants through breastfeeding. We report diarrhoea prevalence and all-cause mortality at 12 months of age according to infant feeding practices, among infants born to HIV-infected and uninfected mothers in South Africa. METHODS: A non-randomised intervention cohort study that followed both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected mothers and their infants until 18 months of age. Mothers were supported in their infant feeding choice. Detailed morbidity and vital status data were collected over the first year. At the time, only single dose nevirapine was available to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. RESULTS: Among 2,589 infants, detailed feeding data and vital status were available for 1,082 HIV-exposed infants and 1,155 HIV non-exposed infants. Among exclusively breastfed (EBF infants there were 9.4 diarrhoeal days per 1,000 child days (95%CI. 9.12-9.82 while among infants who were never breastfed there were 15.6 diarrhoeal days per 1,000 child days (95%CI. 14.62-16.59. Exclusive breastfeeding was associated with fewer acute, persistent and total diarrhoeal events than mixed or no breastfeeding in both HIV-exposed infants and also infants of HIV uninfected mothers. In an adjusted cox regression analysis, the risk of death among all infants by 12 months of age was significantly greater in those who were never breastfed (aHR 3.5, p<0.001 or mixed fed (aHR 2.65, p<0.001 compared with those who were EBF. In separate multivariable analyses, infants who were EBF for shorter durations had an increased risk of death compared to those EBF for 5-6 months [aHR 2.18 (95% CI, 1.56-3.01; p<0.001]. DISCUSSION: In the context of antiretroviral drugs being scaled-up to eliminate new HIV infections among children, there is strong justification for financial and human resource investment to promote and support exclusive breastfeeding to improve HIV-free survival

  8. Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae among HIV-infected and -uninfected children <5 years of age before introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Mozambique.

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    Jennifer R Verani

    Full Text Available Nasopharyngeal carriage is a precursor for pneumococcal disease and can be useful for evaluating pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV impact. We studied pre-PCV pneumococcal carriage among HIV-infected and -uninfected children in Mozambique. Between October 2012 and March 2013, we enrolled HIV-infected children age <5 years presenting for routine care at seven HIV clinics in 3 sites, including Maputo (urban-south, Nampula (urban-north, and Manhiça (rural-south. We also enrolled a random sample of HIV-uninfected children <5 years old from a demographic surveillance site in Manhiça. A single nasopharyngeal swab was obtained and cultured following enrichment in Todd Hewitt broth with yeast extract and rabbit serum. Pneumococcal isolates were serotyped by Quellung reaction and multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Factors associated with pneumococcal carriage were examined using logistic regression. Overall pneumococcal carriage prevalence was 80.5% (585/727, with similar prevalences among HIV-infected (81.5%, 339/416 and HIV-uninfected (79.1%, 246/311 children, and across age strata. Among HIV-infected, after adjusting for recent antibiotic use and hospitalization, there was no significant association between study site and colonization: Maputo (74.8%, 92/123, Nampula (83.7%, 82/98, Manhiça (84.6%, 165/195. Among HIV-uninfected, report of having been born to an HIV-infected mother was not associated with colonization. Among 601 pneumococcal isolates from 585 children, serotypes 19F (13.5%, 23F (13.1%, 6A (9.2%, 6B (6.2% and 19A (5.2% were most common. The proportion of serotypes included in the 10- and 13-valent vaccines was 44.9% and 61.7%, respectively, with no significant differences by HIV status or age group. Overall 36.9% (n = 268 of children were colonized with a PCV10 serotype and 49.7% (n = 361 with a PCV13 serotype. Pneumococcal carriage was common, with little variation by geographic region, age, or HIV status. PCV10 was introduced in

  9. The Oncolytic Virus MG1 Targets and Eliminates Cells Latently Infected With HIV-1: Implications for an HIV Cure.

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    Ranganath, Nischal; Sandstrom, Teslin S; Burke Schinkel, Stephanie C; Côté, Sandra C; Angel, Jonathan B

    2018-02-14

    Cells latently infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) evade immune- and drug-mediated clearance. These cells harbor intracellular signaling defects, including impairment of the antiviral type I interferon response. Such defects have also been observed in several cancers and have been exploited for the development of therapeutic oncolytic viruses, including the recombinant Maraba virus (MG1). We therefore hypothesized that MG1 would infect and eliminate cells latently infected with HIV-1, while sparing healthy uninfected cells. Preferential infection and elimination by MG1 was first demonstrated in cell lines latently infected with HIV-1. Following this, a reduction in HIV-1 DNA and inducible HIV-1 replication was observed following MG1 infection of latently infected, resting CD4+ T cells generated using an in vitro model of latency. Last, MG1 infection resulted in a reduction in HIV-1 DNA and inducible HIV-1 replication in memory CD4+ T cells isolated from effectively treated, HIV-1-infected individuals. Our results therefore highlight a novel approach to eliminate the latent HIV-1 reservoir. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

  10. Placental pathology in HIV infection at term: a comparison with HIV-uninfected women.

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    Kalk, Emma; Schubert, Pawel; Bettinger, Julie A; Cotton, Mark F; Esser, Monika; Slogrove, Amy; Wright, Colleen A

    2017-05-01

    To describe and correlate placental characteristics from pregnancies in HIV-infected and HIV-negative women with maternal and infant clinical and immunological data. Prospective descriptive study of placentas from term, uncomplicated vaginal births in a cohort of HIV-infected (n = 120) and HIV-negative (n = 103) women in Cape Town, South Africa. Microscopic and macroscopic features were used to determine pathological cluster diagnoses. The majority of HIV-infected women received some form of drug treatment for the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV. Data were analysed using logistic regression. HIV-infected women were older (median [IQR] 27.4 years [24-31] vs. 25.8 [23-30]), more likely to be multiparous (81.7% vs. 71.8%) and had lower CD4 counts (median [IQR] 323.5 cells/ml [235-442] vs. 467 [370-656]). There were no differences in gestational age at first antenatal visit or at delivery. The proportion of specimens with placental lesions was similar in both groups (39.2% vs. 44.7%). Half of all samples were below the tenth percentile expected-weight-for-gestation regardless of HIV status. This was unaffected by adjustment for confounding variables. Maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) was more frequent in HIV infection (24.2% vs. 12.6%; P = 0.028), an association which strengthened after adjustment (aOR 2.90 [95% confidence interval 1.11-7.57]). Otherwise the frequency of individual diagnoses did not differ between the groups on multivariate analysis. In this cohort of term, uncomplicated pregnant women, few differences were observed between the HIV-infected and uninfected groups apart from MVM. This lesion may underlie the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which have been observed at higher rates in some HIV-infected women on ART. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Polymorphisms in DC-SIGN and L-SIGN genes are associated with HIV-1 vertical transmission in a Northeastern Brazilian population.

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    da Silva, Ronaldo Celerino; Segat, Ludovica; Zanin, Valentina; Arraes, Luiz Claudio; Crovella, Sergio

    2012-11-01

    DC-SIGN and L-SIGN are receptors expressed on specialized macrophages in decidua, (Hofbauer and placental capillary endothelial cells), known to interact with several pathogens, including HIV-1. To disclose the possible involvement of these molecules in the susceptibility to HIV vertical transmission, we analyzed DC-SIGN and L-SIGN gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 192 HIV-1 positive children and 58 HIV-1 negative children all born to HIV-1 positive mothers, as well as 96 healthy uninfected children not exposed to HIV-1, all from Northeast Brazil. The frequency of three SNPs in the DC-SIGN promoter (-139G>A, -201G>T and -336A>G) were significantly different when comparing HIV positive children with HIV-1 exposed uninfected children, indicating an association with susceptibility to HIV-1 vertical transmission. This genetic association suggests that DC-SIGN molecule may play a role in susceptibility to HIV-1 infection through vertical transmission. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Sero-prevalence of latent Toxoplasma gondii infection among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected people in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A comparative cross-sectional study

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    Tegbaru Belete

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Toxoplasmosis in immuno-compromised hosts manifests primarily as a life threatening condition, toxoplasmic encephalitis. However, there is scarce information about the magnitude of Toxoplasma gondii infection among HIV-infected people in Ethiopia. This study was, therefore, conducted to determine the sero-prevalence of T. gondii infection among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected subjects. Findings Sera were collected from people with and without HIV infection for the purpose of studying hepatitis B virus (HBV at St. Paul Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 24 January 2007 to 15 February 2007. Among these sera, the first 330 consecutive sera, 165 from each HIV sero-group, were selected and tested for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection was assessed against socio-demographic characteristics, HIV and HBV serostatus and HBV-related risk factors. The overall sero-prevalence of latent T. gondii infection among the study subjects was 90.0%. Toxoplasma infection was observed with respective prevalence of 93.3% and 86.7% among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected people. Though Toxoplasma infection seems to be influenced by age, gender and HIV serostatus, only HBV serostatus was significantly associated (OR 2.71, CI 1.12 to 6.57 in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion The seroprevalence of latent T. gondii infection is high and similar by HIV status. Educating people to prevent acquisition of new Toxoplasma infection and minimizing the risk of disease manifestations among HIV-Toxoplasma co-infected individuals is important.

  13. Body fat distribution in perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-exposed but uninfected children in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: outcomes from the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study

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    Associations between abnormal body fat distribution and clinical variables are poorly understood in pediatric HIV disease. Our objective was to compare total body fat and its distribution in perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) children and to evaluate associations with clin...

  14. Extended prophylaxis with nevirapine and cotrimoxazole among HIV-exposed uninfected infants is well tolerated.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aizire, Jim; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Wang, Jing; Shetty, Avinash K; Stranix-Chibanda, Lynda; Kamateeka, Moreen; Brown, Elizabeth R; Bolton, Steve G; Musoke, Philippa M; Coovadia, Hoosen

    2012-01-28

    Nevirapine and cotrimoxazole are associated with hematologic toxicities and skin-rash. Safety of their concurrent use for prophylaxis over extended periods among HIV-exposed uninfected infants has not been previously assessed. Secondary data analysis of the 'HIV Prevention Trials Network-046 protocol' (version 2.0), a phase-III, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that assessed efficacy and safety of nevirapine prophylaxis against breast milk transmission of HIV-1. Trial infants received 6-month study nevirapine/placebo, and standard-of-care peripartum single-dose nevirapine+/- zidovudine 'tail', and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis from 6 weeks through breastfeeding cessation. Adverse events were monitored using United States Division of AIDS Toxicity Tables (2004). Risk of neutropenia, anemia and skin-rash in the cotrimoxazole + nevirapine and the cotrimoxazole + placebo groups were compared using negative-binomial regression. Incidence of neutropenia and/or anemia, and skin-rash was highest during the first 6 weeks of life and declined, thereafter, regardless of study group. Time to first adverse event after 6 weeks was similar in cotrimoxazole + nevirapine and cotrimoxazole + placebo groups: hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.26 (0.96-1.66) for neutropenia and/or anemia (all grades), 1.27 (0.80-2.03) for neutropenia and/or anemia (grade ≥3) and 1.16 (0.46-2.90) for skin-rash (grade ≥2). There were no statistically significant differences in immediate (6 weeks-6 months) and long-term (6-12 months) adverse event risk among infants on cotrimoxazole + nevirapine versus cotrimoxazole + placebo. Extended nevirapine and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis through 6 months of age among HIV-exposed uninfected infants did not appear to increase the immediate or long-term risk of neutropenia, anemia or skin-rash. Concurrent use beyond 6 months, however, needs to be evaluated.

  15. A genome-wide association study of resistance to HIV infection in highly exposed uninfected individuals with hemophilia A

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    Lane, Jérôme; McLaren, Paul J.; Dorrell, Lucy; Shianna, Kevin V.; Stemke, Amanda; Pelak, Kimberly; Moore, Stephen; Oldenburg, Johannes; Alvarez-Roman, Maria Teresa; Angelillo-Scherrer, Anne; Boehlen, Francoise; Bolton-Maggs, Paula H.B.; Brand, Brigit; Brown, Deborah; Chiang, Elaine; Cid-Haro, Ana Rosa; Clotet, Bonaventura; Collins, Peter; Colombo, Sara; Dalmau, Judith; Fogarty, Patrick; Giangrande, Paul; Gringeri, Alessandro; Iyer, Rathi; Katsarou, Olga; Kempton, Christine; Kuriakose, Philip; Lin, Judith; Makris, Mike; Manco-Johnson, Marilyn; Tsakiris, Dimitrios A.; Martinez-Picado, Javier; Mauser-Bunschoten, Evelien; Neff, Anne; Oka, Shinichi; Oyesiku, Lara; Parra, Rafael; Peter-Salonen, Kristiina; Powell, Jerry; Recht, Michael; Shapiro, Amy; Stine, Kimo; Talks, Katherine; Telenti, Amalio; Wilde, Jonathan; Yee, Thynn Thynn; Wolinsky, Steven M.; Martinson, Jeremy; Hussain, Shehnaz K.; Bream, Jay H.; Jacobson, Lisa P.; Carrington, Mary; Goedert, James J.; Haynes, Barton F.; McMichael, Andrew J.; Goldstein, David B.; Fellay, Jacques

    2013-01-01

    Human genetic variation contributes to differences in susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. To search for novel host resistance factors, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in hemophilia patients highly exposed to potentially contaminated factor VIII infusions. Individuals with hemophilia A and a documented history of factor VIII infusions before the introduction of viral inactivation procedures (1979–1984) were recruited from 36 hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs), and their genome-wide genetic variants were compared with those from matched HIV-infected individuals. Homozygous carriers of known CCR5 resistance mutations were excluded. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and inferred copy number variants (CNVs) were tested using logistic regression. In addition, we performed a pathway enrichment analysis, a heritability analysis, and a search for epistatic interactions with CCR5 Δ32 heterozygosity. A total of 560 HIV-uninfected cases were recruited: 36 (6.4%) were homozygous for CCR5 Δ32 or m303. After quality control and SNP imputation, we tested 1 081 435 SNPs and 3686 CNVs for association with HIV-1 serostatus in 431 cases and 765 HIV-infected controls. No SNP or CNV reached genome-wide significance. The additional analyses did not reveal any strong genetic effect. Highly exposed, yet uninfected hemophiliacs form an ideal study group to investigate host resistance factors. Using a genome-wide approach, we did not detect any significant associations between SNPs and HIV-1 susceptibility, indicating that common genetic variants of major effect are unlikely to explain the observed resistance phenotype in this population. PMID:23372042

  16. Safety and immunogenicity of adenovirus-vectored near-consensus HIV type 1 clade B gag vaccines in healthy adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harro, Clayton D; Robertson, Michael N; Lally, Michelle A; O'Neill, Lori D; Edupuganti, Srilatha; Goepfert, Paul A; Mulligan, Mark J; Priddy, Frances H; Dubey, Sheri A; Kierstead, Lisa S; Sun, Xiao; Casimiro, Danilo R; DiNubile, Mark J; Shiver, John W; Leavitt, Randi Y; Mehrotra, Devan V

    2009-01-01

    Vaccines inducing pathogen-specific cell-mediated immunity are being developed using attenuated adenoviral (Ad) vectors. We report the results of two independent Phase I trials of similar replication-deficient Ad5 vaccines containing a near-consensus HIV-1 clade B gag transgene. Healthy HIV-uninfected adults were enrolled in two separate, multicenter, dose-escalating, blinded, placebo-controlled studies to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a three-dose homologous regimen of Ad5 and MRKAd5 HIV-1 gag vaccines given on day 1, week 4, and week 26. Adverse events were collected for 29 days following each intradeltoid injection. The primary immunogenicity endpoint was the proportion of subjects with a positive unfractionated Gag-specific IFN-gamma ELISPOT response measured 4 weeks after the last dose (week 30). Analyses were performed after combining data for each dose group from both protocols, stratifying by baseline Ad5 titers. Overall, 252 subjects were randomized to receive either vaccine or placebo, including 229 subjects (91%) who completed the study through week 30. Tolerability and immunogenicity did not appear to differ between the Ad5 and MRKAd5 vaccines. The frequency of injection-site reactions was dose dependent. Systemic adverse events were also dose dependent and more frequent in subjects with baseline Ad5 titers or =200, especially after the first dose. The percent of ELISPOT responders and the ELISPOT geometric means overall were significantly higher for all four vaccine doses studied compared to placebo, and were generally higher in vaccine recipients with baseline Ad5 titers or = 200. Ad5 titers increased after vaccination in a dose-dependent fashion. Both Ad5-vectored HIV-1 vaccines were generally well tolerated and induced cell-mediated immune responses against HIV Gag-peptides in the majority of healthy adults with baseline Ad5 titers vaccine-induced immunity to the Ad5 vector may dampen the CMI response to HIV Gag.

  17. Broad and potent immune responses to a low dose intradermal HIV-1 DNA boosted with HIV-1 recombinant MVA among healthy adults in Tanzania☆,☆☆

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    Bakari, Muhammad; Aboud, Said; Nilsson, Charlotta; Francis, Joel; Buma, Deus; Moshiro, Candida; Aris, Eric A.; Lyamuya, Eligius F.; Janabi, Mohamed; Godoy-Ramirez, Karina; Joachim, Agricola; Polonis, Victoria R.; Bråve, Andreas; Earl, Patricia; Robb, Merlin; Marovich, Mary; Wahren, Britta; Pallangyo, Kisali; Biberfeld, Gunnel; Mhalu, Fred; Sandström, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Background We conducted a phase I/II randomized placebo-controlled trial with the aim of exploring whether priming with a low intradermal dose of a multiclade, multigene HIV-1 DNA vaccine could improve the immunogenicity of the same vaccine given intramuscularly prior to boosting with a heterologous HIV-1 MVA among healthy adults in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods Sixty HIV-uninfected volunteers were randomized to receive DNA plasmid vaccine 1 mg intradermally (id), n = 20, or 3.8 mg intramuscularly (im), n = 20, or placebo, n = 20, using a needle-free injection device. DNA plasmids encoding HIV-1 genes gp160 subtype A, B, C; rev B; p17/p24 gag A, B and Rtmut B were given at weeks 0, 4 and 12. Recombinant MVA (108 pfu) expressing HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol of CRF01_AE or placebo was administered im at month 9 and 21. Results The vaccines were well tolerated. Two weeks after the third HIV-DNA injection, 22/38 (58%) vaccinees had IFN-γ ELISpot responses to Gag. Two weeks after the first HIV-MVA boost all 35 (100%) vaccinees responded to Gag and 31 (89%) to Env. Two to four weeks after the second HIV-MVA boost, 28/29 (97%) vaccinees had IFN-γ ELISpot responses, 27 (93%) to Gag and 23 (79%) to Env. The id-primed recipients had significantly higher responses to Env than im recipients. Intracellular cytokine staining for Gag-specific IFN-γ/IL-2 production showed both CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses. All vaccinees had HIV-specific lymphoproliferative responses. All vaccinees reacted in diagnostic HIV serological tests and 26/29 (90%) had antibodies against gp160 after the second HIV-MVA boost. Furthermore, while all of 29 vaccinee sera were negative for neutralizing antibodies against clade B, C and CRF01 AE pseudoviruses in the TZM-bl neutralization assay, in a PBMC assay, the response rate ranged from 31% to 83% positives, depending upon the clade B or CRF01_AE virus tested. This vaccine approach is safe and highly immunogenic. Low dose, id HIV-DNA priming elicited higher

  18. Incidence of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in HIV-infected and uninfected patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy

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    Sithembile Ngidi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background. Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN can result in poor tolerance of chemotherapy, leading to dose reductions, delays in therapy schedules, morbidity and mortality. Actively identifying predisposing risk factors before treatment is of paramount importance. We hypothesised that chemotherapy is associated with a greater increase in CIN and its complications in HIV-infected patients than in those who are not infected. Objective. To establish the incidence of CIN in HIV-infected and uninfected patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods. A retrospective chart review and analysis was conducted in the oncology departments at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital and Addington Hospital, Durban, South Africa. The study population consisted of 65 previously untreated women of all ages with stage II - IV breast cancer and known HIV status treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy from January 2012 to December 2015. Results. HIV-infected patients formed 32.3% of the group, and 95.2% of them were on antiretroviral therapy. The mean age (standard deviation (SD of the cohort was 48.5 (13.2 years (40.6 (9.6 years for the HIV-infected group v. 52.0 (13.1 years for the uninfected group; p<0.001. Ninety-five neutropenia episodes were observed (rate 0.85 per 1 year of follow-up time. Following multivariate adjustment, patients with HIV infection were almost two times more likely to develop CIN (hazard ratio (HR 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.06 - 2.92; p=0.029. A high baseline absolute neutrophil count (ANC (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68 - 0.95; p=0.005 remained significantly associated with protection against CIN. Conclusions. HIV-infected patients were younger than those who were not infected, and presented at a more locally advanced stage of disease. HIV infection was an independent predictor for CIN. HIV-infected patients had an almost two-fold increased risk of developing CIN and developed neutropenia at a much faster rate. A high baseline white cell

  19. Trans-dissemination of exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells fosters both HIV-1 trans-infection in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes and reactivation of the HIV-1 reservoir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiozzini, Chiara; Arenaccio, Claudia; Olivetta, Eleonora; Anticoli, Simona; Manfredi, Francesco; Ferrantelli, Flavia; d'Ettorre, Gabriella; Schietroma, Ivan; Andreotti, Mauro; Federico, Maurizio

    2017-09-01

    Intact HIV-1 and exosomes can be internalized by dendritic cells (DCs) through a common pathway leading to their transmission to CD4 + T lymphocytes by means of mechanisms defined as trans-infection and trans-dissemination, respectively. We previously reported that exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells activate both uninfected quiescent CD4 + T lymphocytes, which become permissive to HIV-1, and latently infected cells, with release of HIV-1 particles. However, nothing is known about the effects of trans-dissemination of exosomes produced by HIV-1-infected cells on uninfected or latently HIV-1-infected CD4 + T lymphocytes. Here, we report that trans-dissemination of exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells induces cell activation in resting CD4 + T lymphocytes, which appears stronger with mature than immature DCs. Using purified preparations of both HIV-1 and exosomes, we observed that mDC-mediated trans-dissemination of exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells to resting CD4 + T lymphocytes induces efficient trans-infection and HIV-1 expression in target cells. Most relevant, when both mDCs and CD4 + T lymphocytes were isolated from combination anti-retroviral therapy (ART)-treated HIV-1-infected patients, trans-dissemination of exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells led to HIV-1 reactivation from the viral reservoir. In sum, our data suggest a role of exosome trans-dissemination in both HIV-1 spread in the infected host and reactivation of the HIV-1 reservoir.

  20. Relationships between neighbourhood characteristics and current STI status among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women living in the Southern USA: a cross-sectional multilevel analysis.

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    Haley, Danielle F; Kramer, Michael R; Adimora, Adaora A; Haardörfer, Regine; Wingood, Gina M; Ludema, Christina; Rubtsova, Anna; Hickson, DeMarc A; Ross, Zev; Golub, Elizabeth; Bolivar, Hector; Cooper, Hannah Lf

    2017-12-01

    Neighbourhood characteristics (eg, high poverty rates) are associated with STIs among HIV-uninfected women in the USA. However, no multilevel analyses investigating the associations between neighbourhood exposures and STIs have explored these relationships among women living with HIV infection. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine relationships between neighbourhood characteristics and current STI status and (2) investigate whether the magnitudes and directions of these relationships varied by HIV status in a predominantly HIV-infected cohort of women living in the Southern USA. This cross-sectional multilevel analysis tests relationships between census tract characteristics and current STI status using data from 737 women enrolled at the Women's Interagency HIV Study's southern sites (530 HIV-infected and 207 HIV-uninfected women). Administrative data (eg, US Census) described the census tract-level social disorder (eg, violent crime rate) and social disadvantage (eg, alcohol outlet density) where women lived. Participant-level data were gathered via survey. Testing positive for a current STI was defined as a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis or syphilis. Hierarchical generalised linear models were used to determine relationships between tract-level characteristics and current STI status, and to test whether these relationships varied by HIV status. Eleven per cent of participants tested positive for at least one current STI. Greater tract-level social disorder (OR=1.34, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.87) and social disadvantage (OR=1.34, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.86) were associated with having a current STI. There was no evidence of additive or multiplicative interaction between tract-level characteristics and HIV status. Findings suggest that neighbourhood characteristics may be associated with current STIs among women living in the South, and that relationships do not vary by HIV status. Future research should establish the

  1. Systolic function evaluated with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in HIV-infected patients

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    Leonie Scholtz

    2016-11-01

    Objectives: To ascertain whether there were any morphological abnormalities or systolic functional impairments on CMR in untreated asymptomatic HIV-infected patients, compared with HIV-uninfected control individuals. Methods: The CMR studies were performed using a 1.5-T whole-body clinical magnetic resonance 16-channel scanner (Achieva, Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands, using a cardiac five-element phased-array receiver coil (SENSE coil. Functional assessment was performed on 36 HIV-infected patients and the findings compared with 35 HIV-uninfected control patients who were matched for age and sex. Results: There was no significant difference in systolic function between the HIV-uninfected and the HIV-infected patients. The left ventricular end diastolic mass (LVEDM was slightly higher in the HIV-infected group, but this was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: No significant differences were found regarding the CMR systolic functional analysis and morphological parameters between the HIV-infected and the healthy volunteers.

  2. HIV-1-infected macrophages induce astrogliosis by SDF-1α and matrix metalloproteinases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Mika; Wang, Xin; Baba, Masanori

    2005-01-01

    Brain macrophages/microglia and astrocytes are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD). To clarify their interaction and contribution to the pathogenesis, HIV-1-infected or uninfected macrophages were used as a model of brain macrophages/microglia, and their effects on human astrocytes in vitro were examined. The culture supernatants of HIV-1-infected or uninfected macrophages induced significant astrocyte proliferation, which was annihilated with a neutralizing antibody to stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α or a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor. In these astrocytes, CXCR4, MMP, and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase mRNA expression and SDF-1α production were significantly up-regulated. The supernatants of infected macrophages were always more effective than those of uninfected cells. Moreover, the enhanced production of SDF-1α was suppressed by the MMP inhibitor. These results indicate that the activated and HIV-1-infected macrophages can indirectly induce astrocyte proliferation through up-regulating SDF-1α and MMP production, which implies a mechanism of astrogliosis in HAD

  3. The Burden of Oral Disease among Perinatally HIV-Infected and HIV-Exposed Uninfected Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Tzy-Jyun; Ryder, Mark I.; Russell, Jonathan S.; Dominy, Stephen S.; Patel, Kunjal; McKenna, Matt; Van Dyke, Russell B.; Seage, George R.; Hazra, Rohan

    2016-01-01

    Objective To compare oral health parameters in perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV) and perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected youth (PHEU). Methods In a cross-sectional substudy within the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study, participants were examined for number of decayed teeth (DT), Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT), oral mucosal disease, and periodontal disease (PD). Covariates for oral health parameters were examined using zero-inflated negative binomial regression and ordinal logistic regression models. Results Eleven sites enrolled 209 PHIV and 126 PHEU. Higher DT scores were observed in participants who were PHIV [Adjusted Mean Ratio (aMR) = 1.7 (95% CI 1.2–2.5)], female [aMR = 1.4 (1.0–1.9)], had no source of regular dental care [aMR = 2.3 (1.5–3.4)], and had a high frequency of meals/snacks [≥5 /day vs 0–3, aMR = 1.9 (1.1–3.1)] and juice/soda [≥5 /day vs 0–3, aMR = 1.6 (1.1–2.4)]. Higher DMFT scores were observed in participants who were older [≥19, aMR = 1.9 (1.2–2.9)], had biological parent as caregiver [aMR = 1.2 (1.0–1.3)], had a high frequency of juice/soda [≥5 /day vs 0–3, aMR = 1.4 (1.11.7)] and a low saliva flow rate [mL/min, aMR = 0.8 per unit higher (0.6–1.0)]. Eighty percent had PD; no differences were seen by HIV status using the patient-based classifications of health, gingivitis or mild, moderate, or severe periodontitis. No associations were observed of CD4 count and viral load with oral health outcomes after adjustment. Conclusions Oral health was poor in PHIV and PHEU youth. This was dismaying since most HIV infected children in the U.S. are carefully followed at medical health care clinics. This data underscore the need for regular dental care. As PHIV youth were at higher risk for cavities, it will be important to better understand this relationship in order to develop targeted interventions. PMID:27299992

  4. Comparative costs of inpatient care for HIV-infected and uninfected children and adults in Soweto, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Leena S; Manning, Arthur; Holmes, Charles B; Naidoo, Shan; van der Linde, Frans; Gray, Glenda E; Martinson, Neil A

    2007-12-01

    HIV/AIDS creates a massive burden of care for health systems. A better understanding of the impact of HIV infection on health care utilization and costs may enable better use of limited resources. We compared public sector inpatient costs of HIV-infected versus uninfected adults and children at a large hospital in Soweto, South Africa. Daily hotel costs estimated from hospital financial data and total patient visits were combined with utilization, abstracted from patients' charts, and costed using government price lists to estimate total inpatient costs. A total of 1185 eligible records were included over a 6-week period in 2005. Eight hundred twelve were from HIV-infected patients, and of these, 77 were on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. The mean length of stay (LOS) and mean drug and intravenous fluid utilization of HIV-infected adults not on ARVs was greater than those of uninfected adults, resulting in a $200 higher total average admission cost. Patients on ARVs had longer LOS and incurred a total average admission cost of $750 more than HIV-infected adults not on ARVs. Inpatient costs were greater for this selected group of HIV-infected adults, and even higher for the small proportion of individuals receiving ARVs. Budget allocations should incorporate case mix by HIV and ARV status as a key determinant of hospital expenditure.

  5. Factors associated with visible anogenital warts among HIV-uninfected Peruvian men who have sex with men and transwomen: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galea, Jerome T; Kinsler, Janni J; Galan, Daniel Berrio; Calvo, Gino; Sánchez, Hugo; Leon, Segundo R; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Brown, Brandon

    2015-04-01

    Visible, anogenital warts may be associated with risk factors for HIV infection. This cross-sectional study examined the factors associated with visible anogenital warts among HIV-uninfected Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transwomen. Six hundred HIV-uninfected MSM and transwomen were recruited from a community-based setting in metropolitan Lima, Peru, through outreach activities. Participants were tested for syphilis, completed a behavioral questionnaire, and were examined for visible anogenital warts. Logistic regression was used to assess the independent association between sample characteristics, HIV-related risk factors, and visible anogenital warts. A tertiary education versus a primary/secondary (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.99), a first experience of anal intercourse at age 20 years or older versus younger ages (AOR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.45-5.38), and self-reporting of current sexually transmitted infection symptoms (AOR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.61-3.52) were significant correlates of visible anogenital warts, whereas syphilis infection, transactional sex, receptive anal intercourse, and self-identifying as a transwoman were not. Although not associated with key risk factors for HIV infection in Peruvian MSM and transwomen, the presence of visible anogenital warts should prompt clinicians to consider the possibility of unreported same-sex sexual behaviors and other risk sexually transmitted infection/HIV risk factors.

  6. Increased risk of Group B Streptococcus invasive infection in HIV-exposed but uninfected infants : a review of the evidence and possible mechanisms

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    NICOLAS DAUBY

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Group B streptococcus (GBS is a major cause of neonatal sepsis and mortality worldwide. Studies from both developed and developing countries have shown that HIV exposed but uninfected (HEU infants are at increased risk of infectious morbidity, as compared to HIV unexposed uninfected infants (HUU. A higher susceptibility to GBS infections has been reported in HEU infants, particularly late-onset diseases (LOD and more severe manifestations of GBS diseases. We review here the possible explanations for increased susceptibility to GBS infection. Maternal GBS colonization during pregnancy is a major risk factor for early-onset GBS invasive disease but colonization rates are not higher in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected pregnant women, while selective colonization with more virulent strains in HIV-infected women is suggested in some studies. Lower serotype specific GBS maternal antibody transfer and quantitative and qualitative defects of innate immune responses in HEU infants may play a role in the increased risk of GBS invasive disease. The impact of maternal antiretroviral treatment and its consequences on immune activation in HEU newborns is important to study. Maternal immunization presents a promising intervention to reduce GBS burden in the growing HEU population.

  7. Risk of congenital cytomegalovirus infection among HIV-exposed uninfected infants is not decreased by maternal nelfinavir use during pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gantt, Soren; Leister, Erin; Jacobsen, Denise L; Boucoiran, Isabelle; Huang, Meei-Li; Jerome, Keith R; Jourdain, Gonzague; Ngo-Giang-Huong, Nicole; Burchett, Sandra; Frenkel, Lisa

    2016-06-01

    Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is common among infants born to HIV-infected women. Nelfinavir (NFV), an antiretroviral drug that is safe during pregnancy, inhibits CMV replication in vitro at concentrations that standard doses achieve in plasma. We hypothesized that infants born to women receiving NFV for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) would have a reduced prevalence of cCMV infection. The prevalence of cCMV infection was compared among HIV-uninfected infants whose HIV-infected mothers either received NFV for >4 weeks during pregnancy (NFV-exposed) or did not receive any NFV in pregnancy (NFV-unexposed). CMV PCR was performed on infant blood samples collected at 4 weeks during pregnancy and 941 did not receive any NFV during pregnancy. The overall prevalence of cCMV infection in the infants was 2.2%, which did not differ by maternal NFV use. Maternal CD4 T cell counts were inversely correlated with risk of cCMV infection, independent of the time NFV was initiated during gestation. Infants with cCMV infection were born 0.7 weeks earlier (P = 0.010) and weighed 170 g less (P = 0.009) than uninfected infants. Among HIV-exposed uninfected infants, cCMV infection was associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. NFV use in pregnancy was not associated with protection against cCMV. Safe and effective strategies to prevent cCMV infection are needed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Randomized Phase I: Safety, Immunogenicity and Mucosal Antiviral Activity in Young Healthy Women Vaccinated with HIV-1 Gp41 P1 Peptide on Virosomes.

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    Geert Leroux-Roels

    Full Text Available Mucosal antibodies harboring various antiviral activities may best protect mucosal surfaces against early HIV-1 entry at mucosal sites and they should be ideally induced by prophylactic HIV-1 vaccines for optimal prevention of sexually transmitted HIV-1. A phase I, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in twenty-four healthy HIV-uninfected young women. The study objectives were to assess the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of virosomes harboring surface HIV-1 gp41-derived P1 lipidated peptides (MYM-V101. Participants received placebo or MYM-V101 vaccine at 10 μg/dose or 50 μg/dose intramuscularly at week 0 and 8, and intranasally at week 16 and 24. MYM-V101 was safe and well-tolerated at both doses administered by the intramuscular and intranasal routes, with the majority of subjects remaining free of local and general symptoms. P1-specific serum IgGs and IgAs were induced in all high dose recipients after the first injection. After the last vaccination, vaginal and rectal P1-specific IgGs could be detected in all high dose recipients. Approximately 63% and 43% of the low and high dose recipients were respectively tested positive for vaginal P1-IgAs, while 29% of the subjects from the high dose group tested positive for rectal IgAs. Serum samples had total specific IgG and IgA antibody concentrations ≥ 0.4 μg/mL, while mucosal samples were usually below 0.01 μg/mL. Vaginal secretions from MYM-V101 vaccinated subjects were inhibiting HIV-1 transcytosis but had no detectable neutralizing activity. P1-specific Th1 responses could not be detected on PBMC. This study demonstrates the excellent safety and tolerability of MYM-V101, eliciting systemic and mucosal antibodies in the majority of subjects. Vaccine-induced mucosal anti-gp41 antibodies toward conserved gp41 motifs were harboring HIV-1 transcytosis inhibition activity and may contribute to reduce sexually-transmitted HIV-1.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01084343.

  9. Mental health predictors of breastfeeding initiation and continuation among HIV infected and uninfected women in a South African birth cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Eileen; Kuo, Caroline; Cohen, Sophie; Hoare, Jacqueline; Koen, Natassja; Barnett, Whitney; Zar, Heather J; Stein, Dan J

    2017-09-01

    Breastfeeding is a cost-effective, yet underutilized strategy to promote maternal and infant health in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Breastfeeding remains challenging for mothers living with HIV in LMICs, yet few studies have examined mental health predictors of breastfeeding initiation and continuation. We investigated breastfeeding among mothers by HIV status in South Africa, evaluating predictors of breastfeeding initiation and continuation to identify intervention-targets. Breastfeeding patterns were investigated in a subsample of 899 breastfeeding mothers from the Drakenstein Child Health Study; a prospective birth cohort of 1225 pregnant women, between March 2012 and March 2015 in a peri-urban area. Breastfeeding was assessed at 5 time-points between 6weeks and 24months' infant age. Cox proportional hazard models evaluated breastfeeding initiation and duration. Logistic regression models with breastfeeding non-initiation as the outcome parameter were performed to determine associations with maternal sociodemographic, psychosocial factors and gestational outcomes. More HIV-uninfected mothers initiated breastfeeding (n=685, 97%) than HIV-infected mothers (n=87, 45%). Median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was short (2months), but HIV-infected mothers engaged in exclusive breastfeeding for longer duration than uninfected mothers (3 vs 2months). Despite concerning high rates, mental disorders were not significant predictors of breastfeeding behaviour. Employment and HIV diagnosis during pregnancy predicted a lower likelihood of breastfeeding initiation among HIV-infected mothers, while employment was associated with earlier breastfeeding-discontinuation in HIV-uninfected mothers. Findings indicate that future interventions should target sub-populations such as HIV-infected women because of distinct needs. Workplace interventions appear particularly key for mothers in our study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Incident HSV-2 Infections Are Common Among HIV-1-discordant Couples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muiru, Anthony N.; Guthrie, Brandon L.; Bosire, Rose; Merkel, Michele; Liu, Amy Y.; Choi, Robert Y.; Lohman-Payne, Barbara; Gatuguta, Ann; Mackelprang, Romel D.; Kiarie, James N.; Farquhar, Carey

    2013-01-01

    Background. The synergy between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is well known, but lack of knowledge about the epidemiology of HSV-2 acquisition in HIV-1-discordant couples hampers development of HSV-2 prevention interventions that could reduce HIV-1 transmission. Methods. HIV-1-discordant couples were enrolled in Nairobi, Kenya, and followed for up to 2 years. HSV-2 status was determined using HerpeSelect HSV-2 ELISA. Correlates of prevalence and incidence were assessed. Results. Of 469 HIV-1-discordant couples, at baseline, 353 (75.3%) were affected by HSV-2, of which 189 (53.5%) were concordantly HSV-2 seropositive and 164 (46.5%) were HSV-2-discordant. Prevalence was lowest among HIV-1-uninfected men (39.9%) compared to HIV-1-infected women (64.8%), HIV-1-infected men (66.7%), and HIV-1-uninfected women (68.5%). During follow-up, HSV-2 seroincidence was 14.9 per 100 person-years. Incidence was 1.6-fold higher among females compared to males (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–2.48) and 2.5-fold higher in HIV-1-infected compared to uninfected women (95% CI, 1.12–5.74). At least 30% of incident HSV-2 infections originated from an outside partner. Conclusions. The high HSV-2 prevalence and incidence in HIV-1-discordant couples in sub-Saharan Africa suggest HSV-2 treatment and prevention could be an effective targeted strategy to reduce HSV-2 and HIV-1 transmission in this high-risk population. PMID:23840044

  11. Bone mineral density changes among HIV-uninfected young adults in a randomised trial of pre-exposure prophylaxis with tenofovir-emtricitabine or placebo in Botswana.

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    Michael Kasonde

    Full Text Available Tenofovir-emtricitabine (TDF-FTC pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP has been found to be effective for prevention of HIV infection in several clinical trials. Two studies of TDF PrEP among men who have sex with men showed slight bone mineral density (BMD loss. We investigated the effect of TDF and the interaction of TDF and hormonal contraception on BMD among HIV-uninfected African men and women.We evaluated the effects on BMD of using daily oral TDF-FTC compared to placebo among heterosexual men and women aged 18-29 years enrolled in the Botswana TDF2 PrEP study. Participants had BMD measurements at baseline and thereafter at 6-month intervals with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA scans at the hip, spine, and forearm.A total of 220 participants (108 TDF-FTC, 112 placebo had baseline DXA BMD measurements at three anatomic sites. Fifteen (6.8% participants had low baseline BMD (z-score of 3.0% at any anatomic site at any time after baseline were significantly greater for the TDF-FTC treatment group [34/68 (50.0% TDF-FTC vs. 26/79 (32.9% placebo; p = 0.04]. There was a small but significant difference in the mean percent change in BMD from baseline for TDF-FTC versus placebo at all three sites at month 30 [forearm -0.84% (p = 0.01, spine -1.62% (p = 0.0002, hip -1.51% (p = 0.003].Use of TDF-FTC was associated with a small but statistically significant decrease in BMD at the forearm, hip and lumbar spine. A high percentage (6.8% of healthy Batswana young adults had abnormal baseline BMD Further evaluation is needed of the longer-term use of TDF in HIV-uninfected persons.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00448669.

  12. The Amagugu Intervention: A conceptual framework for increasing HIV disclosure and parent-led communication about health and HIV prevention among HIV-infected parents with HIV-uninfected primary school-aged children

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    Tamsen Jean Rochat

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Advances in access to HIV prevention and treatment have reduced vertical transmission of HIV, with most children born to HIV-infected parents being HIV-uninfected themselves. A major challenge that HIV-infected parents face is disclosure of their HIV status to their predominantly HIV-uninfected children. Their children enter middle childhood and early adolescence facing many challenges associated with parental illness and hospitalisation, often exacerbated by stigma and a lack of access to health education and support. Increasingly, evidence suggests that primary school-aged children have the developmental capacity to grasp concepts of health and illness, including HIV, and that in the absence of parent-led communication and education about these issues, HIV-exposed children may be at increased risk of psychological and social problems. The Amagugu intervention is a six-session home-based intervention, delivered by lay counsellors, which aims to increase parenting capacity to disclose their HIV status and offer health education to their primary school-aged children. The intervention includes information and activities on disclosure, health care engagement and custody planning. An uncontrolled pre-post evaluation study with 281 families showed the intervention was feasible, acceptable and effective in increasing maternal disclosure. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the conceptual model of the Amagugu intervention, as developed post-evaluation, showing the proposed pathways of risk that Amagugu aims to disrupt through its intervention targets, mechanisms and activities; and to present a summary of results from the large scale evaluation study of Amagugu to demonstrate the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention model. This relatively low-intensity home-based intervention led to: increased HIV disclosure to children, improvements in mental health for mother and child, and improved health care engagement and custody planning for

  13. The association of perceived stress and verbal memory is greater in HIV-infected versus HIV-uninfected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubin, Leah H; Cook, Judith A; Weber, Kathleen M; Cohen, Mardge H; Martin, Eileen; Valcour, Victor; Milam, Joel; Anastos, Kathryn; Young, Mary A; Alden, Christine; Gustafson, Deborah R; Maki, Pauline M

    2015-08-01

    In contrast to findings from cohorts comprised primarily of HIV-infected men, verbal memory deficits are the largest cognitive deficit found in HIV-infected women from the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), and this deficit is not explained by depressive symptoms or substance abuse. HIV-infected women may be at greater risk for verbal memory deficits due to a higher prevalence of cognitive risk factors such as high psychosocial stress and lower socioeconomic status. Here, we investigate the association between perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and verbal memory performance using the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) in 1009 HIV-infected and 496 at-risk HIV-uninfected WIHS participants. Participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery which yielded seven cognitive domain scores, including a primary outcome of verbal memory. HIV infection was not associated with a higher prevalence of high perceived stress (i.e., PSS-10 score in the top tertile) but was associated with worse performance on verbal learning (p memory (p stress was associated with poorer performance in those cognitive domains (p's stress interaction was found only for the verbal memory domain (p = 0.02); among HIV-infected women only, high stress was associated with lower performance (p's memory measure in particular. These findings suggest that high levels of perceived stress contribute to the deficits in verbal memory observed in WIHS women.

  14. Fusion as a mediator of cytolysis in mixtures of uninfected CD4+ lymphocytes and cells infected by human immunodeficiency virus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoffe, B.; Lewis, D.E.; Petrie, B.L.; Noonan, C.A.; Melnick, J.L.; Hollinger, F.B.

    1987-01-01

    The authors describe an unusual type of cytopathology in which uninfected CD4 + (helper/inducer) cells (cells expressing the human leukocyte antigen CD4) interact with cells persistently infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Prior antigenic stimulation was not required, since CD4 + cells taken either from healthy persons without anti-HIV antibodies or from individuals with anti-HIV antibodies were capable in inducing cytolysis. Neither CD8 + (suppressor/cytotoxic) nor CD16 + (natural killer) cells mediated the reaction. Light microscopic and autoradiographic studies revealed that, prior to cytolysis, multinucleated giant cells were formed from fusions between HIV-infected cells and large numbers of uninfected CD4 + lymphocytes. These data may explain the paradox that exists in vivo in which a dramatic depletion of CD4 + lymphocytes occurs in the presence of a small number of HIV-infected CD4 + cells. These new insights into the pathogenesis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may lead to future therapeutic strategies

  15. Post-traumatic stress is associated with verbal learning, memory, and psychomotor speed in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubin, Leah H; Pyra, Maria; Cook, Judith A; Weber, Kathleen M; Cohen, Mardge H; Martin, Eileen; Valcour, Victor; Milam, Joel; Anastos, Kathryn; Young, Mary A; Alden, Christine; Gustafson, Deborah R; Maki, Pauline M

    2016-04-01

    The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is higher among HIV-infected (HIV+) women compared with HIV-uninfected (HIV-) women, and deficits in episodic memory are a common feature of both PTSD and HIV infection. We investigated the association between a probable PTSD diagnosis using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C) version and verbal learning and memory using the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test in 1004 HIV+ and 496 at-risk HIV- women. HIV infection was not associated with a probable PTSD diagnosis (17% HIV+, 16% HIV-; p = 0.49) but was associated with lower verbal learning (p memory scores (p memory (p < 0.01) and psychomotor speed (p < 0.001). The particular pattern of cognitive correlates of probable PTSD varied depending on exposure to sexual abuse and/or violence, with exposure to either being associated with a greater number of cognitive domains and a worse cognitive profile. A statistical interaction between HIV serostatus and PTSD was observed on the fine motor skills domain (p = 0.03). Among women with probable PTSD, HIV- women performed worse than HIV+ women on fine motor skills (p = 0.01), but among women without probable PTSD, there was no significant difference in performance between the groups (p = 0.59). These findings underscore the importance of considering mental health factors as correlates to cognitive deficits in women with HIV.

  16. Oral Candida colonization and its relation with predisposing factors in HIV-infected children and their uninfected siblings in Brazil: the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerqueira, Daniella Ferraz; Portela, Maristela Barbosa; Pomarico, Luciana; de Araújo Soares, Rosangela Maria; de Souza, Ivete Pomarico Ribeiro; Castro, Glória Fernanda

    2010-02-01

    To evaluate predisposing factors such as orofacial manifestations, immunosuppression status and antiretroviral therapy in relation to oral colonization by Candida spp. in Brazilian HIV-infected children and their uninfected siblings in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Whole stimulated saliva was collected from 65 HIV-infected children (HIV+) and 40 uninfected siblings (HIV-), followed by assessment of orofacial manifestation, caries indexes and the number of cavitated dentinal carious teeth (CDT). The salivary samples were cultured and the colonies were counted. After which they were identified by sugar assimilation and fermentation (API 20C). Data was analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Spearman tests and logistic regression. Regarding positive growth, HIV+ presented 80% (52/65) and HIV- 57.5% (23/40) (P = 0.013). Absence of antiretroviral therapy and HAART increased the probability of Candida isolation (P oral candidiasis (OC) had no influence on Candida isolation. Mixed Candida spp. cultures were observed in HIV+ (40%) and HIV- (52%): C. albicans was more frequently found in both groups, with a higher prevalence in HIV+ (P = 0.05); other non-albicans species were isolated in HIV+ and HIV-. Low prevalence of orofacial manifestations was observed in HIV+ (10.7% of OC). There was an association between means of CDT and Candida growth (P children had a significantly higher prevalence of oral Candida spp. compared to their uninfected siblings. Absence of HAART and presence of dentinal carious teeth increased significantly Candida spp. colonization in these children.

  17. Influenza vaccination of HIV-1-positive and HIV-1-negative former intravenous drug users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amendola, A; Boschini, A; Colzani, D; Anselmi, G; Oltolina, A; Zucconi, R; Begnini, M; Besana, S; Tanzi, E; Zanetti, A R

    2001-12-01

    The immunogenicity of an anti-influenza vaccine was assessed in 409 former intravenous drug user volunteers and its effect on the levels of HIV-1 RNA, proviral DNA and on CD4+ lymphocyte counts in a subset HIV-1-positive subjects was measured. HIV-1-positive individuals (n = 72) were divided into three groups on the basis of their CD4+ lymphocyte counts, while the 337 HIV-1-negative participants were allocated into group four. Haemagglutination inhibiting (HI) responses varied from 45.8 to 70% in the HIV-1-positive subjects and were significantly higher in group four (80.7% responses to the H1N1 strain, 81.6% to the H3N2 strain, and 83% to the B strain). The percentage of subjects with HI protective antibody titres (> or = 1:40) increased significantly after vaccination, especially in HIV-1 uninfected subjects. Immunization caused no significant changes in CD4+ counts and in neither plasma HIV-1 RNA nor proviral DNA levels. Therefore, vaccination against influenza may benefit persons infected by HIV-1. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  18. No difference in in vitro susceptibility to HIV type 1 between high-risk HIV-negative Ethiopian commercial sex workers and low-risk control subjects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Messele, T.; Rinke de Wit, T. F.; Brouwer, M.; Aklilu, M.; Birru, T.; Fontanet, A. L.; Schuitemaker, H.; Hamann, D.

    2001-01-01

    Host factors such as increased beta-chemokine production, HIV-1 coreceptor expression level, and HIV-1 coreceptor polymorphism have been thought to influence susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. To determine the protective role of these factors in Ethiopians who remained HIV-1 uninfected, despite

  19. Factors Associated with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinberg, Adriana; Mussi-Pinhata, Marisa M; Yu, Qilu; Cohen, Rachel A; Almeida, Volia C; Amaral, Fabiana R; Freimanis, Laura; Harris, Donald Robert; Smith, Christiana; Siberry, George

    2018-06-01

    To identify factors that predispose human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposed uninfected infants (HEUs) to higher incidence of severe infections, hospitalization, and death in the first 6-24 months of life compared with HEUs with and without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in the first 6 months of life. Nested case-control study of 107 LRTI+ infants enrolled in the International Site Development Initiative (NISDI) Perinatal and Longitudinal Study in Latin American Countries (LILAC) studies with and 140 LRTI- in the first 6 months, matched by date and place of birth. Infants and mothers had plasma antibodies measured against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza (PIV) 1, 2, 3, influenza, and pneumococcus 1, 5, 6B, and 14. Compared with LRTI-, mothers of LRTI+ HEUs had lower years of education, lower CD4 + cells, and higher HIV plasma viral load at delivery, but similar use of antiretrovirals and cotrimoxazole and other sociodemographic characteristics. LRTI+ and LRTI- HEUs had similar demographic and hematological characteristics and antibody concentrations against respiratory pathogens at birth. At 6 months, the rates of seroconversions to respiratory pathogens and antibody responses to tetanus vaccine were also similar. However, antibody concentrations to RSV were significantly higher in LRTI+ compared with LRTI- HEUs and marginally higher to PIV1. Maternal factors associated with advanced HIV disease, but unrelated to the use of antiretrovirals, cotrimoxazole, or the level of maternal antibodies against respiratory pathogens, contribute to the increased risk of LRTI in HEUs. In HEUs, antiretroviral and cotrimoxazole use, exposure to respiratory pathogens and humoral immune responses were not associated with the incidence of LRTI.

  20. Cervical Dysplasia and High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infections among HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Adolescent Females in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David H. Adler

    2014-01-01

    In this cross-sectional study, we compared the HPV DNA and Pap smear results between 35 HIV-infected and 50 HIV-uninfected adolescents in order to determine the prevalence of HR-HPV genotypes and cervical cytological abnormalities. Comparisons were made using Pearson χ2 and independent-samples t-tests analyses, and associations between demographic and behavioral characteristics and HPV infections were examined. Results. HIV-infected participants were more likely to be infected with any HPV (88.6% versus 48.0%; P<0.001 and with at least one HR-HPV (60.0% versus 24.0%; P=0.001, and to have multiple concurrent HPV infections (68.6% versus 22.0%; P<0.001. HPV 16 and 18 were relatively underrepresented among HR-HPV infections. Abnormal Pap test results were more common among HIV-infected participants (28.8% versus 12.0%; P=0.054. A history of smoking was associated with HR-HPV infection. Conclusions. HIV-infected adolescents have an increased risk of infection with HR-HPV and of Pap test abnormalities. The majority of HR-HPV infections among our participants would not be prevented by the currently available vaccinations against HPV.

  1. Sexually transmitted infections among HIV-1-discordant couples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon L Guthrie

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available More new HIV-1 infections occur within stable HIV-1-discordant couples than in any other group in Africa, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs may increase transmission risk among discordant couples, accounting for a large proportion of new HIV-1 infections. Understanding correlates of STIs among discordant couples will aid in optimizing interventions to prevent HIV-1 transmission in these couples.HIV-1-discordant couples in which HIV-1-infected partners were HSV-2-seropositive were tested for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis, and HIV-1-uninfected partners were tested for HSV-2. We assessed sociodemographic, behavioral, and biological correlates of a current STI.Of 416 couples enrolled, 16% were affected by a treatable STI, and among these both partners were infected in 17% of couples. A treatable STI was found in 46 (11% females and 30 (7% males. The most prevalent infections were trichomoniasis (5.9% and syphilis (2.6%. Participants were 5.9-fold more likely to have an STI if their partner had an STI (P<0.01, and STIs were more common among those reporting any unprotected sex (OR = 2.43; P<0.01 and those with low education (OR = 3.00; P<0.01. Among HIV-1-uninfected participants with an HSV-2-seropositive partner, females were significantly more likely to be HSV-2-seropositive than males (78% versus 50%, P<0.01.Treatable STIs were common among HIV-1-discordant couples and the majority of couples affected by an STI were discordant for the STI, with relatively high HSV-2 discordance. Awareness of STI correlates and treatment of both partners may reduce HIV-1 transmission.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00194519.

  2. Maternal HIV disclosure to HIV-uninfected children in rural South Africa: a pilot study of a family-based intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rochat, Tamsen J; Mkwanazi, Ntombizodumo; Bland, Ruth

    2013-02-18

    As access to treatment increases, large numbers of HIV-positive parents are raising HIV-negative children. Maternal HIV disclosure has been shown to have benefits for mothers and children, however, disclosure rates remain low with between 30-45% of mothers reporting HIV disclosure to their children in both observational and intervention studies. Disclosure of HIV status by parent to an HIV-uninfected child is a complex and challenging psychological and social process. No intervention studies have been designed and tested in Southern Africa to support HIV-positive parents to disclose their status, despite this region being one of the most heavily affected by the HIV epidemic. This paper describes the development of a family-centred, structured intervention to support mothers to disclose their HIV status to their HIV-negative school-aged children in rural South Africa, an area with high HIV prevalence. The intervention package includes printed materials, therapeutic tools and child-friendly activities and games to support age-appropriate maternal HIV disclosure, and has three main aims: (1) to benefit family relationships by increasing maternal HIV disclosure; (2) to increase children's knowledge about HIV and health; (3) to improve the quality of custody planning for children with HIV-positive mothers. We provide the theoretical framework for the intervention design and report the results of a small pilot study undertaken to test its acceptability in the local context. The intervention was piloted with 24 Zulu families, all mothers were HIV-positive and had an HIV-negative child aged 6-9 years. Lay counsellors delivered the six session intervention over a six to eight week period. Qualitative data were collected on the acceptability, feasibility and the effectiveness of the intervention in increasing disclosure, health promotion and custody planning. All mothers disclosed something to their children: 11/24 disclosed fully using the words "HIV" while 13/24 disclosed

  3. Prevalence of Periodontal Diseases in a Multicenter Cohort of Perinatally HIV-Infected and HIV-exposed and Uninfected Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryder, Mark I.; Yao, Tzy-Jyun; Russell, Jonathan S.; Moscicki, Anna-Barbara; Shiboski, Caroline H.

    2016-01-01

    Aims To compare the prevalence and severity of periodontal diseases between 180 perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV) and 118 perinatally HIV-exposed and uninfected (PHEU) youth in a cross-sectional study conducted at 11 clinical sites in the United States and Puerto Rico from the Adolescent Master Protocol (AMP) study of the Pediatric HIV/AIDS cohort study (PHACS) network. Methods Several analyses were conducted, employing the current CDC/AAP classification for periodontitis and incorporating a definition of gingivitis based on a bleeding on probing threshold, and analyses based on more detailed whole mouth, intraoral regionally, site-based, and tooth-based criteria of bleeding on probing, plaque levels, pockets depths and clinical attachment levels. Results After adjusting for plaque control habits, and behavioral and sociodemographic factors, there were no significant differences in periodontal diseases between the PHIV and PHEU youth using any of these criteria. For PHIV youth, there was no significant association between parameters of periodontal disease and current HIV status. Conclusions While no significant differences in periodontal parameters were noted between the PHIV and PHEU youth, the influence of antiretroviral therapy on merits further exploration in this cohort in a longitudinal study. PMID:27801947

  4. Safety and immunogenicity of HIV-1 Tat toxoid in immunocompromised HIV-1-infected patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gringeri, A; Santagostino, E; Muça-Perja, M; Mannucci, P M; Zagury, J F; Bizzini, B; Lachgar, A; Carcagno, M; Rappaport, J; Criscuolo, M; Blattner, W; Burny, A; Gallo, R C; Zagury, D

    1998-01-01

    To antagonize the deleterious effects of the HIV-1 toxin extracellular Tat on uninfected immune cells, we developed a new strategy of anti-HIV-1 vaccine using an inactivated but immunogenic Tat (Tat toxoid). Tat toxoid has been assayed for safety and immunogenicity in seropositive patients. The phase I vaccine clinical trial testing Tat toxoid preparation in Seppic Isa 51 oil adjuvant was performed on 14 HIV-1-infected asymptomatic although biologically immunocompromised individuals (500-200 CD4+ cells/mm3). Following as many as 8 injections, no clinical defects were observed. All patients exhibited an antibody (Ab) response to Tat, and some had cell-mediated immunity (CMI) as evaluated by skin test in vivo and T-cell proliferation in vitro. These results provide initial evidence of safety and potency of Tat toxoid vaccination in HIV-1-infected individuals.

  5. Sexual risk during pregnancy and postpartum periods among HIV-infected and -uninfected South African women: Implications for primary and secondary HIV prevention interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph Davey, Dvora; Farley, Elise; Gomba, Yolanda; Coates, Thomas; Myer, Landon

    2018-01-01

    HIV acquisition in pregnancy and breastfeeding contributes significantly toward pediatric HIV infection. However, little is known about how sexual behavior changes during pregnancy and postpartum periods which will help develop targeted HIV prevention and transmission interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Cross-sectional study in HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant and postpartum women in Cape Town, South Africa. Interviewers collected survey data on demographic, sexual behaviors, and alcohol use among pregnant and post-partum women. We report descriptive results of sexual behavior by trimester and postpartum period, and results of multivariable logistic regression stratified by pregnancy status. We enrolled 377 pregnant and postpartum women (56% pregnant, 40% HIV-infected). During pregnancy, 98% of women reported vaginal sex (8% anal sex, 44% oral sex) vs. 35% and 88% during the periods 0-6 and 7-12 months postpartum, respectively (p1 partner in the past 12-months compared to postpartum women (18% vs. 13%, respectively, p6-months postpartum (13 mean sex acts in first trimester; 17 mean sex acts >6-months postpartum). Pregnant women had increased odds of reporting condomless sex at last sex (aOR = 2.96;95%CI = 1.84-4.78) and ever having condomless sex in past 3-months (aOR = 2.65;95%CI = 1.30-5.44) adjusting for age, HIV status, and sex frequency compared to postpartum women. We identified that sexual behaviors and risk behaviors were high and changing during pregnancy and postpartum periods, presenting challenges to primary and secondary HIV prevention efforts, including PrEP delivery to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

  6. The effect of daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis on natural development of antibody-mediated immunity against P. falciparum malaria infection in HIV-exposed uninfected Malawian children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longwe, Herbert; Jambo, Kondwani C; Phiri, Kamija S; Mbeye, Nyanyiwe; Gondwe, Thandile; Hall, Tom; Tetteh, Kevin K A; Drakeley, Chris; Mandala, Wilson L

    2015-01-01

    Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, currently recommended in HIV-exposed, uninfected (HEU) children as protection against opportunistic infections, also has some anti-malarial efficacy. We determined whether daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis affects the natural development of antibody-mediated immunity to blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured antibodies to 8 Plasmodium falciparum antigens (AMA-1, MSP-119, MSP-3, PfSE, EBA-175RII, GLURP R0, GLURP R2 and CSP) in serum samples from 33 HEU children and 31 HIV-unexposed, uninfected (HUU) children, collected at 6, 12 and 18 months of age. Compared to HIV-uninfected children, HEU children had significantly lower levels of specific IgG against AMA-1 at 6 months (p = 0.001), MSP-119 at 12 months (p = 0.041) and PfSE at 6 months (p = 0.038), 12 months (p = 0.0012) and 18 months (p = 0.0097). No differences in the IgG antibody responses against the rest of the antigens were observed between the two groups at all time points. The breadth of specificity of IgG response was reduced in HEU children compared to HUU children during the follow up period. Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis seems to reduce IgG antibody responses to P. falciparum blood stage antigens, which could be as a result of a reduction in exposure of those children under this regime. Although antibody responses were regarded as markers of exposure in this study, further studies are required to establish whether these responses are correlated in any way to clinical immunity to malaria.

  7. HIV-specific antibodies but not t-cell responses are associated with protection in seronegative partners of HIV-1-infected individuals in Cambodia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Marie; Pean, Polidy; Lopalco, Lucia; Nouhin, Janin; Phoung, Viseth; Ly, Nary; Vermisse, Pierre; Henin, Yvette; Barré-Sinoussi, Françoise; Burastero, Samuele E; Reynes, Jean-Marc; Carcelain, Guislaine; Pancino, Gianfranco

    2006-08-01

    To study biological factors related to protection against HIV-1 infection in Cambodia, we recruited 48 partners of HIV-1-infected patients who remained uninfected (exposed uninfected individuals, EUs) despite unprotected sexual intercourse for more than 1 year and 49 unexposed controls (UCs). HIV-1-specific antibodies (IgA anti-gp41 and IgG anti-CD4-gp120 complex), T-cell responses, and cellular factors that may be involved in protection (peripheral blood mononuclear cell [PBMC] resistance to HIV-1 infection and beta-chemokine production) were evaluated. Anti-HIV-1 antibodies were higher in EUs than those in UCs (P = 0.01 and P = 0.04 for anti-gp41 and anti-CD4-gp120, respectively). We observed a decreased susceptibility to a primary Cambodian isolate, HIV-1KH019, in EU PBMCs as compared with UC PBMCs (P = 0.03). A weak T-cell response to one pool of HIV-1 Gag peptides was found by ELISpot in 1 of 19 EUs. Whereas T-cell specific immunity was not associated to protection, our results suggest that HIV-specific humoral immunity and reduced cell susceptibility to infection may contribute to protection against HIV-1 infection in Cambodian EUs.

  8. Alcohol and Mortality: Combining Self-Reported (AUDIT-C) and Biomarker Detected (PEth) Alcohol Measures Among HIV Infected and Uninfected.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eyawo, Oghenowede; McGinnis, Kathleen A; Justice, Amy C; Fiellin, David A; Hahn, Judith A; Williams, Emily C; Gordon, Adam J; Marshall, Brandon D L; Kraemer, Kevin L; Crystal, Stephen; Gaither, Julie R; Edelman, E Jennifer; Bryant, Kendall J; Tate, Janet P

    2018-02-01

    Unhealthy alcohol use may be particularly detrimental among individuals living with HIV and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV), and is often under-reported. Direct biomarkers of alcohol exposure may facilitate improved detection of alcohol use. We evaluated the association of alcohol exposure determined by both self-report [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C)] and a direct biomarker [phosphatidylethanol (PEth)], with mortality among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study-Biomarker Cohort. We considered PEth AUDIT-C scores [0, 1-3/1-2 (men/women), 4-7/3-7 (men/women), 8-12] and PEth (AUDIT-C = 0 (abstinence). Of these, 15% (149/1015) had PEth ≥8 suggesting recent alcohol exposure. Among those with AUDIT-C = 0, HCV+ individuals were more likely to have PEth ≥8. After controlling for age, sex, race, HIV, HCV, and HIV viral suppression, those with AUDIT-C = 0 but PEth ≥8 had the highest risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 2.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.40 to 3.29). PEth in addition to self-report may improve detection of alcohol use in clinical settings, particularly among those at increased risk of harm from alcohol use. Individuals infected with HCV were more likely to under-report alcohol use.

  9. Polyomavirus JCV excretion and genotype analysis in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lednicky, John A.; Vilchez, Regis A.; Keitel, Wendy A.; Visnegarwala, Fehmida; White, Zoe S.; Kozinetz, Claudia A.; Lewis, Dorothy E.; Butel, Janet S.

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of shedding of polyomavirus JC virus (JCV) genotypes in urine of HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Single samples of urine and blood were collected prospectively from 70 adult HIV-infected patients and 68 uninfected volunteers. Inclusion criteria for HIV-infected patients included an HIV RNA viral load < 1000 copies, CD4 cell count of 200-700 x 106 cells/l, and stable HAART regimen. PCR assays and sequence analysis were carried out using JCV-specific primers against different regions of the virus genome. RESULTS: JCV excretion in urine was more common in HIV-positive patients but not significantly different from that of the HIV-negative group [22/70 (31%) versus 13/68 (19%); P = 0.09]. HIV-positive patients lost the age-related pattern of JCV shedding (P = 0.13) displayed by uninfected subjects (P = 0.01). Among HIV-infected patients significant differences in JCV shedding were related to CD4 cell counts (P = 0.03). Sequence analysis of the JCV regulatory region from both HIV-infected patients and uninfected volunteers revealed all to be JCV archetypal strains. JCV genotypes 1 (36%) and 4 (36%) were the most common among HIV-infected patients, whereas type 2 (77%) was the most frequently detected among HIV-uninfected volunteers. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that JCV shedding is enhanced by modest depressions in immune function during HIV infection. JCV shedding occurred in younger HIV-positive persons than in the healthy controls. As the common types of JCV excreted varied among ethnic groups, JCV genotypes associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy may reflect demographics of those infected patient populations.

  10. The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robin G Mansour

    Full Text Available Tenascin-C (TNC is a newly identified innate HIV-1-neutralizing protein present in breast milk, yet its presence and potential HIV-inhibitory function in other mucosal fluids is unknown. In this study, we identified TNC as a component of semen and cervical fluid of HIV-1-infected and uninfected individuals, although it is present at a significantly lower concentration and frequency compared to that of colostrum and mature breast milk, potentially due to genital fluid protease degradation. However, TNC was able to neutralize HIV-1 after exposure to low pH, suggesting that TNC could be active at low pH in the vaginal compartment. As mucosal fluids are complex and contain a number of proteins known to interact with the HIV-1 envelope, we further studied the relationship between the concentration of TNC and neutralizing activity in breast milk. The amount of TNC correlated only weakly with the overall innate HIV-1-neutralizing activity of breast milk of uninfected women and negatively correlated with neutralizing activity in milk of HIV-1 infected women, indicating that the amount of TNC in mucosal fluids is not adequate to impede HIV-1 transmission. Moreover, the presence of polyclonal IgG from milk of HIV-1 infected women, but not other HIV-1 envelope-binding milk proteins or monoclonal antibodies, blocked the neutralizing activity of TNC. Finally, as exogenous administration of TNC would be necessary for it to mediate measurable HIV-1 neutralizing activity in mucosal compartments, we established that recombinantly produced TNC has neutralizing activity against transmitted/founder HIV-1 strains that mimic that of purified TNC. Thus, we conclude that endogenous TNC concentration in mucosal fluids is likely inadequate to block HIV-1 transmission to uninfected individuals.

  11. The effect of daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis on natural development of antibody-mediated immunity against P. falciparum malaria infection in HIV-exposed uninfected Malawian children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herbert Longwe

    Full Text Available Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, currently recommended in HIV-exposed, uninfected (HEU children as protection against opportunistic infections, also has some anti-malarial efficacy. We determined whether daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis affects the natural development of antibody-mediated immunity to blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection.Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured antibodies to 8 Plasmodium falciparum antigens (AMA-1, MSP-119, MSP-3, PfSE, EBA-175RII, GLURP R0, GLURP R2 and CSP in serum samples from 33 HEU children and 31 HIV-unexposed, uninfected (HUU children, collected at 6, 12 and 18 months of age.Compared to HIV-uninfected children, HEU children had significantly lower levels of specific IgG against AMA-1 at 6 months (p = 0.001, MSP-119 at 12 months (p = 0.041 and PfSE at 6 months (p = 0.038, 12 months (p = 0.0012 and 18 months (p = 0.0097. No differences in the IgG antibody responses against the rest of the antigens were observed between the two groups at all time points. The breadth of specificity of IgG response was reduced in HEU children compared to HUU children during the follow up period.Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis seems to reduce IgG antibody responses to P. falciparum blood stage antigens, which could be as a result of a reduction in exposure of those children under this regime. Although antibody responses were regarded as markers of exposure in this study, further studies are required to establish whether these responses are correlated in any way to clinical immunity to malaria.

  12. Thymic size in uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers and fed with pasteurized human milk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, Dorthe Lisbeth; Hasselbalch, H; Ersbøll, A K

    2003-01-01

    /weight-ratio (Ti/w) at birth and at 4 mo of age in 12 healthy uninfected infants born to HlV-infected mothers. All infants were exclusively fed pasteurized donor milk. The results were compared with those obtained from a previous cohort of exclusively breastfed, partially breastfed and exclusively formula...

  13. Reduced thymic size but no evidence of impaired thymic function in uninfected children born to human immunodeficiency virus-infected mothers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolte, Lilian; Rosenfeldt, Vibeke; Vang, Lena

    2011-01-01

    HIV-exposed, uninfected (HIV-EU) infants present hematologic and immunologic abnormalities at birth, and it remains to be clarified whether these abnormalities persist beyond infancy, for instance, affecting vaccination responses.......HIV-exposed, uninfected (HIV-EU) infants present hematologic and immunologic abnormalities at birth, and it remains to be clarified whether these abnormalities persist beyond infancy, for instance, affecting vaccination responses....

  14. Socio-demographic and epidemiological characteristics associated with human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1 infection in HIV-1-explosed but uninfected individuals, and in HIV-1-infected patients from a southern brasilian population Características sociodemográficas e epidemiológicas associadas com a infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana tipo 1 (HIV-1 em indivíduos expostos ao HIV-1 mas não infectados e em pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1, provenientes da população da região Sul do Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edna Maria Vissoci Reiche

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available The ability to control human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection and progression of the disease is regulated by host and viral factors. This cross-sectional study describes the socio-demographic and epidemiological characteristics associated with HIV-1 infection in 1,061 subjects attended in Londrina and region, south of Brazil: 136 healthy individuals (Group 1, 147 HIV-1-exposed but uninfected individuals (Group 2, 161 HIV-1-infected asymptomatic patients (Group 3, and 617 patients with AIDS (Group 4. Data were obtained by a standardized questionnaire and serological tests. The age of the individuals ranged from 15.1 to 79.5 years, 54.0% and 56.1% of the Groups 3 and 4 patients, respectively, were men. The major features of groups 2, 3, and 4 were a predominance of education level up to secondary school (55.8%, 60.2% and 62.4%, respectively, sexual route of exposure (88.4%, 87.0% and 82.0%, respectively, heterosexual behavior (91.8%, 75.2% and 83.7%, respectively, and previous sexually transmitted diseases (20.4%, 32.5%, and 38.1%, respectively. The patients with AIDS showed the highest rates of seropositivity for syphilis (25.6%, of anti-HCV (22.3%, and anti-HTLV I/II obtained by two serological screening tests (6.2% and 6.8%, respectively. The results documenting the predominant characteristics for HIV-1 infection among residents of Londrina and region, could be useful for the improvement of current HIV-1 prevention, monitoring and therapeutic programs targeted at this population.Este estudo transversal descreve as principais características sociodemográficas e epidemiológicas associadas com a infecção pelo HIV-1 em 1.061 indivíduos atendidos em Londrina e região, Sul do Brasil: 136 indivíduos saudáveis (Grupo 1, 147 indivíduos expostos ao HIV-1 mas não infectados (Grupo 2, 161 pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1 assintomáticos (Grupo 3 e 617 pacientes com aids (Grupo 4. Os dados foram obtidos pela aplicação de um

  15. Adherence to feeding guidelines among HIV-infected and HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    For infants older than six months, complementary feeding was more common among HIV-uninfected (100%) than HIV-infected mothers (41.7%; P<0.001). Among infants of all ages, none of the HIV-uninfected and 45% of HIV-infected mothers were replacement feeding (p<0.001). More than a half (59.8%) of the mothers ...

  16. Pre-exposure Prophylaxis With Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine and Kidney Tubular Dysfunction in HIV-Uninfected Individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jotwani, Vasantha; Scherzer, Rebecca; Glidden, David V; Mehrotra, Megha; Defechereux, Patricia; Liu, Albert; Gandhi, Monica; Bennett, Michael; Coca, Steven G; Parikh, Chirag R; Grant, Robert M; Shlipak, Michael G

    2018-06-01

    Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) is becoming increasingly adopted for HIV prevention. Tenofovir can cause proximal tubular damage and chronic kidney disease in HIV-infected persons, but little is known regarding its nephrotoxic potential among HIV-uninfected persons. In this study, we evaluated the effects of PrEP on urine levels of the following: α1-microglobulin (α1m), a marker of impaired tubular reabsorption; albuminuria, a measure of glomerular injury; and total proteinuria. The Iniciativa Profilaxis Pre-Exposicion (iPrEx) study randomized HIV-seronegative men and transgender women who have sex with men to oral TDF/FTC or placebo. The iPrEx open-label extension (iPrEx-OLE) study enrolled former PrEP trial participants to receive open-label TDF/FTC. A cross-sectional analysis compared urine biomarker levels by study arm in iPrEx (N = 100 treatment arm, N = 100 placebo arm). Then, urine biomarker levels were compared before and after PrEP initiation in 109 participants of iPrEx-OLE. In iPrEx, there were no significant differences in urine α1m, albuminuria, or proteinuria by treatment arm. In iPrEx-OLE, after 24 weeks on PrEP, urine α1m and proteinuria increased by 21% [95% confidence interval (CI): 10 to 33] and 18% (95% CI: 8 to 28), respectively. The prevalence of detectable α1m increased from 44% to 65% (P < 0.001) and estimated glomerular filtration rate declined by 4 mL/min/1.73 m (P < 0.001). There was no significant change in albuminuria (6%; 95% CI: -7% to 20%). PrEP with TDF/FTC was associated with a statistically significant rise in urine α1m and proteinuria after 6 months, suggesting that PrEP may result in subclinical tubule dysfunction.

  17. Persistent inflammation and endothelial activation in HIV-1 infected patients after 12 years of antiretroviral therapy.

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    Frederikke F Rönsholt

    Full Text Available The study investigated markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in HIV infected patients after 12 years of successful combination antiretroviral treatment (cART.Inflammation and endothelial activation were assessed by measuring levels of immunoglobulins, β2-microglobulin, interleukin (IL 8, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1, sE-Selectin, and sP-Selectin.HIV infected patients had higher levels of β2-microglobulin, IL-8, TNFα, and sICAM-1 than uninfected controls, and HIV infected patients lacked correlation between platelet counts and sP-Selectin levels found in uninfected controls.Discrete signs of systemic and vascular inflammation persist even after very long term cART.

  18. Decreased chronic morbidity but elevated HIV associated cytokine levels in HIV-infected older adults receiving HIV treatment: benefit of enhanced access to care?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Portia C Mutevedzi

    Full Text Available The association of HIV with chronic morbidity and inflammatory markers (cytokines in older adults (50+years is potentially relevant for clinical care, but data from African populations is scarce.To examine levels of chronic morbidity by HIV and ART status in older adults (50+years and subsequent associations with selected pro-inflammatory cytokines and body mass index.Ordinary, ordered and generalized ordered logistic regression techniques were employed to compare chronic morbidity (heart disease (angina, arthritis, stroke, hypertension, asthma and diabetes and cytokines (Interleukins-1 and -6, C-Reactive Protein and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha by HIV and ART status on a cross-sectional random sample of 422 older adults nested within a defined rural South African population based demographic surveillance.Using a composite measure of all morbidities, controlling for age, gender, BMI, smoking and wealth quintile, HIV-infected individuals on ART had 51% decreased odds (95% CI:0.26-0.92 of current morbidity compared to HIV-uninfected. In adjusted regression, compared to HIV-uninfected, the proportional odds (aPOR of having elevated inflammation markers of IL6 (>1.56 pg/mL was nearly doubled in HIV-infected individuals on (aPOR 1.84; 95%CI: 1.05-3.21 and not on (aPOR 1.94; 95%CI: 1.11-3.41 ART. Compared to HIV-uninfected, HIV-infected individuals on ART had >twice partial proportional odds (apPOR=2.30;p=0.004 of having non-clinically significant raised hsCRP levels(>1 ug/mL; ART-naïve HIV-infected individuals had >double apPOR of having hsCRP levels indicative of increased heart disease risk(>3.9 ug/mL;p=0.008.Although HIV status was associated with increased inflammatory markers, our results highlight reduced morbidity in those receiving ART and underscore the need of pro-actively extending these services to HIV-uninfected older adults, beyond mere provision at fixed clinics. Providing health services through regular community chronic disease

  19. Heat treatment of expressed breast milk is a feasible option for feeding HIV-exposed, uninfected children after 6 months of age in rural Zimbabwe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbuya, Mduduzi N N; Humphrey, Jean H; Majo, Florence; Chasekwa, Bernard; Jenkins, Alison; Israel-Ballard, Kiersten; Muti, Monica; Paul, Keriann H; Madzima, Rufaro C; Moulton, Lawrence H; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J

    2010-08-01

    In the context of a prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV program promoting exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) to 6 mo and offering HIV-PCR testing at approximately 6 mo, we ascertained the feasibility of expressing and heat-treating (EHT) all breast milk fed to HIV-exposed, uninfected infants following 6 mo of EBF. Twenty mother-baby pairs were enrolled from a hospital in rural Zimbabwe. Research nurses provided lactation, EHT, and complementary feeding counseling through 21 home visits conducted over an 8-wk period and collected quantitative and qualitative data on the mothers' EHT experiences, children's diets, and anthropometric measurements. Mothers kept daily logs of EHT volumes and direct breast-feeding episodes. Mothers successfully initiated and sustained EHT for 4.5 mo (range, 1-11 mo), feeding 426 +/- 227 mL/d (mean +/- SD). By wk 2 of follow-up, children were receiving EHT and Nutributter-enriched complementary foods that satisfied 100% of their energy requirements. During the 8-wk follow-up period, no growth faltering was experienced [changes in weight-for-age, weight-for-length, and length-for-age Z scores = +0.03 +/- 0.50; +0.77 +/- 1.59; and +0.02 +/- 0.85 (mean +/- SD), respectively]. Stigma was not a major deterrent, likely due to a social marketing campaign for EBF that promoted EHT as a practice to sustain breast-feeding for all women. This study provides evidence that resource-poor rural women can initiate and sustain EHT given family and health systems support. EHT provides a strategy for improving the diets of HIV-exposed but uninfected children after direct breast-feeding has ceased.

  20. Safety and immunogenicity of an HIV-1 gag DNA vaccine with or without IL-12 and/or IL-15 plasmid cytokine adjuvant in healthy, HIV-1 uninfected adults.

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    Spyros A Kalams

    Full Text Available DNA vaccines are a promising approach to vaccination since they circumvent the problem of vector-induced immunity. DNA plasmid cytokine adjuvants have been shown to augment immune responses in small animals and in macaques.We performed two first in human HIV vaccine trials in the US, Brazil and Thailand of an RNA-optimized truncated HIV-1 gag gene (p37 DNA derived from strain HXB2 administered either alone or in combination with dose-escalation of IL-12 or IL-15 plasmid cytokine adjuvants. Vaccinations with both the HIV immunogen and cytokine adjuvant were generally well-tolerated and no significant vaccine-related adverse events were identified. A small number of subjects developed asymptomatic low titer antibodies to IL-12 or IL-15. Cellular immunogenicity following 3 and 4 vaccinations was poor, with response rates to gag of 4.9%/8.7% among vaccinees receiving gag DNA alone, 0%/11.5% among those receiving gag DNA+IL-15, and no responders among those receiving DNA+high dose (1500 ug IL-12 DNA. However, after three doses, 44.4% (4/9 of vaccinees receiving gag DNA and intermediate dose (500 ug of IL-12 DNA demonstrated a detectable cellular immune response.This combination of HIV gag DNA with plasmid cytokine adjuvants was well tolerated. There were minimal responses to HIV gag DNA alone, and no apparent augmentation with either IL-12 or IL-15 plasmid cytokine adjuvants. Despite the promise of DNA vaccines, newer formulations or methods of delivery will be required to increase their immunogenicity.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00115960 NCT00111605.

  1. The immunological response to syphilis differs by HIV status; a prospective observational cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenyon, Chris; Osbak, Kara Krista; Crucitti, Tania; Kestens, Luc

    2017-01-31

    It is not known if there is a difference in the immune response to syphilis between HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. We prospectively recruited all patients with a new diagnosis of syphilis and tested their plasma for IFNα, IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-17A at baseline pre-treatment and 6 months following therapy. A total of 79 HIV-infected [44 primary/secondary syphilis (PSS) and 35 latent syphilis (LS)] and 12 HIV-uninfected (10 PSS and 2 LS) cases of syphilis and 30 HIV-infected controls were included in the study. At the baseline visit, compared to the control group, concentrations of IL-10 were significantly elevated in the HIV-infected and uninfected groups. The level of IL-10 was significantly higher in the HIV-infected compared to the HIV-uninfected PSS group (25.3 pg/mL (IQR, 4.56-41.76) vs 2.73 pg/mL (IQR, 1.55-9.02), P = 0.0192). In the HIV-infected PSS group (but not the HIV-infected LS or HIV-uninfected PSS groups) the IP-10, MIP-1b, IL-6 and IL-8 were raised compared to the controls. IL-10 levels decreased but did not return to control baseline values by 6 months in HIV infected PSS and LS and HIV uninfected PSS. PSS and LS in HIV-infected individuals is characterized by an increase in inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10. The increase of IL-10 is greater in HIV-infected than uninfected individuals. Further work is required to ascertain if this is part of an immunological profile that correlates with adverse outcomes such as serofast syphilis and neurosyphilis, in HIV-infected individuals.

  2. Optimal uses of antiretrovirals for prevention in HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual couples in South Africa: a modelling study.

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    Timothy B Hallett

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Antiretrovirals have substantial promise for HIV-1 prevention, either as antiretroviral treatment (ART for HIV-1-infected persons to reduce infectiousness, or as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP for HIV-1-uninfected persons to reduce the possibility of infection with HIV-1. HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in long-term partnerships (one member is infected and the other is uninfected are a priority for prevention interventions. Earlier ART and PrEP might both reduce HIV-1 transmission in this group, but the merits and synergies of these different approaches have not been analyzed.We constructed a mathematical model to examine the impact and cost-effectiveness of different strategies, including earlier initiation of ART and/or PrEP, for HIV-1 prevention for serodiscordant couples. Although the cost of PrEP is high, the cost per infection averted is significantly offset by future savings in lifelong treatment, especially among couples with multiple partners, low condom use, and a high risk of transmission. In some situations, highly effective PrEP could be cost-saving overall. To keep couples alive and without a new infection, providing PrEP to the uninfected partner could be at least as cost-effective as initiating ART earlier in the infected partner, if the annual cost of PrEP is 70% effective.Strategic use of PrEP and ART could substantially and cost-effectively reduce HIV-1 transmission in HIV-1 serodiscordant couples. New and forthcoming data on the efficacy of PrEP, the cost of delivery of ART and PrEP, and couples behaviours and preferences will be critical for optimizing the use of antiretrovirals for HIV-1 prevention. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

  3. Linking susceptibility to infectious diseases to immune system abnormalities among HIV Exposed Uninfected Infants

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    Candice Ruck

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available HIV exposed, uninfected (HEU infants have been shown to have an increase in overall mortality from infectious causes when compared to HIV unexposed, uninfected (HU infants. This is the case in both resource-rich and resource-limited settings. We explore here the concept that specific types of infectious diseases that are more common among HEU infants could provide clues as to the potential underlying immunological abnormalities. The most commonly reported infections in HEU vs. HU are caused by encapsulated bacteria; this suggests the existence of a less effective humoral (antibody, complement immune response. Decreased transplacental transfer of protective maternal antibodies has been seen consistently among HEU newborns, suggesting that this may indeed be one of the key drivers of their susceptibility to infections with encapsulated bacteria. Reassuringly, HEU humoral response to vaccination appears to be well conserved. While there appears to be an increase in overall incidence of acute viral infections, no specific pattern of acute viral infections has emerged; and while there is evidence of increased chronic viral infection from perinatal transmission of hepatitis C and CMV, no data exist to suggest an increase in adverse outcomes. Thus, no firm conclusions about anti-viral effector mechanisms can be drawn. However, the most unusual of reported infections among the HEU have been opportunistic infections, suggesting the possibility of underlying defects in CD4 helper and overall immune regulatory function. This may relate to the observation that the immunological profile of HEUs indicate more activated T cell profile as well as a more inflammatory innate immune response. However, both of these observations appear temporary, marked in early infancy, but no longer evident later in life. The causes of these changes in early life immune profile are likely multifactorial and may be related to in utero exposure to HIV, but also to increased

  4. Intestinal Integrity Biomarkers in Early Antiretroviral-Treated Perinatally HIV-1-Infected Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koay, Wei Li A; Lindsey, Jane C; Uprety, Priyanka; Bwakura-Dangarembizi, Mutsa; Weinberg, Adriana; Levin, Myron J; Persaud, Deborah

    2018-05-12

    Biomarkers of intestinal integrity (intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP) and zonulin), were compared in early antiretroviral-treated, HIV-1-infected (HIV+; n=56) African infants and HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU; n=53) controls. Despite heightened inflammation and immune activation in HIV+ infants, iFABP and zonulin levels at three months of age were not different from those in HEU infants, and largely not correlated with inflammatory and immune activation biomarkers. However, zonulin levels increased, and became significantly higher in HIV+ compared to HEU infants by five months of age despite ART-suppression. These findings have implications for intestinal integrity biomarker profiling in perinatal HIV-1 infection.

  5. Disparities in the treatment and outcomes of lung cancer among HIV-infected individuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suneja, Gita; Shiels, Meredith S.; Melville, Sharon K.; Williams, Melanie A.; Rengan, Ramesh; Engels, Eric A.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives HIV-infected people have elevated risk for lung cancer and higher mortality following cancer diagnosis than HIV-uninfected individuals. It is unclear whether HIV-infected individuals with lung cancer receive similar cancer treatment as HIV-uninfected individuals. Design/methods We studied adults more than 18 years of age with lung cancer reported to the Texas Cancer Registry (N = 156 930) from 1995 to 2009. HIV status was determined by linkage with the Texas enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System. For nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases, we identified predictors of cancer treatment using logistic regression. We used Cox regression to evaluate effects of HIV and cancer treatment on mortality. Results Compared with HIV-uninfected lung cancer patients (N = 156 593), HIV-infected lung cancer patients (N = 337) were more frequently young, black, men, and with non-Hispanic distant stage disease. HIV-infected NSCLC patients less frequently received cancer treatment than HIV-uninfected patients [60.3 vs. 77.5%; odds ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30–0.52, after adjustment for diagnosis year, age, sex, race, stage, and histologic subtype]. HIV infection was associated with higher lung cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio 1.34, 95% CI 1.15–1.56, adjusted for demographics and tumor characteristics). Inclusion of cancer treatment in adjusted models slightly attenuated the effect of HIV on lung cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio 1.25; 95% CI 1.06–1.47). Also, there was a suggestion that HIV was more strongly associated with mortality among untreated than among treated patients (adjusted hazard ratio 1.32 vs. 1.16, P-interaction = 0.34). Conclusion HIV-infected NSCLC patients were less frequently treated for lung cancer than HIV-uninfected patients, which may have affected survival. PMID:23079809

  6. Expression Profiles of Ligands for Activating Natural Killer Cell Receptors on HIV Infected and Uninfected CD4⁺ T Cells.

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    Tremblay-McLean, Alexandra; Bruneau, Julie; Lebouché, Bertrand; Lisovsky, Irene; Song, Rujun; Bernard, Nicole F

    2017-10-12

    Natural Killer (NK) cell responses to HIV-infected CD4 T cells (iCD4) depend on the integration of signals received through inhibitory (iNKR) and activating NK receptors (aNKR). iCD4 activate NK cells to inhibit HIV replication. HIV infection-dependent changes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands for iNKR on iCD4 are well documented. By contrast, less is known regarding the HIV infection related changes in ligands for aNKR on iCD4. We examined the aNKR ligand profiles HIV p24⁺ HIV iCD4s that maintained cell surface CD4 (iCD4⁺), did not maintain CD4 (iCD4 - ) and uninfected CD4 (unCD4) T cells for expression of unique long (UL)-16 binding proteins-1 (ULBP-1), ULBP-2/5/6, ULBP-3, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1-related (MIC)-A, MIC-B, CD48, CD80, CD86, CD112, CD155, Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, ICAM-2, HLA-E, HLA-F, HLA-A2, HLA-C, and the ligands to NKp30, NKp44, NKp46, and killer immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DS1 (KIR3DS1) by flow cytometry on CD4 T cells from 17 HIV-1 seronegative donors activated and infected with HIV. iCD4⁺ cells had higher expression of aNKR ligands than did unCD4. However, the expression of aNKR ligands on iCD4 where CD4 was downregulated (iCD4 - ) was similar to (ULBP-1, ULBP-2/5/6, ULBP-3, MIC-A, CD48, CD80, CD86 and CD155) or significantly lower than (MIC-B, CD112 and ICAM-2) what was observed on unCD4. Thus, HIV infection can be associated with increased expression of aNKR ligands or either baseline or lower than baseline levels of aNKR ligands, concomitantly with the HIV-mediated downregulation of cell surface CD4 on infected cells.

  7. Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test responses to PPD and other antigens among BCG-vaccinated HIV-1-infected and healthy children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Natalia Moriya Xavierda; Albuquerque, Maly de; Lins, Janaína Bacelar Acioli; Alvares-Junior, João Teixeira; Stefani, Mariane Martins de Araújo

    2011-10-01

    Among HIV-1-infected patients, CD4+ T cell counts are well-established markers of cell-mediated immunity. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin tests can be used to evaluate in vivo cell-mediated immunity to common antigens. DTH responses to tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), sporotrichin, trichophytin, candidin and streptokinase/streptodornase antigens were assessed. Thirty-six HIV-1-infected children/adolescents and 56 age- and sex-matched HIV-1/HIV-2-seronegative participants were tested. All participants had a BCG scar. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate significant differences between groups (pPPD positivity prevailed among healthy participants (40/56, 71.4%). PPD reactivity in the HIV-1-positive group was 8.3% (pPPD induration was 2.5mm (range: 2-5mm) in the HIV-1 group and 6.0 mm among healthy participants (range: 3-15 mm). There was no correlation between PPD positivity and age. No correlation between CD4+ T cell counts and DTH reactivity was observed among HIV-1-infected patients. DTH skin test responses, including PPD reactivity, were significantly lower among HIV-1-infected participants compared to healthy controls, which likely reflects advanced disease and T cell depletion.

  8. Over-reported peripheral neuropathy symptoms in a cohort of HIV infected and uninfected Rwandan women: the need for validated locally appropriate questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tumusiime, David K; Musabeyezu, Emmanuel; Mutimurah, Eugene; Hoover, Donald R; Shi, Qiuhu; Rudakemwa, Emmanuel; Ndacyayisenga, Victorien; Dusingize, Jean Claude; Sinayobye, Jean D'Amour; Stewart, Aimee; Venter, Francois W D; Anastos, Kathryn

    2014-06-01

    Peripheral neuropathy symptoms (PNS) are commonly manifested in HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals, although data are limited on the prevalence and predictors of PNS in HIV+ patients from sub-Saharan Africa. To determine the prevalence and predictors of PNS in HIV+ and HIV-uninfected (HIV-) Rwandan women. Data were analysed from 936 (710 HIV+ and 226 HIV-) women from the Rwanda Women Interassociation Study and Assessment (RWISA), an observational prospective cohort study investigating the effectiveness and toxicity of ART in HIV+ women. Of 936 enrolled, 920 (98.3%) were included in this analysis with 44% of HIV- and 52% of the HIV+ women reporting PNS (p=0.06). CD4+ count was not associated with PNS, although there was a non-significant trend towards higher prevalence in those with lower CD4+ counts. For the HIV- women, only alcohol and co-trimoxazole use were independently associated with PNS. WHO HIV stage IV illness and albumin ≤ 3.5 were associated with PNS in HIV+ women. The rate of peripheral neuropathy symptoms reported in this cohort of HIV-infected African women seems implausible, and rather suggests that the screening tool for peripheral neuropathy in culturally diverse African settings be locally validated.

  9. Testing domains of the healing experiences in all life stressors questionnaire in a cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Chicago women

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    Mistretta EG

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Erin G Mistretta,1,2 Danetta Sloan,1 Karlynn BrintzenhofeSzoc,3 Kathleen M Weber,4 Ann Berger1 1Pain and Palliative Care Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 2Department of Psychology, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 3School of Social Work, College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 4HIV Research, Hektoen Institute of Medicine/Cook County Health and Hospitals System, Chicago, IL, USA Purpose: Patients may deal with issues of spiritual and religious meaning when coping with life-threatening or chronic illness. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed the healing experiences in all life stressors (HEALS questionnaire, an assessment to determine psychosocial spiritual adjustment to healing. Many measures assess religious and spiritual behavior, but there exists a need to capture the meaning of these factors in the process of healing. The instrument consists of spirituality, religion, interpersonal, and intrapersonal domains. This study explores the preliminary partial validation of the spirituality and religion domains of the HEALS against the Ironson–Woods Spirituality and Religiousness Index (IWSR.Methods: The abbreviated HEALS, IWSR, and a measure of depression were completed by 205 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women from Chicago as part of the Women’s Interagency HIV Study. Total scores on the HEALS and IWSR were correlated using Pearson correlations to examine convergent validity. Total depression scores were analyzed with Pearson correlations to investigate criterion validity.Results: Responses between the abbreviated HEALS and IWSR were highly correlated (r=0.74. Similar to other measures of its kind, scores on the HEALS were associated with depressive symptoms. Women with clinically significant depressive symptoms scored significantly lower on the HEALS than women without. No significant differences were found for

  10. A prospective descriptive study of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV uninfected patients in Vietnam - high prevalence of Cryptococcus neoformans var grubii in the absence of underlying disease

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    Baker Stephen

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Most cases of cryptococcal meningitis occur in patients with HIV infection: the course and outcome of disease in the apparently immunocompetent is much more poorly understood. We describe a cohort of HIV uninfected Vietnamese patients with cryptococcal meningitis in whom underlying disease is uncommon, and relate presenting features of patients and the characteristics of the infecting species to outcome. Methods A prospective descriptive study of HIV negative patients with cryptococcal meningitis based at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City. All patients had comprehensive clinical assessment at baseline, were cared for by a dedicated study team, and were followed up for 2 years. Clinical presentation was compared by infecting isolate and outcome. Results 57 patients were studied. Cryptococcus neoformans var grubii molecular type VN1 caused 70% of infections; C. gattii accounted for the rest. Most patients did not have underlying disease (81%, and the rate of underlying disease did not differ by infecting species. 11 patients died while in-patients (19.3%. Independent predictors of death were age ≥ 60 years and a history of convulsions (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals 8.7 (1 - 76, and 16.1 (1.6 - 161 respectively. Residual visual impairment was common, affecting 25 of 46 survivors (54.3%. Infecting species did not influence clinical phenotype or outcome. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of flucytosine and amphotericin B were significantly higher for C. neoformans var grubii compared with C. gattii (p Conclusion In HIV uninfected individuals in Vietnam, cryptococcal meningitis occurs predominantly in people with no clear predisposing factor and is most commonly due to C. neoformans var grubii. The rates of mortality and visual loss are high and independent of infecting species. There are detectable differences in susceptibility to commonly used antifungal drugs between species, but the clinical

  11. Downregulation of MIP-1alpha/CCL3 with praziquantel treatment in Schistosoma haematobium and HIV-1 co-infected individuals in a rural community in Zimbabwe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zinyama-Gutsire, Rbl; Gomo, E.; Kallestrup, P

    2009-01-01

    influence. METHODS: To determine levels of MIP-1alpha/CCL3 chemokine in plasma of S. haematobium and HIV-1 co-infected and uninfected individuals in a rural black Zimbabwean community.A cohort was established of HIV-1 and schistosomiasis infection and co-infection comprising 379 participants. Outcome...... measures consisted of HIV-1 and schistosomiasis status and levels of MIP-1alpha/CCL3 in plasma at baseline and three months post treatment. An association was established between MIP-1alpha/CCL3 plasma levels with HIV-1 and S. haematobium infections. RESULTS: A total of 379 adults formed the established...... cohort comprising 76 (20%) men and 303 (80%) women. Mean age was 33.25, range 17 - 62 years. The median MIP-1alpha/CCL3 plasma concentration was significantly higher in S. haematobium infected compared with uninfected individuals (p = 0.029). In contrast, there was no difference in the median MIP-1alpha...

  12. The histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (SAHA) increases the susceptibility of uninfected CD4+ T cells to HIV by increasing the kinetics and efficiency of postentry viral events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucera, Mark B; Tilton, Carisa A; Mao, Hongxia; Dobrowolski, Curtis; Tabler, Caroline O; Haqqani, Aiman A; Karn, Jonathan; Tilton, John C

    2014-09-01

    Latently infected cells remain a primary barrier to eradication of HIV-1. Over the past decade, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which latency is established and maintained has led to the discovery of a number of compounds that selectively reactivate latent proviruses without inducing polyclonal T cell activation. Recently, the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor vorinostat has been demonstrated to induce HIV transcription from latently infected cells when administered to patients. While vorinostat will be given in the context of antiretroviral therapy (ART), infection of new cells by induced virus remains a clinical concern. Here, we demonstrate that vorinostat significantly increases the susceptibility of CD4(+) T cells to infection by HIV in a dose- and time-dependent manner that is independent of receptor and coreceptor usage. Vorinostat does not enhance viral fusion with cells but rather enhances the kinetics and efficiency of postentry viral events, including reverse transcription, nuclear import, and integration, and enhances viral production in a spreading-infection assay. Selective inhibition of the cytoplasmic class IIb HDAC6 with tubacin recapitulated the effect of vorinostat. These findings reveal a previously unknown cytoplasmic effect of HDAC inhibitors promoting productive infection of CD4(+) T cells that is distinct from their well-characterized effects on nuclear histone acetylation and long-terminal-repeat (LTR) transcription. Our results indicate that careful monitoring of patients and ART intensification are warranted during vorinostat treatment and indicate that HDAC inhibitors that selectively target nuclear class I HDACs could reactivate latent HIV without increasing the susceptibility of uninfected cells to HIV. HDAC inhibitors, particularly vorinostat, are currently being investigated clinically as part of a "shock-and-kill" strategy to purge latent reservoirs of HIV. We demonstrate here that vorinostat increases the

  13. Vitamin D insufficiency in HIV-infected pregnant women receiving antiretroviral therapy is not associated with morbidity, mortality or growth impairment in their uninfected infants in Botswana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powis, Kathleen; Lockman, Shahin; Smeaton, Laura; Hughes, Michael D; Fawzi, Wafaie; Ogwu, Anthony; Moyo, Sikhulile; van Widenfelt, Erik; von Oettingen, Julia; Makhema, Joseph; Essex, Max; Shapiro, Roger L

    2014-11-01

    Low maternal 25(OH)D (vitamin D) values have been associated with higher mortality and impaired growth among HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants of antiretroviral (ART)-naive women. These associations have not been studied among HEU infants of women receiving ART. We performed a nested case-control study in the Botswana Mma Bana Study, a study providing ART to women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Median maternal vitamin D values, and the proportion with maternal vitamin D insufficiency, were compared between women whose HEU infants experienced morbidity/mortality during 24 months of follow-up and women with nonhospitalized HEU infants. Growth faltering was assessed for never hospitalized infants attending the 24-month-of-life visit. Multivariate logistic regression models determined associations between maternal vitamin D insufficiency and infant morbidity/mortality and growth faltering. Delivery plasma was available and vitamin D levels assayable from 119 (86%) of 139 cases and 233 (84%) of 278 controls, and did not differ significantly between cases and controls [median: 36.7 ng/mL, interquartile range (IQR): 29.1-44.7 vs. 37.1 ng/mL, IQR: 30.0-47.2, P = 0.32]. Vitamin D insufficiency (HIV disease progression did not show associations between maternal vitamin D insufficiency at delivery and child morbidity/mortality, or 24-month-of-life growth faltering. Vitamin D insufficiency was common among ART-treated pregnant women in Botswana, but was not associated with morbidity, mortality or growth impairment in their HIV-uninfected children.

  14. Dynamics of regulatory T-cells during pregnancy: effect of HIV infection and correlations with other immune parameters.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly Richardson

    Full Text Available Regulatory T cells (Treg increase in the context of HIV infection and pregnancy. We studied Treg subpopulations in HIV-infected and uninfected women during pregnancy and their relationship with inflammation, activation and cell-mediated immunity (CMI.Blood obtained from 20 HIV-infected and 18 uninfected women during early and late gestation was used to measure Treg and activated T cells (Tact by flow cytometry; plasma cytokines and inflammatory markers by ELISA and chemoluminescence; and CMI against varicella-zoster virus (VZV by lymphocyte proliferation.Compared with uninfected women, HIV-infected participants had higher frequencies of Treg subpopulations in early pregnancy, including CD4+CD25+FoxP3+%, CD8+CD25+FoxP3+%, CD4+TGFβ+% and CD4+IL10+%. In contrast, Treg frequencies were lower during late pregnancy in HIV-infected compared with uninfected women, including CD8+TGFβ+%, CD4+CTLA4+% and CD8+CTLA4+%. VZV-CMI, which was lower in HIV-infected compared with uninfected pregnant women, was inversely correlated with CD4+FoxP3+%, CD8+FoxP3+% and CD8+TGFβ+% in HIV-infected, but not in uninfected pregnant women. β₂-microglobulin, neopterin, IL1, IL4, IL8, IL10, IFNγ and TNFα plasma concentrations as well as Tact were higher in HIV-infected compared with uninfected women throughout pregnancy. In HIV-infected, but not in uninfected women, inflammatory, Th1, Th2 and regulatory cytokines increased with higher Treg%, suggesting that inflammation and regulation have a common pathophysiologic origin in the context of HIV infection. In HIV-infected and more commonly in uninfected pregnant women, higher Treg% correlated with lower Tact%. We conclude that Treg have different dynamics during pregnancy in HIV-infected and uninfected women. Higher levels of inflammatory cytokines and lower Treg% during late pregnancy in HIV-infected women may contribute to their increased incidence of maternal-fetal morbidity.

  15. B cell, CD8 + T cell and gamma delta T cell infiltration alters alveolar immune cell homeostasis in HIV-infected Malawian adults [version 2; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations

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    Andrew Mwale

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: HIV infection is associated with increased risk to lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI. However, the impact of HIV infection on immune cell populations in the lung is not well defined. We sought to comprehensively characterise the impact of HIV infection on immune cell populations in the lung. Methods: Twenty HIV-uninfected controls and 17 HIV-1 infected ART-naïve adults were recruited from Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi. Immunophenotyping of lymphocyte and myeloid cell populations was done on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood cells. Results: We found that the numbers of CD8 + T cells, B cells and gamma delta T cells were higher in BAL fluid of HIV-infected adults compared to HIV-uninfected controls (all p<0.05. In contrast, there was no difference in the numbers of alveolar CD4 + T cells in HIV-infected adults compared to HIV-uninfected controls (p=0.7065. Intermediate monocytes were the predominant monocyte subset in BAL fluid (HIV-, 63%; HIV+ 81%, while the numbers of classical monocytes was lower in HIV-infected individuals compared to HIV-uninfected adults (1 × 10 5 vs. 2.8 × 10 5 cells/100ml of BAL fluid, p=0.0001. The proportions of alveolar macrophages and myeloid dendritic cells was lower in HIV-infected adults compared to HIV-uninfected controls (all p<0.05. Conclusions: Chronic HIV infection is associated with broad alteration of immune cell populations in the lung, but does not lead to massive depletion of alveolar CD4 + T cells. Disruption of alveolar immune cell homeostasis likely explains in part the susceptibility for LRTIs in HIV-infected adults.

  16. Body fat distribution in perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-exposed but uninfected children in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: outcomes from the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study1234

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Denise L; Patel, Kunjal; Siberry, George K; Van Dyke, Russell B; DiMeglio, Linda A; Geffner, Mitchell E; Chen, Janet S; McFarland, Elizabeth J; Borkowsky, William; Silio, Margarita; Fielding, Roger A; Siminski, Suzanne; Miller, Tracie L

    2011-01-01

    Background: Associations between abnormal body fat distribution and clinical variables are poorly understood in pediatric HIV disease. Objective: Our objective was to compare total body fat and its distribution in perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) children and to evaluate associations with clinical variables. Design: In a cross-sectional analysis, children aged 7–16 y in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study underwent regionalized measurements of body fat via anthropometric methods and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate body fat by HIV, with adjustment for age, Tanner stage, race, sex, and correlates of body fat in HIV-infected children. Percentage total body fat was compared with NHANES data. Results: Males accounted for 47% of the 369 HIV-infected and 51% of the 176 HEU children. Compared with HEU children, HIV-infected children were older, were more frequently non-Hispanic black, more frequently had Tanner stage ≥3, and had lower mean height (−0.32 compared with 0.29), weight (0.13 compared with 0.70), and BMI (0.33 compared with 0.63) z scores. On average, HIV-infected children had a 5% lower percentage total body fat (TotF), a 2.8% lower percentage extremity fat (EF), a 1.4% higher percentage trunk fat (TF), and a 10% higher trunk-to-extremity fat ratio (TEFR) than did the HEU children and a lower TotF compared with NHANES data. Stavudine use was associated with lower EF and higher TF and TEFR. Non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor use was associated with higher TotF and EF and lower TEFR. Conclusion: Although BMI and total body fat were significantly lower in the HIV-infected children than in the HEU children, body fat distribution in the HIV-infected children followed a pattern associated with cardiovascular disease risk and possibly related to specific antiretroviral drugs. PMID:22049166

  17. Risk Factors for HIV Transmission and Barriers to HIV Disclosure: Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Perspectives

    OpenAIRE

    Camacho-Gonzalez, Andres F.; Wallins, Amy; Toledo, Lauren; Murray, Ashley; Gaul, Zaneta; Sutton, Madeline Y.; Gillespie, Scott; Leong, Traci; Graves, Chanda; Chakraborty, Rana

    2016-01-01

    Youth carry the highest incidence of HIV infection in the United States. Understanding adolescent and young adult (AYA) perspectives on HIV transmission risk is important for targeted HIV prevention. We conducted a mixed methods study with HIV-infected and uninfected youth, ages 18–24 years, from Atlanta, GA. We provided self-administered surveys to HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected AYAs to identify risk factors for HIV acquisition. By means of computer-assisted thematic analyses, we examined t...

  18. Genetic predictor of working memory and prefrontal function in women with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundermann, Erin E; Bishop, Jeffrey R; Rubin, Leah H; Little, Deborah M; Meyer, Vanessa J; Martin, Eileen; Weber, Kathleen; Cohen, Mardge; Maki, Pauline M

    2015-02-01

    The Val158Met (rs4680) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) influences executive function and prefrontal function through its effect on dopamine (DA) metabolism. Both HIV and the Val allele of the Val158Met SNP are associated with compromised executive function and inefficient prefrontal function. The present study used behavioral and neuroimaging techniques to determine independent and interactive associations between HIV serostatus and COMT genotype on working memory and prefrontal function in women. For the behavioral study, 54 HIV-infected and 33 HIV-uninfected women completed the 0-, 1-, and 2-back conditions of the verbal N-back, a working memory test. For the imaging study, 36 women (23 HIV-infected, 13 HIV-uninfected) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessments while completing the N-back task. HIV-infected women demonstrated significantly worse N-back performance compared with HIV-uninfected women (p women performed significantly worse than HIV-uninfected controls across N-back conditions (p working memory deficits and altered prefrontal function in HIV-infected individuals.

  19. Prognostic value of a CCR5 defective allele in pediatric HIV-1 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romiti, M L; Colognesi, C; Cancrini, C; Mas, A; Berrino, M; Salvatori, F; Orlandi, P; Jansson, M; Palomba, E; Plebani, A; Bertran, J M; Hernandez, M; de Martino, M; Amoroso, A; Tovo, P A; Rossi, P; Espanol, T; Scarlatti, G

    2000-01-01

    A deletion of 32 base pairs in the CCR5 gene (delta32 CCR5) has been linked to resistance to HIV-1 infection in exposed adults and to the delay of disease progression in infected adults. To determine the role of delta32 CCR5 in disease progression of HIV-1 infected children born to seropositive mothers, we studied a polymerase chain reaction in 301 HIV-1 infected, 262 HIV-1 exposed-uninfected and 47 HIV-1 unexposed-uninfected children of Spanish and Italian origin. Infected children were further divided into two groups according to their rate of HIV-1 disease progression: rapid progressors who developed severe clinical and/or immunological conditions within the second year of life, and delayed progressors with any other evolution of disease. Among the latter were the long-term, non-progressors (LTNP) who presented with mild or no symptoms of HIV-1 infection above 8 years of age. Viral phenotype was studied for 45 delayed progressors. No correlation was found between delta32 CCR5 and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1. However, the frequency of the deletion was substantially higher in LTNP, compared with delayed (p = 0.019) and rapid progressors (p = 0.0003). In children carrying the delta32 CCRS mutation, the presence of MT-2 tropic virus isolate was associated with a severe immune suppression (p = 0.028); whereas, the presence of MT-2 negative viruses correlated with LTNP (p = 0.010). Given the rapidity and simplicity of the assay, the delta32 CCR5 mutation may be a useful predictive marker to identify children with delayed disease progression who, consequently, may not require immediate antiretroviral treatment.

  20. Human hepatocyte depletion in the presence of HIV-1 infection in dual reconstituted humanized mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Weimin; Cheng, Yan; Makarov, Edward; Ganesan, Murali; Gebhart, Catherine L.; Gorantla, Santhi; Osna, Natalia

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection impairs liver function, and liver diseases have become a leading cause of morbidity in infected patients. The immunopathology of liver damage caused by HIV-1 remains unclear. We used chimeric mice dually reconstituted with a human immune system and hepatocytes to address the relevance of the model to pathobiology questions related to human hepatocyte survival in the presence of systemic infection. TK-NOG males were transplanted with mismatched human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and hepatocytes, human albumin concentration and the presence of human immune cells in blood were monitored for hepatocytes and immune reconstitution, and mice were infected with HIV-1. HIV-1-infected animals showed a decline in human albumin concentration with a significant reduction in percentage of human hepatocytes compared to uninfected mice. The decrease in human albumin levels correlated with a decline in CD4+ cells in the liver and with an increase in HIV-1 viral load. HIV-1 infection elicited proinflammatory response in the immunological milieu of the liver in HIV-infected mice compared to uninfected animals, as determined by upregulation of IL23, CXCL10 and multiple toll-like receptor expression. The inflammatory reaction associated with HIV-1 infection in vivo could contribute to the depletion and dysfunction of hepatocytes. The dual reconstituted TK-NOG mouse model is a feasible platform to investigate hepatocyte-related HIV-1 immunopathogenesis. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. PMID:29361613

  1. Human hepatocyte depletion in the presence of HIV-1 infection in dual reconstituted humanized mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raghubendra Singh Dagur

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection impairs liver function, and liver diseases have become a leading cause of morbidity in infected patients. The immunopathology of liver damage caused by HIV-1 remains unclear. We used chimeric mice dually reconstituted with a human immune system and hepatocytes to address the relevance of the model to pathobiology questions related to human hepatocyte survival in the presence of systemic infection. TK-NOG males were transplanted with mismatched human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and hepatocytes, human albumin concentration and the presence of human immune cells in blood were monitored for hepatocytes and immune reconstitution, and mice were infected with HIV-1. HIV-1-infected animals showed a decline in human albumin concentration with a significant reduction in percentage of human hepatocytes compared to uninfected mice. The decrease in human albumin levels correlated with a decline in CD4+ cells in the liver and with an increase in HIV-1 viral load. HIV-1 infection elicited proinflammatory response in the immunological milieu of the liver in HIV-infected mice compared to uninfected animals, as determined by upregulation of IL23, CXCL10 and multiple toll-like receptor expression. The inflammatory reaction associated with HIV-1 infection in vivo could contribute to the depletion and dysfunction of hepatocytes. The dual reconstituted TK-NOG mouse model is a feasible platform to investigate hepatocyte-related HIV-1 immunopathogenesis. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

  2. High level of soluble HLA-G in the female genital tract of Beninese commercial sex workers is associated with HIV-1 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thibodeau, Valérie; Lajoie, Julie; Labbé, Annie-Claude; Zannou, Marcel D; Fowke, Keith R; Alary, Michel; Poudrier, Johanne; Roger, Michel

    2011-01-01

    Most HIV infections are transmitted across mucosal epithelium. Understanding the role of innate and specific mucosal immunity in susceptibility or protection against HIV infection, as well as the effect of HIV infection on mucosal immunity, are of fundamental importance. HLA-G is a powerful modulator of the immune response. The aim of this study was to investigate whether soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) expression in the female genital tract is associated with HIV-1 infection. Genital levels of sHLA-G were determined in 52 HIV-1-uninfected and 44 antiretroviral naïve HIV-1-infected female commercial sex workers (CSWs), as well as 71 HIV-1-uninfected non-CSW women at low risk of exposure, recruited in Cotonou, Benin. HIV-1-infected CSWs had higher genital levels of sHLA-G compared with those in both the HIV-1-uninfected CSW (P = 0.009) and non-CSW groups (P = 0.0006). The presence of bacterial vaginosis (P = 0.008), and HLA-G*01:01:02 genotype (P = 0.002) were associated with higher genital levels of sHLA-G in the HIV-1-infected CSWs, whereas the HLA-G*01:04:04 genotype was also associated with higher genital level of sHLA-G in the overall population (P = 0.038). When adjustment was made for all significant variables, the increased expression of sHLA-G in the genital mucosa remained significantly associated with both HIV-1 infection (P = 0.02) and bacterial vaginosis (P = 0.03). This study demonstrates that high level of sHLA-G in the genital mucosa is independently associated with both HIV-1 infection and bacterial vaginosis.

  3. HIV-1 induces DCIR expression in CD4+ T cells.

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    Alexandra A Lambert

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The C-type lectin receptor DCIR, which has been shown very recently to act as an attachment factor for HIV-1 in dendritic cells, is expressed predominantly on antigen-presenting cells. However, this concept was recently challenged by the discovery that DCIR can also be detected in CD4(+ T cells found in the synovial tissue from rheumatoid arthritis (RA patients. Given that RA and HIV-1 infections share common features such as a chronic inflammatory condition and polyclonal immune hyperactivation status, we hypothesized that HIV-1 could promote DCIR expression in CD4(+ T cells. We report here that HIV-1 drives DCIR expression in human primary CD4(+ T cells isolated from patients (from both aviremic/treated and viremic/treatment naive persons and cells acutely infected in vitro (seen in both virus-infected and uninfected cells. Soluble factors produced by virus-infected cells are responsible for the noticed DCIR up-regulation on uninfected cells. Infection studies with Vpr- or Nef-deleted viruses revealed that these two viral genes are not contributing to the mechanism of DCIR induction that is seen following acute infection of CD4(+ T cells with HIV-1. Moreover, we report that DCIR is linked to caspase-dependent (induced by a mitochondria-mediated generation of free radicals and -independent intrinsic apoptotic pathways (involving the death effector AIF. Finally, we demonstrate that the higher surface expression of DCIR in CD4(+ T cells is accompanied by an enhancement of virus attachment/entry, replication and transfer. This study shows for the first time that HIV-1 induces DCIR membrane expression in CD4(+ T cells, a process that might promote virus dissemination throughout the infected organism.

  4. Neurodevelopmental outcome of HIV-exposed but uninfected infants in the Mother and Infants Health Study, Cape Town, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Springer, Priscilla E; Slogrove, Amy L; Laughton, Barbara; Bettinger, Julie A; Saunders, Henriëtte H; Molteno, Christopher D; Kruger, Mariana

    2018-01-01

    To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) infants in a peri-urban South African population. HEU infants living in Africa face unique biological and environmental risks, but uncertainty remains regarding their neurodevelopmental outcome. This is partly due to lack of well-matched HUU comparison groups needed to adjust for confounding factors. This was a prospective cohort study of infants enrolled at birth from a low-risk midwife obstetric facility. At 12 months of age, HEU and HUU infant growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes were compared. Growth was evaluated as WHO weight-for-age, length-for-age, weight-for-length and head-circumference-for-age Z-scores. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated using the Bayley scales of Infant Development III (BSID) and Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB). Fifty-eight HEU and 38 HUU infants were evaluated at 11-14 months of age. Performance on the BSID did not differ in any of the domains between HEU and HUU infants. The cognitive, language and motor scores were within the average range (US standardised norms). Seven (12%) HEU and 1 (2.6%) HUU infant showed social withdrawal on the ADBB (P = 0.10), while 15 (26%) HEU and 4 (11%) HUU infants showed decreased vocalisation (P = 0.06). There were no growth differences. Three HEU and one HUU infant had minor neurological signs, while eight HEU and two HUU infants had macrocephaly. Although findings on the early neurodevelopmental outcome of HEU infants are reassuring, minor differences in vocalisation and on neurological examination indicate a need for reassessment at a later age. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Dendritic cells exposed to MVA-based HIV-1 vaccine induce highly functional HIV-1-specific CD8(+ T cell responses in HIV-1-infected individuals.

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    Núria Climent

    Full Text Available Currently, MVA virus vectors carrying HIV-1 genes are being developed as HIV-1/AIDS prophylactic/therapeutic vaccines. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of these vectors on human dendritic cells (DC and their capacity to present HIV-1 antigens to human HIV-specific T cells. This study aimed to characterize the interaction of MVA and MVA expressing the HIV-1 genes Env-Gag-Pol-Nef of clade B (referred to as MVA-B in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC and the subsequent processes of HIV-1 antigen presentation and activation of memory HIV-1-specific T lymphocytes. For these purposes, we performed ex vivo assays with MDDC and autologous lymphocytes from asymptomatic HIV-infected patients. Infection of MDDC with MVA-B or MVA, at the optimal dose of 0.3 PFU/MDDC, induced by itself a moderate degree of maturation of MDDC, involving secretion of cytokines and chemokines (IL1-ra, IL-7, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12, IL-15, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, RANTES, IP-10, MIG, and IFN-α. MDDC infected with MVA or MVA-B and following a period of 48 h or 72 h of maturation were able to migrate toward CCL19 or CCL21 chemokine gradients. MVA-B infection induced apoptosis of the infected cells and the resulting apoptotic bodies were engulfed by the uninfected MDDC, which cross-presented HIV-1 antigens to autologous CD8(+ T lymphocytes. MVA-B-infected MDDC co-cultured with autologous T lymphocytes induced a highly functional HIV-specific CD8(+ T cell response including proliferation, secretion of IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, MIP-1β, MIP-1α, RANTES and IL-6, and strong cytotoxic activity against autologous HIV-1-infected CD4(+ T lymphocytes. These results evidence the adjuvant role of the vector itself (MVA and support the clinical development of prophylactic and therapeutic anti-HIV vaccines based on MVA-B.

  6. Role of Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors in HIV-1-infected cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guendel, Irene; Iordanskiy, Sergey; Sampey, Gavin C; Van Duyne, Rachel; Calvert, Valerie; Petricoin, Emanuel; Saifuddin, Mohammed; Kehn-Hall, Kylene; Kashanchi, Fatah

    2015-06-01

    Many cellular cofactors have been documented to be critical for various stages of viral replication. Using high-throughput proteomic assays, we have previously identified Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) as a host protein that was uniquely upregulated in the plasma membrane of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-infected T cells. Here, we have further characterized the BTK expression in HIV-1 infection and show that this cellular factor is specifically expressed in infected myeloid cells. Significant upregulation of the phosphorylated form of BTK was observed in infected cells. Using size exclusion chromatography, we found BTK to be virtually absent in the uninfected U937 cells; however, new BTK protein complexes were identified and distributed in both high molecular weight (∼600 kDa) and a small molecular weight complex (∼60-120 kDa) in the infected U1 cells. BTK levels were highest in cells either chronically expressing virus or induced/infected myeloid cells and that BTK translocated to the membrane following induction of the infected cells. BTK knockdown in HIV-1-infected cells using small interfering RNA (siRNA) resulted in selective death of infected, but not uninfected, cells. Using BTK-specific antibody and small-molecule inhibitors including LFM-A13 and a FDA-approved compound, ibrutinib (PCI-32765), we have found that HIV-1-infected cells are sensitive to apoptotic cell death and result in a decrease in virus production. Overall, our data suggests that HIV-1-infected cells are sensitive to treatments targeting BTK expressed in infected cells.

  7. Differentially-Expressed Pseudogenes in HIV-1 Infection

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    Aditi Gupta

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Not all pseudogenes are transcriptionally silent as previously thought. Pseudogene transcripts, although not translated, contribute to the non-coding RNA pool of the cell that regulates the expression of other genes. Pseudogene transcripts can also directly compete with the parent gene transcripts for mRNA stability and other cell factors, modulating their expression levels. Tissue-specific and cancer-specific differential expression of these “functional” pseudogenes has been reported. To ascertain potential pseudogene:gene interactions in HIV-1 infection, we analyzed transcriptomes from infected and uninfected T-cells and found that 21 pseudogenes are differentially expressed in HIV-1 infection. This is interesting because parent genes of one-third of these differentially-expressed pseudogenes are implicated in HIV-1 life cycle, and parent genes of half of these pseudogenes are involved in different viral infections. Our bioinformatics analysis identifies candidate pseudogene:gene interactions that may be of significance in HIV-1 infection. Experimental validation of these interactions would establish that retroviruses exploit this newly-discovered layer of host gene expression regulation for their own benefit.

  8. Differentially-Expressed Pseudogenes in HIV-1 Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Aditi; Brown, C Titus; Zheng, Yong-Hui; Adami, Christoph

    2015-09-29

    Not all pseudogenes are transcriptionally silent as previously thought. Pseudogene transcripts, although not translated, contribute to the non-coding RNA pool of the cell that regulates the expression of other genes. Pseudogene transcripts can also directly compete with the parent gene transcripts for mRNA stability and other cell factors, modulating their expression levels. Tissue-specific and cancer-specific differential expression of these "functional" pseudogenes has been reported. To ascertain potential pseudogene:gene interactions in HIV-1 infection, we analyzed transcriptomes from infected and uninfected T-cells and found that 21 pseudogenes are differentially expressed in HIV-1 infection. This is interesting because parent genes of one-third of these differentially-expressed pseudogenes are implicated in HIV-1 life cycle, and parent genes of half of these pseudogenes are involved in different viral infections. Our bioinformatics analysis identifies candidate pseudogene:gene interactions that may be of significance in HIV-1 infection. Experimental validation of these interactions would establish that retroviruses exploit this newly-discovered layer of host gene expression regulation for their own benefit.

  9. CD52 expression on CD4+ T cells in HIV-positive individuals on cART

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vojdeman, Fie Juhl; Gaardbo, Julie Christine; Hartling, Hans Jakob

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Human immune defect virus (HIV) persists in a latent state in quiescent CD4+ T cells preventing eradication of HIV. CD52 is a surface molecule modulated by HIV. We aimed at examining factors related to CD52 expression on CD4+ T cells in HIV-positive individuals and the impact...... of initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 18 HIV-positive individuals and 10 uninfected age and gender matched controls were examined by flow cytometry for CD38 and CD52 expression on CD4+ T cells. Stimulation assays were performed on 8...... healthy blood donors to determine a cut-off for CD52 expression. RESULTS: All examined CD4+ T cells expressed CD52. However, both CD4+ T cells with higher (CD52++) and with lower CD52 expression (CD52dim) were found in HIV-positive individuals compared to uninfected controls. Two % CD52dim cells defined...

  10. Decline in bone mass with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine is associated with hormonal changes in the absence of renal impairment when used by HIV uninfected adolescent boys and young men for HIV pre-exposure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background. We aimed to define the relative importance of renal and endocrine changes in tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-related bone toxicity. Methods. In a study of daily TDF/emtricitabine (FTC) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV uninfected young men who have sex with men, we measured ch...

  11. Safety, adherence and acceptability of intermittent tenofovir/emtricitabine as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP among HIV-uninfected Ugandan volunteers living in HIV-serodiscordant relationships: a randomized, clinical trial.

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    Freddie M Kibengo

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Efficacy of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP in prevention of HIV acquisition has been evaluated using a daily regimen. However, adherence to long term daily medication is rarely perfect. Intermittent regimen may be a feasible alternative. Preclinical studies have demonstrated effectiveness of intermittent PrEP in SHIV prevention among animals. However, little is known about intermittent PrEP regimens. DESIGN: Seventy two HIV-uninfected volunteers in HIV serodiscordant couple relationships in Uganda were randomly assigned to receive daily oral Tenofovir/Emtricitabine (TDF/FTC-Truvada or placebo, or intermittent (Monday, Friday and within 2 hours after sex, not to exceed one dose per day oral TDF/FTC or placebo in a 2:1:2:1 ratio. Volunteers and study staff were blinded to drug assignment, but not to regimen assignment. METHODS: Volunteers were followed for 4 months after randomization, with monthly clinical and laboratory safety assessments and comprehensive HIV risk reduction services. Adherence was monitored using medication event monitoring system (MEMS and self-report. Sexual activity data were collected via daily short text message (SMS and self-report. HIV-specific immune responses were assessed by IFN-γ ELISPOT. RESULTS: Both daily and intermittent oral TDF/FTC regimens were well tolerated. Median MEMS adherence rates were 98% (IQR: 93-100 for daily PrEP regimen, 91% (IQR: 73-97 for fixed intermittent dosing and 45% (IQR: 20-63 for post-coital dosing. SMS response rate was 74%, but increased to 80% after excluding server outages; results may have been affected by the novelty of this measure. The majority of volunteers expressed willingness with no particular preference for either regimen. CONCLUSIONS: Both daily and intermittent oral PrEP dosing regimens were safe. Adherence was high for daily and fixed intermittent dosing; post-coital dosing was associated with poor adherence. Fixed intermittent PrEP regimens may be

  12. Role of Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors in HIV-1 infected cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guendel, Irene; Iordanskiy, Sergey; Sampey, Gavin C; Van Duyne, Rachel; Calvert, Valerie; Petricoin, Emanuel; Saifuddin, Mohammed; Kehn-Hall, Kylene; Kashanchi, Fatah

    2015-01-01

    Many cellular cofactors have been documented to be critical for various stages of viral replication. Using high throughput proteomic assays, we have previously identified Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) as a host protein that was uniquely up-regulated in the plasma membrane of HIV-1 infected T-cells. Here, we have further characterized the BTK expression in HIV-1 infection and show that this cellular factor is specifically expressed in infected myeloid cells. Significant up-regulation of the phosphorylated form of BTK was observed in infected cells. Using size exclusion chromatography, we found BTK to be virtually absent in the uninfected U937 cells, however new BTK protein complexes were identified and distributed in both high molecular weight (~600 kDa) and a small molecular weight complex (~60–120 kDa) in the infected U1 cells. BTK levels were highest in cells either chronically expressing virus or induced/infected myeloid cells and that BTK translocated to the membrane following induction of the infected cells. BTK knockdown in HIV-1 infected cells using siRNA resulted in selective death of infected, but not uninfected, cells. Using BTK specific antibody and small molecule inhibitors including LFM-A13 and a FDA approved compound, Ibrutinib (PCI – 32765), we have found that HIV-1 infected cells are sensitive to apoptotic cell death and result in a decrease in virus production. Overall, our data suggests that HIV-1 infected cells are sensitive to treatments targeting BTK expressed in infected cells. PMID:25672887

  13. Altered Natural Killer Cell Function in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants

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    Christiana Smith

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available ObjectivesHIV-exposed uninfected (HEU infants have higher rates of severe and fatal infections compared with HIV-unexposed (HUU infants, likely due to immune perturbations. We hypothesized that alterations in natural killer (NK cell activity might occur in HEU infants and predispose them to severe infections.DesignCase–control study using cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs at birth and 6 months from HEU infants enrolled from 2002 to 2009 and HUU infants enrolled from 2011 to 2013.MethodsNK cell phenotype and function were assessed by flow cytometry after 20-h incubation with and without K562 cells.ResultsThe proportion of NK cells among PBMCs was lower at birth in 12 HEU vs. 22 HUU (1.68 vs. 10.30%, p < 0.0001 and at 6 months in 52 HEU vs. 72 HUU (3.09 vs. 4.65%, p = 0.0005. At birth, HEU NK cells demonstrated increased killing of K562 target cells (p < 0.0001 and increased expression of CD107a (21.65 vs. 12.70%, p = 0.047, but these differences resolved by 6 months. Stimulated HEU NK cells produced less interferon (IFNγ at birth (0.77 vs. 2.64%, p = 0.008 and at 6 months (4.12 vs. 8.39%, p = 0.001, and showed reduced perforin staining at 6 months (66.95 vs. 77.30%, p = 0.0008. Analysis of cell culture supernatants indicated that lower NK cell activity in HEU was associated with reduced interleukin (IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18. Addition of recombinant human IL-12 to stimulated HEU PBMCs restored IFNγ production to that seen in stimulated HUU cultures.ConclusionNK cell proportion, phenotype, and function are altered in HEU infants. NK cell cytotoxicity and degranulation are increased in HEU at birth, but HEU NK cells have reduced IFNγ and perforin production, suggesting an adequate initial response, but decreased functional reserve. NK cell function improved with addition of exogenous IL-12, implicating impaired production of IL-12 by accessory cells. Alterations in NK cell and accessory

  14. Hormonal levels among HIV-1-seropositive women compared with high-risk HIV-seronegative women during the menstrual cycle. Women's Health Study (WHS) 001 and WHS 001a Study Team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cu-Uvin, S; Wright, D J; Anderson, D; Kovacs, A; Watts, D H; Cohn, J; Landay, A; Reichelderfer, P S

    2000-10-01

    There is a paucity of normative data on hormonal levels among HIV-infected women. Hormonal levels may influence fertility and HIV-related immunological and virological factors. The objective of this study was to determine progesterone and estradiol levels during the menstrual cycle in HIV-seropositive women compared with high-risk seronegative women. The study enrolled 55 HIV-infected and 10 high-risk uninfected women with self-reported regular menstrual cycles (25-30-day cycles). Progesterone and estradiol levels were determined on a weekly basis for 8 weeks. The analysis included evaluations from the first complete menstrual cycle for the 54 HIV-infected and 9 uninfected women who had at least one complete cycle. The median age was 35 years for HIV-infected women and 36 years for uninfected women. The median CD4+ count for HIV-seropositive women was 210 cells/mm3. The median menstrual cycle length was 28 days (range 22-49 days) for HIV-infected women and 25 days (range 24-44 days) for uninfected women. The maximum progesterone level during the luteal phase was normal (>3.0 ng/ml) for 52 (96%) of 54 HIV-seropositive women and 7 (78%) of 9 HIV-seronegative women (p = 0.09, Fisher's exact test). The median maximum progesterone level was 12.2 ng/ml in HIV-seropositive women and 7.2 ng/ml in HIV-seronegative women (p = 0.07, Wilcoxon test). The median maximum estradiol value during the follicular phase was 148 pg/ml for HIV-seropositive women and 111 pg/ml for HIV-seronegative women (p = 0.04, Wilcoxon test). Among HIV-infected women, there were no significant differences in progesterone and estradiol levels by antiretroviral therapy, baseline plasma viral load, or median CD4+ cell count. We conclude that HIV-infected women with self-reported normal menstrual cycles have normal levels of progesterone and estradiol during the menstrual cycle.

  15. The impact of HAART on the respiratory complications of HIV infection: longitudinal trends in the MACS and WIHS cohorts.

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    Matthew R Gingo

    Full Text Available To review the incidence of respiratory conditions and their effect on mortality in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals prior to and during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART.Two large observational cohorts of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men (Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study [MACS] and women (Women's Interagency HIV Study [WIHS], followed since 1984 and 1994, respectively.Adjusted odds or hazards ratios for incident respiratory infections or non-infectious respiratory diagnoses, respectively, in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected individuals in both the pre-HAART (MACS only and HAART eras; and adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios for mortality in HIV-infected persons with lung disease during the HAART era.Compared to HIV-uninfected participants, HIV-infected individuals had more incident respiratory infections both pre-HAART (MACS, odds ratio [adjusted-OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-2.7; p<0.001 and after HAART availability (MACS, adjusted-OR, 1.5; 95%CI 1.3-1.7; p<0.001; WIHS adjusted-OR, 2.2; 95%CI 1.8-2.7; p<0.001. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was more common in MACS HIV-infected vs. HIV-uninfected participants pre-HAART (hazard ratio [adjusted-HR] 2.9; 95%CI, 1.02-8.4; p = 0.046. After HAART availability, non-infectious lung diseases were not significantly more common in HIV-infected participants in either MACS or WIHS participants. HIV-infected participants in the HAART era with respiratory infections had an increased risk of death compared to those without infections (MACS adjusted-HR, 1.5; 95%CI, 1.3-1.7; p<0.001; WIHS adjusted-HR, 1.9; 95%CI, 1.5-2.4; p<0.001.HIV infection remained a significant risk for infectious respiratory diseases after the introduction of HAART, and infectious respiratory diseases were associated with an increased risk of mortality.

  16. Strategies for monitoring outcomes in HIV-exposed uninfected children in the United Kingdom

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    Claire eThorne

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Surveillance of pregnancies in women living with HIV is carried out on a national basis in the United Kingdom (UK through the National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood (NSHPC. There are currently around 1100-1200 HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU infants born every year in the UK, where vertical transmission of HIV now occurs in fewer than five in every 1000 pregnancies. By the end of 2014, there was a cumulative total of more than 15,000 HEU children with any combination antiretroviral therapy (cART exposure and more than 5,000 with cART exposure from conception in the UK. HEU infants are increasingly being exposed to newer antiretroviral drugs for which less is known regarding both short and longer-term safety. In this commentary, we describe the approaches that have been taken to explore health outcomes in HEU children born in the UK. This includes the Children exposed to AntiRetroviral Therapy (CHART Study, which was a consented follow-up study carried out in 2002-2005 of HEU children born in 1996-2004. The CHART Study showed that 4% of HEU children enrolled had a major health or development problem in early childhood; this was within expected UK norms but the study was limited by small numbers and short-term follow-up. However, the problems with recruitment and retention that were encountered within the CHART Study demonstrated that comprehensive, clinic-based follow-up was not a feasible approach for long-term assessment of HEU children in the UK. We describe an alternative approach developed to monitor some aspects of their long-term health, involving the flagging of HEU infants for death and cancer registration with the UK Office for National Statistics. Some of the ethical concerns regarding investigation of long-term outcomes of in utero and perinatal exposure to antiretrovirals including those relating to consent and confidentiality are also discussed.

  17. HIV-1-infected monocyte-derived dendritic cells do not undergo maturation but can elicit IL-10 production and T cell regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granelli-Piperno, Angela; Golebiowska, Angelika; Trumpfheller, Christine; Siegal, Frederick P.; Steinman, Ralph M.

    2004-05-01

    Dendritic cells (DCs) undergo maturation during virus infection and thereby become potent stimulators of cell-mediated immunity. HIV-1 replicates in immature DCs, but we now find that infection is not accompanied by many components of maturation in either infected cells or uninfected bystanders. The infected cultures do not develop potent stimulating activity for the mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR), and the DCs producing HIV-1 gag p24 do not express CD83 and DC-lysosome-associated membrane protein maturation markers. If different maturation stimuli are applied to DCs infected with HIV-1, the infected cells selectively fail to mature. When DCs from HIV-1-infected patients are infected and cultured with autologous T cells, IL-10 was produced in 6 of 10 patients. These DC-T cell cocultures could suppress another immune response, the MLR. The regulation was partially IL-10-dependent and correlated in extent with the level of IL-10 produced. Suppressor cells only developed from infected patients, rather than healthy controls, and the DCs had to be exposed to live virus rather than HIV-1 gag peptides or protein. These results indicate that HIV-1-infected DCs have two previously unrecognized means to evade immune responses: maturation can be blocked reducing the efficacy of antigen presentation from infected cells, and T cell-dependent suppression can be induced.

  18. Frailty, HIV infection, and mortality in an aging cohort of injection drug users.

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    Damani A Piggott

    Full Text Available Frailty is associated with morbidity and premature mortality among elderly HIV-uninfected adults, but the determinants and consequences of frailty in HIV-infected populations remain unclear. We evaluated the correlates of frailty, and the impact of frailty on mortality in a cohort of aging injection drug users (IDUs.Frailty was assessed using standard criteria among HIV-infected and uninfected IDUs in 6-month intervals from 2005 to 2008. Generalized linear mixed-model analyses assessed correlates of frailty. Cox proportional hazards models estimated risk for all-cause mortality.Of 1230 participants at baseline, the median age was 48 years and 29% were HIV-infected; the frailty prevalence was 12.3%. In multivariable analysis of 3,365 frailty measures, HIV-infected IDUs had an increased likelihood of frailty (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.24-2.21 compared to HIV-uninfected IDUs; the association was strongest (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.62-3.48 among HIV-infected IDUs with advanced HIV disease (CD4<350 cells/mm3 and detectable HIV RNA. No significant association was seen with less advanced disease. Sociodemographic factors, comorbidity, depressive symptoms, and prescription drug abuse were also independently associated with frailty. Mortality risk was increased with frailty alone (HR 2.63, 95% CI, 1.23-5.66, HIV infection alone (HR 3.29, 95% CI, 1.85-5.88, and being both HIV-infected and frail (HR, 7.06; 95%CI 3.49-14.3.Frailty was strongly associated with advanced HIV disease, but IDUs with well-controlled HIV had a similar prevalence to HIV-uninfected IDUs. Frailty was independently associated with mortality, with a marked increase in mortality risk for IDUs with both frailty and HIV infection.

  19. Hearing Loss in Perinatally Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected and Human Immunodeficiency Virus -Exposed but Uninfected Children and Adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torre, Peter; Zeldow, Bret; Hoffman, Howard J.; Buchanan, Ashley; Siberry, George K.; Rice, Mabel; Sirois, Patricia A.; Williams, Paige L.

    2012-01-01

    Background Little is known about hearing loss in children with HIV infection (HIV+). We examined the prevalence of hearing loss in perinatally HIV+ and HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) children, compared these to the percentage with hearing loss in the general population, and evaluated possible risk factors for hearing loss in HIV+ and HEU children. Methods Audiometric examinations were completed in children who met any pre-specified criteria for possible hearing loss. The hearing examination consisted of a tympanogram in each ear and pure-tone air-conduction threshold testing from 500 through 4000 Hz. Hearing loss was defined as the pure-tone average over these frequencies ≥20 dB hearing level (HL). The associations of demographic, parent/caregiver, HIV disease, and HIV treatment with hearing loss were evaluated with univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. Results Hearing testing was completed in 231 children (145 HIV+ and 86 HEU). Hearing loss occurred in 20.0% of HIV+ children and 10.5% of HEU children. After adjusting for caregiver education level, HIV infection was associated with increased odds of hearing loss [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95–4.76, p=0.07]. Among HIV+ children, those with a CDC Class C diagnosis had over twice the odds of hearing loss (aOR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.04–5.87, p=0.04). The prevalence of hearing loss was higher in both HIV+ and HEU children compared with NHANES III children. Conclusions Hearing loss was more common in both HIV+ and HEU children than in healthy children. More advanced HIV illness increased the risk of hearing loss in HIV+ children. PMID:22549437

  20. Identification of Variants of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV Entry Factors in Patients Highly Exposed to HCV but Remaining Uninfected: An ANRS Case-Control Study.

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    Baptiste Fouquet

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV causes persistent infection in 75% of cases and is a major public health problem worldwide. More than 92% of intravenous drug users (IDU infected by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 are seropositive for HCV, and it is conceivable that some HIV-1-infected IDU who remain uninfected by HCV may be genetically resistant.Here we conducted a case-control study to identify mutations in HCV entry coreceptors in HIV-infected IDU who remained uninfected by HCV. We recruited 138 patients, comprising 22 HIV+ HCV- case IDU and 116 HIV+ HCV+ control IDU. We focused on coreceptors in which point mutations are known to abolish HCV infectivity in vitro. Our previous study of the Claudin-1 gene revealed no specific variants in the same case population. Here we performed direct genomic sequencing of the Claudin-6, Claudin-9, Occludin and Scavenger receptor-B1 (SCARB1 gene coding regions. Most HIV+ HCV- IDU had no mutations in HCV coreceptors. However, two HIV+ HCV- patients harbored a total of four specific mutations/variants of HCV entry factors that were not found in the HIV+ HCV+ controls. One case patient harbored heterozygous variants of both Claudin-6 and Occludin, and the other case patient harbored two heterozygous variants of SCARB1. This suggests that HCV resistance might involve complex genetic events and factors other than coreceptors, a situation similar to that reported for HIV-1 resistance.

  1. [Association between intracellular zinc levels and nutritional status in HIV-infected and uninfected children exposed to the virus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez G, Erika María; Maldonado C, María Elena; Rojas L, Mauricio; Posada J, Gladys

    2015-01-01

    Malnutrition, growth retardation and opportunistic infections outlast the metabolic, immune and gastrointestinal disorders produced by HIV. Zinc deficiency has been associated with deteriorating nutritional status, growth failure, and risk of infection. The aim of this study is to determine the association between zinc levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the nutritional status of HIV-infected and uninfected children exposed to the virus. An analytical, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 17 infected and 17 exposed children, aged 2-10 years. Anthropometric measurements, clinical and nutritional history, 24h recall, measurement of physical activity, and zinc in PBMC by flow cytometry analysis were recorded. Height according to age, energy consumption and adequacy of energy, protein and dietary zinc were significantly higher in children exposed to the virus compared to those infected with HIV (P .05). However, the median levels of zinc in monocytes of infected patients was higher (218.6) compared to the control group (217.0). No association was found between zinc intake and levels of intracellular zinc. The deterioration of nutritional status and growth retardation in children were associated with HIV, but not with the levels of intracellular zinc. The dietary intake of this nutrient was not associated with levels of zinc in monocytes or CD4 + and CD4- lymphocytes. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  2. STI patients are effective recruiters of undiagnosed cases of HIV: results of a social contact recruitment study in Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Nora E; Kamanga, Gift; Pettifor, Audrey E; Bonongwe, Naomi; Mapanje, Clement; Rutstein, Sarah E; Ward, Michelle; Hoffman, Irving F; Martinson, Francis; Miller, William C

    2014-04-15

    Patients with newly diagnosed HIV may be part of social networks with elevated prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection. Social network recruitment by persons with newly diagnosed HIV may efficiently identify undiagnosed cases of HIV infection. We assessed social network recruitment as a strategy for identifying undiagnosed cases of HIV infection. In a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi, 3 groups of 45 "seeds" were enrolled: STI patients with newly diagnosed HIV, STI patients who were HIV-uninfected, and community controls. Seeds were asked to recruit up to 5 social "contacts" (sexual or nonsexual). Mean number of contacts recruited per group was calculated. HIV prevalence ratios (PRs) and number of contacts needed to test to identify 1 new case of HIV were compared between groups using generalized estimating equations with exchangeable correlation matrices. Mean number of contacts recruited was 1.3 for HIV-infected clinic seeds, 1.8 for HIV-uninfected clinic seeds, and 2.3 for community seeds. Contacts of HIV-infected clinic seeds had a higher HIV prevalence (PR: 3.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.3 to 7.8) than contacts of community seeds, but contacts of HIV-uninfected clinic seeds did not (PR: 1.1, 95% confidence interval: 0.4 to 3.3). Results were similar when restricted to nonsexual contacts. To identify 1 new case of HIV, it was necessary to test 8 contacts of HIV-infected clinic seeds, 10 contacts of HIV-uninfected clinic seeds, and 18 contacts of community seeds. Social contact recruitment by newly diagnosed STI patients efficiently led to new HIV diagnoses. Research to replicate findings and guide implementation is needed.

  3. Cost-effectiveness of HIV counseling and testing in US prisons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varghese, B; Peterman, T A

    2001-06-01

    The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in correctional facilities is much higher than in the general population. However, HIV prevention resources are limited, making it important to evaluate different prevention programs in prison settings. Our study presents the cost-effectiveness of offering HIV counseling and testing (CT) to soon-to-be-released inmates in US prisons. A decision model was used to estimate the costs and benefits (averted HIV cases) of HIV testing and counseling compared to no CT from a societal perspective. Model parameters were HIV prevalence among otherwise untested inmates (1%); acceptance of CT (50%); risk for HIV transmission from infected individuals (7%); risk of HIV acquisition for uninfected individuals (0.3%); and reduction of risk after counseling for those infected (25%) and uninfected (20%). Marginal costs of testing and counseling per person were used (no fixed costs). If infected, the cost was $78.17; if uninfected, it was $24.63. A lifetime treatment cost of $186,900 was used to estimate the benefits of prevented HIV infections. Sensitivity and threshold analysis were done to test the robustness of these parameters. Our baseline model shows that, compared to no CT, offering CT to 10,000 inmates detects 50 new or previously undiagnosed infections and averts 4 future cases of HIV at a cost of $125,000 to prison systems. However, this will save society over $550,000. Increase in HIV prevalence, risk of transmission, or effectiveness of counseling increased societal savings. As prevalence increases, focusing on HIV-infected inmates prevents additional future infections; however, when HIV prevalence is less than 5%, testing and counseling of both infected and uninfected inmates are important for HIV prevention.

  4. Impact of HIV-1 infection on the feto-maternal crosstalk and consequences for pregnancy outcome and infant health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altfeld, Marcus; Bunders, Madeleine J

    2016-11-01

    Adaptation of the maternal immune system to establish maternal/fetal equilibrium is required for a successful pregnancy. Viral infections, including HIV-1 infection, can alter this maternal/fetal equilibrium, with significant consequences for pregnancy outcome, including miscarriages, impaired fetal growth, and premature delivery. Furthermore, maternal HIV-1 infection has been shown to have a long-term impact on the developing fetal immune system also when the infant is not infected with the virus. In this review, we discuss the consequences of maternal HIV-1 infection and antiretroviral therapy on pregnancy outcome and the health of the uninfected HIV-1-exposed infant.

  5.  Resistance-associated polymorphisms in Dutch hepatitis C genotype 1a patients with and without HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieveld, Faydra I; Swaans, Niels; Newsum, Astrid M; Ho, Cynthia K Y; Schinkel, Janke; Molenkamp, Richard; van der Meer, Jan T M; Arends, Joop E; Hoepelman, Andy I M; Wensing, Anne M J; Siersema, Peter D; van Erpecum, Karel J; Boland, Greet J

    2016-01-01

     Background and aim. Resistance-associated variants (RAVs) on the NS3 region of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be relevant for antiviral therapy, but data in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfected patients are scarce. We assessed frequencies of NS3 RAVs in patients infected with HCV genotype 1a with or without HIV coinfection. HCV NS3 amino acids 1-181 were sequenced by the Sanger method and analyzed for RAVs. RAVs and their distribution between HCV genotype 1a clade I and II viruses were compared between HIV-infected versus HIV-uninfected patients. 148 samples were available (n = 68 HIV and n = 80 non-HIV). Relative frequency of clade I and clade II was significantly different between HIV (85% and 15%) and non-HIV groups (49% and 51%). Overall, HIV infected patients exhibited significantly lower prevalence of RAVs than HIV-uninfected patients (62% vs. 79%, p = 0.03). However, Q80K prevalence was significantly higher in HIV-infected subjects (50% vs. 24%, p = 0.001), whereas prevalence of S122D/G/N/S (2% vs. 16%, p = 0.002) and N174G/N/S (10% vs. 55%, p < 0.0001) polymorphisms were significantly lower. Q80K was found exclusively in clade I viruses. S122 (3% vs. 22%, p=0.001) and N174 (13% vs. 75%, p<0.0001) polymorphisms had significantly lower prevalence in clade I than clade II viruses. In the Netherlands, prevalence of clade I viruses and Q80K was significantly higher in HCV genotype 1a infected patients with HIV coinfection than in those without HIV coinfection. Prevalence of N174 and S122 polymorphisms was significantly higher in clade II than clade I viruses.

  6. Undetectable plasma viral load predicts normal survival in HIV-2-infected people in a West African village

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    Ricard Dominique

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There have been no previous studies of the long-term survival and temporal changes in plasma viral load among HIV-2 infected subjects. Methods 133 HIV-2 infected and 158 HIV-uninfected subjects from a rural area in North-west Guinea-Bissau, West Africa were enrolled into a prospective cohort study in 1991 and followed-up to mid-2009. Data were collected on four occasions during that period on HIV antibodies, CD4% and HIV-2 plasma viral load. Results Median age (interquartile range [IQR] of HIV-2 infected subjects at time of enrollment was 47 (36, 60 years, similar to that of HIV-uninfected control subjects, 49 (38, 62 (p = 0.4. Median (IQR plasma viral load and CD4 percentage were 347 (50, 4,300 copies/ml and 29 (22, 35 respectively. Overall loss to follow-up to assess vital status was small, at 6.7% and 6.3% for HIV-2 infected and uninfected subjects respectively. An additional 17 (12.8% and 16 (10.1% of HIV-2 infected and uninfected subjects respectively were censored during follow-up due to infection with HIV-1. The mortality rate per 100 person-years (95% CI was 4.5 (3.6, 5.8 among HIV-2 infected subjects compared to 2.1 (1.6, 2.9 among HIV-uninfected (age-sex adjusted rate ratio 1.9 (1.3, 2.8, p Viral load measurements were available for 98%, 78%, 77% and 61% HIV-2 infected subjects who were alive and had not become super-infected with HIV-1, in 1991, 1996, 2003 and 2006 respectively. Median plasma viral load (RNA copies per ml (IQR did not change significantly over time, being 150 (50, 1,554; n = 77 in 1996, 203 (50, 2,837; n = 47 in 2003 and 171 (50, 497; n = 31 in 2006. Thirty seven percent of HIV-2 subjects had undetectable viraemia ( Conclusions A substantial proportion of HIV-2 infected subjects in this cohort have stable plasma viral load, and those with an undetectable viral load (37% at study entry had a normal survival rate. However, the sequential laboratory findings need to be interpreted with caution given

  7. Hematological alterations and thymic function in newborns of HIV-infected mothers receiving antiretroviral drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wongnoi, Rotjanee; Penvieng, Nawaporn; Singboottra, Panthong; Kingkeow, Doungnapa; Oberdorfer, Peninnah; Sirivatanapa, Pannee; Pornprasert, Sakorn

    2013-06-08

    To investigate the effects of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs on hematological parameters and thymic function in HIV-uninfected newborns of HIV-infected mothers. Cross sectional study. Chiang-Mai University Hospital, Chiang-Mai, Thailand. 49 HIV-uninfected and 26 HIV-infected pregnancies. Cord blood samples of newborns from HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected mothers were collected. Hematological parameters were measured using automatic blood cell count. T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) levels in cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs), CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were quantified using real-time PCR.. Hemotological parameters and thymic function. Newborn of HIV-infected mother tended to have lower mean levels of hemoglobin than those of HIV-uninfected mother (137 ±22 vs 146 ±17 g/L, P = 0.05). Furthermore, mean of red blood cell (RBC) counts and hematocrit and median of TRECs in CD4+ T-cells in the newborns of the former were significantly lower than those of the latter [3.6 ±0.7 vs 4.8 ±0.6 x 1012 cells/L, P cells) in HIV-uninfected newborns of HIV-infected mothers.

  8. Nosocomial infections in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The interaction between tuberculosis and HIV-infected infection is well known and is responsible for the increase in the incidence of tuberculosis ... This retrospective case-control study evaluated the occurrence of nosocomial infections in (HIV)-infected children and age- and time of ... complicated disease, or whose social.

  9. Inflammation-modulating cytokine profile and lipid interaction in HIV-related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases

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    Gori E

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Elizabeth Gori,1,2 Takafira Mduluza,3,4 Mudavanhu Nyagura,2 Babill Stray-Pedersen,5 Zvenyika Alfred Gomo1 1Chemical Pathology Department, College of Health Sciences, 2Preclinical Veterinary Studies Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, 3Biochemistry Department, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; 4School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; 5Institute of Clinical Medicine, University in Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Abstract: HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART are associated with changes in plasma levels of lipoproteins, thus posing the risk of cardiovascular complications in infected individuals. The alteration in plasma lipoprotein levels results from dysregulation of inflammation-modulating cytokines that control lipid metabolism. Little is understood regarding the relationship between the cytokines and serum lipid levels, which have been reported to be altered in adults receiving ART. The objective of this study was to describe the profiles of inflammation-modulating cytokines and their relationship to lipids as cardiovascular disease (CVD risk factors in HIV infection. This observational cross-sectional study measured plasma levels of interleukin (IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α, IL-4, total cholesterol (TC, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c in HIV-infected and uninfected adults. A total of 219 HIV-infected participants were enrolled from an HIV treatment center; of them, 187 were receiving ART and 32 were ART naïve, while 65 were HIV-uninfected blood donors. HIV-infected individuals had higher levels of IL-10 (HIV-infected ART-naïve [P=0.0024] and ART-receiving [P=0.033] than their uninfected counterparts. ART-naïve subjects had significantly higher plasma levels of IL-10 than ART-receiving subjects (P=0.0014. No significant difference was observed in plasma levels of IL-4 and TNF

  10. Evaluation of Olfactory and Gustatory Function of HIV Infected Women

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    Ayotunde James Fasunla

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Compliance with medication requires good sense of smell and taste. Objective. To evaluate the olfactory and gustatory function of HIV infected women in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods. A case control study of women comprising 83 HIV infected women and 79 HIV uninfected women. Subjective self-rating of taste and smell function was by visual analogue scale. Olfactory function was measured via olfactory threshold (OT, olfactory discrimination (OD, olfactory identification (OI, and TDI using “Sniffin’ sticks” kits and taste function (Total Taste Strips (TTS score measurement was by taste strips. Results. The mean age of the HIV infected women was 43.67 years ± 10.72 and control was 41.48 years ± 10.99. There was no significant difference in the self-reported assessment of smell (p=0.67 and taste (p=0.84 of HIV infected and uninfected women. Although the mean OT, OD, OI, TDI, and TTS scores of HIV infected and uninfected women were within the normosmic and normogeusic values, the values were significantly higher in the controls (p<0.05. Hyposmia was in 39.7% of subjects and 12.6% of controls while hypogeusia was in 15.7% of subjects and 1.3% of controls. Conclusions. Hyposmia and hypogeusia are commoner among the HIV infected women than the HIV uninfected women and the risk increases with an increased duration of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

  11. Candida species isolated from the vaginal mucosa of HIV-infected women in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

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    Paula Matos Oliveira

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC is the second most common vaginal infection. HIV-infection is a risk factor for this infection. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of VVC and to describe the main Candida species isolated and their susceptibility to antifungal drugs in HIV-infected patients, compared to HIV-uninfected women in Salvador, Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including a group of 64 HIV-infected women and 76 uninfected women, followed up at the AIDS reference center and at the Gynecological Clinic of Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. RESULTS: Frequency of Candida spp. was higher in HIV-infected women (29.7% than in HIV-uninfected controls (14.5% (p = 0.02. The odds ratio value for vulvovaginal candidiasis in HIV-infected patients was 2.6 (95% CI: 1.07 - 6.32 p = 0.03. Candida albicans was the most commonly isolated species in both HIV-infected (52.3% and uninfected women (85.7%, followed by C. parapsolis in 17.6% and 14.3%, respectively. In HIV-infected women, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, and a coinfection of C. albicans and C. glabrata were also identified. There was no significant difference between Candida species isolated from the vaginal mucosa of women with VVC and colonization of the vaginal mucosa of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women. One C. glabrata isolate from an HIV-infected patient was resistant to fluconazole and other two isolates exhibited a dose-dependent susceptibility. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm a higher frequency of Candida spp. isolated from the vaginal mucosa of HIV-infected women and a broader spectrum of species involved. Only Candida glabrata isolates showed decreased susceptibility to fluconazole.

  12. Risk Factors for HIV Transmission and Barriers to HIV Disclosure: Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camacho-Gonzalez, Andres F; Wallins, Amy; Toledo, Lauren; Murray, Ashley; Gaul, Zaneta; Sutton, Madeline Y; Gillespie, Scott; Leong, Traci; Graves, Chanda; Chakraborty, Rana

    2016-01-01

    Youth carry the highest incidence of HIV infection in the United States. Understanding adolescent and young adult (AYA) perspectives on HIV transmission risk is important for targeted HIV prevention. We conducted a mixed methods study with HIV-infected and uninfected youth, ages 18-24 years, from Atlanta, GA. We provided self-administered surveys to HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected AYAs to identify risk factors for HIV acquisition. By means of computer-assisted thematic analyses, we examined transcribed focus group responses on HIV education, contributors to HIV transmission, and pre-sex HIV status disclosure. The 68 participants had the following characteristics: mean age 21.5 years (standard deviation: 1.8 years), 85% male, 90% black, 68% HIV-infected. HIV risk behaviors included the perception of condomless sex (Likert scale mean: 8.0) and transactional sex (88% of participants); no differences were noted by HIV status. Qualitative analyses revealed two main themes: (1) HIV risk factors among AYAs, and (2) barriers to discussing HIV status before sex. Participants felt the use of social media, need for immediate gratification, and lack of concern about HIV disease were risk factors for AYAs. Discussing HIV status with sex partners was uncommon. Key reasons included: fear of rejection, lack of confidentiality, discussion was unnecessary in temporary relationships, and disclosure negatively affecting the mood. HIV prevention strategies for AYAs should include improving condom use frequency and HIV disclosure skills, responsible utilization of social media, and education addressing HIV prevention including the risks of transactional sex.

  13. Mucosal IgA Responses: Damaged in Established HIV Infection—Yet, Effective Weapon against HIV Transmission

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    Viraj Kulkarni

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available HIV infection not only destroys CD4+ T cells but also inflicts serious damage to the B-cell compartment, such as lymphadenopathy, destruction of normal B-cell follicle architecture, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, increased apoptosis of B cells, and irreversible loss of memory B-cell responses with advanced HIV disease. Subepithelial B cells and plasma cells are also affected, which results in loss of mucosal IgG and IgA antibodies. This leaves the mucosal barrier vulnerable to bacterial translocation. The ensuing immune activation in mucosal tissues adds fuel to the fire of local HIV replication. We postulate that compromised mucosal antibody defenses also facilitate superinfection of HIV-positive individuals with new HIV strains. This in turn sets the stage for the generation of circulating recombinant forms of HIV. What can the mucosal B-cell compartment contribute to protect a healthy, uninfected host against mucosal HIV transmission? Here, we discuss proof-of-principle studies we have performed using passive mucosal immunization, i.e., topical administration of preformed anti-HIV monoclonal antibodies (mAbs as IgG1, dimeric IgA1 (dIgA1, and dIgA2 isotypes, alone or in combination. Our data indicate that mucosally applied anti-HIV envelope mAbs can provide potent protection against mucosal transmission of simian-human immunodeficiency virus. Our review also discusses the induction of mucosal antibody defenses by active vaccination and potential strategies to interrupt the vicious cycle of bacterial translocation, immune activation, and stimulation of HIV replication in individuals with damaged mucosal barriers.

  14. Comparative genomics of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii associated with meningitis in HIV infected and uninfected patients in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Jeremy N; Qihui, Seet; Thanh, Lam Tuan; Trieu, Phan Hai; Van, Anh Duong; Thu, Nha Hoang; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Lan, Nguyen P H; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Ashton, Philip M; Thwaites, Guy E; Boni, Maciej F; Wolbers, Marcel; Nagarajan, Niranjan; Tan, Patrick B O; Baker, Stephen

    2017-06-01

    The vast burden of cryptococcal meningitis occurs in immunosuppressed patients, driven by HIV, and is caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. We previously reported cryptococcal meningitis in Vietnam arising atypically in HIV uninfected, apparently immunocompetent patients, caused by a single amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) cluster of C. neoformans var. grubii (VNIγ). This variant was less common in HIV infected individuals; it remains unclear why this lineage is associated with apparently immunocompetent patients. To study this host tropism we aimed to further our understanding of clinical phenotype and genomic variation within Vietnamese C. neoformans var. grubii. After performing MLST on C. neoformans clinical isolates we identified 14 sequence types (STs); ST5 correlated with the VNIγ cluster. We next compared clinical phenotype by lineage and found HIV infected patients with cryptococcal meningitis caused by ST5 organisms were significantly more likely to have lymphadenopathy (11% vs. 4%, p = 0.05 Fisher's exact test) and higher blood lymphocyte count (median 0.76 versus 0.55 X109 cells/L, p = 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). Furthermore, survivors of ST5 infections had evidence of worse disability outcomes at 70 days (72.7% (40/55) in ST5 infections versus 57.1% (52/91) non-ST5 infections (OR 2.11, 95%CI 1.01 to 4.41), p = 0.046). To further investigate the relationship between strain and disease phenotype we performed genome sequencing on eight Vietnamese C. neoformans var. grubii. Eight genome assemblies exhibited >99% nucleotide sequence identity and we identified 165 kbp of lineage specific to Vietnamese isolates. ST5 genomes harbored several strain specific regions, incorporating 19 annotated coding sequences and eight hypothetical proteins. These regions included a phenolic acid decarboxylase, a DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase 26, oxoprolinases, a taurine catabolism dioxygenase, a zinc finger protein, membrane transport proteins

  15. HIV risk behaviors among African American men in Los Angeles County who self-identify as heterosexual.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wohl, Amy Rock; Johnson, Denise F; Lu, Sharon; Jordan, Wilbert; Beall, Gildon; Currier, Judith; Simon, Paul A

    2002-11-01

    There are limited data on high-risk behaviors among heterosexual African American men with HIV infection. Risk behaviors were examined in a case-control study of HIV-infected (n = 90) and uninfected (n = 272) African American men who self-identified as heterosexual. Of men who self-identified as heterosexual, 31% (n = 28) of the infected men and 16% (n = 43) of the uninfected men reported having had anal sex with men. Among the heterosexual men reporting anal sex with men, 100% of the infected and 67% of the uninfected men reported inconsistent condom use during anal sex with men. Few of the infected (12%) and uninfected (2%) men reported oral sex with other men. Of the men who self-identified as heterosexual, 46% of those who were HIV-positive and 37% of those who were HIV-negative reported anal sex with women with infrequent condom use. An increasing risk for HIV was associated with decreasing age at first sexual experience (chi2, 9.3; p = .002). A history of injecting drugs (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 1.8, 5.4) and amphetamine (OR, 4.3; 95% CIs, 1.1, 16.7) and methamphetamine (OR, 2.9; 95% CIs, 1.4, 6.3) use were associated with HIV. Innovative HIV prevention strategies are needed that move beyond the traditional gay versus straight model to effectively access hard-to-reach African American men who self-identify as heterosexual.

  16. Peripheral neuropathy in HIV-infected and uninfected patients in Rakai, Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saylor, Deanna; Nakigozi, Gertrude; Nakasujja, Noeline; Robertson, Kevin; Gray, Ronald H; Wawer, Maria J; Sacktor, Ned

    2017-08-01

    To determine the prevalence, risk factors, and functional impairment associated with peripheral neuropathy in a prospective cohort of adults in rural Uganda. Eight hundred participants (400 HIV- and 400 antiretroviral-naive HIV+) in the Rakai Community Cohort Study underwent detailed neurologic evaluations including assessment of neuropathy symptoms, functional measures (Patient Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory and Karnofsky Performance Status scores), and neurologic evaluation by a trained medical officer. Neuropathy was defined as ≥1 subjective symptom and ≥1 sign of neuropathy on examination. Neuropathy risk factors were assessed using log binomial regression. Fifty-three percent of participants were men, with a mean (SD) age of 35 (8) years. Neuropathy was present in 13% of the cohort and was more common in HIV+ vs HIV- participants (19% vs 7%, p neuropathy in the overall cohort. Only older age was associated with neuropathy risk in the HIV+ (RR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05) and HIV- (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10) cohorts. Neuropathy was associated with impaired functional status on multiple measures across all participant groups. Peripheral neuropathy is relatively common and associated with impaired functional status among adults in rural Uganda. Older age, female sex, and HIV infection significantly increase the risk of neuropathy. Neuropathy may be an underrecognized but important condition in rural Uganda and warrants further study. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

  17. Thymic size in uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers and fed with pasteurized human milk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, Dorthe Lisbeth; Hasselbalch, H; Ersbøll, A K

    2003-01-01

    /weight-ratio (Ti/w) at birth and at 4 mo of age in 12 healthy uninfected infants born to HlV-infected mothers. All infants were exclusively fed pasteurized donor milk. The results were compared with those obtained from a previous cohort of exclusively breastfed, partially breastfed and exclusively formula.......8 and the mean Ti/w-ratio was 4.2. Compared with those of exclusively breastfed infants, the Ti and Ti/w-ratio of infants fed donor milk were significantly reduced (p infants compared with that in the formula-fed infants (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: At birth...... with thymic size in infants that were exclusively formula fed....

  18. Leukocyte counts and lymphocyte subsets in relation to pregnancy and HIV infection in Malawian women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandala, Wilson L; Gondwe, Esther N; Molyneux, Malcolm E; MacLennan, Jenny M; MacLennan, Calman A

    2017-09-01

    We investigated leukocyte and lymphocyte subsets in HIV-infected or HIV-uninfected, pregnant or non-pregnant Malawian women to explore whether HIV infection and pregnancy may act synergistically to impair cellular immunity. We recruited 54 pregnant and 48 non-pregnant HIV-uninfected women and 24 pregnant and 20 non-pregnant HIV-infected Malawian women. We compared peripheral blood leukocyte and lymphocyte subsets between women in the four groups. Parturient HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women had more neutrophils (each PHIV-uninfected parturient women had fewer CD4 + and γδ T cells, B and NK cells (each Ppregnancy. Malawian women at parturition have an increased total white cell count due to neutrophilia and an HIV-unrelated pan-lymphopenia. © 2017 The Author. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Trends in hospitalizations of pregnant HIV-infected women in the United States: 2004 through 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewing, Alexander C; Datwani, Hema M; Flowers, Lisa M; Ellington, Sascha R; Jamieson, Denise J; Kourtis, Athena P

    2016-10-01

    With the development and widespread use of combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected women live longer, healthier lives. Previous research has shown that, since the adoption of combination antiretroviral therapy in the United States, rates of morbidity and adverse obstetric outcomes remained higher for HIV-infected pregnant women compared with HIV-uninfected pregnant women. Monitoring trends in the outcomes these women experience is essential, as recommendations for this special population continue to evolve with the progress of HIV treatment and prevention options. We conducted an analysis comparing rates of hospitalizations and associated outcomes among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women in the United States from 2004 through 2011. We used cross-sectional hospital discharge data for girls and women age 15-49 from the 2004, 2007, and 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationally representative sample of US hospital discharges. Demographic characteristics, morbidity outcomes, and time trends were compared using χ(2) tests and multivariate logistic regression. Analyses were weighted to produce national estimates. In 2011, there were 4751 estimated pregnancy hospitalizations and 3855 delivery hospitalizations for HIV-infected pregnant women; neither increased since 2004. Compared with those of HIV-uninfected women, pregnancy hospitalizations of HIV-infected women were more likely to be longer, be in the South and Northeast, be covered by public insurance, and incur higher charges (all P pregnant women with HIV infection had higher rates for many adverse outcomes. Compared to 2004, hospitalizations of HIV-infected pregnant women in 2011 had higher odds of gestational diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-2.84), preeclampsia/hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.24), viral/mycotic/parasitic infections (adjusted odds ratio, 1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1

  20. Micro RNA in Exosomes from HIV-Infected Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William W. Roth

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Exosomes are small membrane-bound vesicles secreted by cells that function to shuttle RNA and proteins between cells. To examine the role of exosomal micro RNA (miRNA during the early stage of HIV-1 infection we characterized miRNA in exosomes from HIV-infected macrophages, compared with exosomes from non-infected macrophages. Primary human monocytes from uninfected donors were differentiated to macrophages (MDM which were either mock-infected or infected with the macrophage-tropic HIV-1 BaL strain. Exosomes were recovered from culture media and separated from virus particles by centrifugation on iodixanol density gradients. The low molecular weight RNA fraction was prepared from purified exosomes. After pre-amplification, RNA was hybridized to microarrays containing probes for 1200 miRNA species of known and unknown function. We observed 48 miRNA species in both infected and uninfected MDM exosomes. Additionally, 38 miRNAs were present in infected-cell exosomes but not uninfected-cell exosomes. Of these, 13 miRNAs were upregulated in exosomes from HIV-infected cells, including 4 miRNA species that were increased by more than 10-fold. Though numerous miRNA species have been identified in HIV-infected cells, relatively little is known about miRNA content in exosomes from these cells. In the future, we plan to investigate whether the upregulated miRNA species we identified are increased in exosomes from HIV-1-positive patients.

  1. Comparison of glycerolisation with cryopreservation methods on HIV-1 inactivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Baare, J.; Pagnon, J.; Cameron, P.; Vardaxis, N.; Middlekoop, E.; Crowe, S.

    1999-01-01

    Cryopreservation and glycerolisation are two successful long-term preservation methods for human cadaveric donor skin, which is used in the treatment of bum patients. High concentrations of glycerol has been shown to be antibacterial and virucidal. Because fear of possible transmission of HIV-1 following allograft transplantation, this study was undertaken to investigate whether HIV can be effectively eliminated from skin explants. HIV-1 Ba-L, which has been shown to infect monocytes in skin explants and also dendritic cells, was. For the experiments we used cell-free virus, exogenously HIV infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and exogenously HIV infected cadaver split skin. Different concentrations of glycerol at various temperatures and the glycerolisation procedure as used by the Euro Skin Bank were used to determine the effects on HIV-1 Ba-L infectivity. For the cryopreservation technique we used 10% DMSO and a controlled rate freezer. HIV-1 Ba-L transfer was determined by adding uninfected PBMCs to the infected material and reverse transcriptase was measured. Cell-free HIV-1 Ba-L was not inactivated by 50% glycerol but was effectively inactivated within 30 minutes by 70% and 85% glycerol at 4 degree C, room temperature and 37 degree C. In contrast, cell-free HIV-1 Ba-L was not inactivated by cryopreservation. Most importantly, we have shown that HIV-1 Ba-L present in split skin is inactivated by incubating skin in 70% glycerol for three hours at 37-C. HIV in exogenously infected skin was not inactivated by cryopreservation. High concentrations of glycerol effectively inactivates free HIV-1 Ba-L and intracellular HIV-1 Ba-L. Also the current glycerolisation procedure carried out by the Euro Skin Bank effectively inactivates infectious virus. However, the cryopreservation technique did not show any reduction in HIV-1 Ba-L infectivity

  2. Safety and pharmacokinetics of the Fc-modified HIV-1 human monoclonal antibody VRC01LS: A Phase 1 open-label clinical trial in healthy adults

    OpenAIRE

    Gaudinski, Martin R.; Coates, Emily E.; Houser, Katherine V.; Chen, Grace L.; Yamshchikov, Galina; Saunders, Jamie G.; Holman, LaSonji A.; Gordon, Ingelise; Plummer, Sarah; Hendel, Cynthia S.; Conan-Cibotti, Michelle; Lorenzo, Margarita Gomez; Sitar, Sandra; Carlton, Kevin; Laurencot, Carolyn

    2018-01-01

    Background VRC01 is a human broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody (bnMAb) against the CD4-binding site of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) that is currently being evaluated in a Phase IIb adult HIV-1 prevention efficacy trial. VRC01LS is a modified version of VRC01, designed for extended serum half-life by increased binding affinity to the neonatal Fc receptor. Methods and findings This Phase I dose-escalation study of VRC01LS in HIV-negative healthy adults was conducted by the Vaccin...

  3. Risk Factors for the Spread of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections Among HIV-infected Men Who Have Sex with Men in Lima, Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, JL; Konda, KA; Segura, ER; Salvatierra, HJ; Leon, SR; Hall, ER; Caceres, CF; Klausner, JD; Coates, TJ

    2008-01-01

    Objectives To assess the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), frequency of sexual risk behaviors, and relationship between knowledge of HIV infection status and sexual risk behavior among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) attending an STI clinic in Peru. Methods We recruited a convenience sample of 559 MSM from a municipal STI clinic in Lima, Peru. Participants completed a survey and provided blood for HIV, Syphilis, and HSV-2 antibody testing, and urine for gonorrhea and chlamydia nucleic acid testing. Results Among 124 HIV-infected MSM, 72.6% were aware of their HIV-infected status. Active syphilis (RPR≥1:8) was diagnosed in 21.0% of HIV-infected participants, HSV-2 in 79.8%, urethral gonorrhea in 1.6%, and chlamydia in 1.6%. Among 41 participants reporting insertive anal intercourse with their last sex partner, 34.2% did not use a condom. Of 86 participants reporting receptive anal intercourse, 25.6% did not use a condom. At least one episode of insertive unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with an HIV-uninfected partner during the previous six months was reported by 33.6% (35/104) of participants, and receptive UAI with an HIV-uninfected partner by 44.6% (45/101). No difference in frequency of UAI, with HIV-uninfected or HIV-infected partners, was observed between men who knew their serostatus compared with those who were previously undiagnosed (all p-values >0.05). Conclusions HIV-infected MSM in Peru engaged in high-risk behaviors for spreading HIV and STIs. Knowledge of HIV-infected status was not associated with a decreased frequency of unprotected anal intercourse. Additional efforts to reduce risk behavior after the diagnosis of HIV infection are necessary. PMID:19028945

  4. Matrix Degradation in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Associated Tuberculosis and Tuberculosis Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome: A Prospective Observational Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Naomi F; Wilkinson, Katalin A; Meintjes, Graeme; Tezera, Liku B; Goliath, Rene; Peyper, Janique M; Tadokera, Rebecca; Opondo, Charles; Coussens, Anna K; Wilkinson, Robert J; Friedland, Jon S; Elkington, Paul T

    2017-07-01

    Extensive immunopathology occurs in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/tuberculosis (TB) coinfection, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well-defined. Excessive matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity is emerging as a key process but has not been systematically studied in HIV-associated TB. We performed a cross-sectional study of matrix turnover in HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-infected and -uninfected TB patients and controls, and a prospective cohort study of HIV-1-infected TB patients at risk of TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS), in Cape Town, South Africa. Sputum and plasma MMP concentrations were quantified by Luminex, plasma procollagen III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and urinary lipoarabinomannan (LAM) by Alere Determine TB LAM assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors were cultured with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and extracellular matrix in a 3D model of TB granuloma formation. MMP activity differed between HIV-1-infected and -uninfected TB patients and corresponded with specific TB clinical phenotypes. HIV-1-infected TB patients had reduced pulmonary MMP concentrations, associated with reduced cavitation, but increased plasma PIIINP, compared to HIV-1-uninfected TB patients. Elevated extrapulmonary extracellular matrix turnover was associated with TB-IRIS, both before and during TB-IRIS onset. The predominant collagenase was MMP-8, which was likely neutrophil derived and M. tuberculosis-antigen driven. Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced matrix degradation was suppressed by the MMP inhibitor doxycycline in vitro. MMP activity in TB differs by HIV-1 status and compartment, and releases matrix degradation products. Matrix turnover in HIV-1-infected patients is increased before and during TB-IRIS, informing novel diagnostic strategies. MMP inhibition is a potential host-directed therapy strategy for prevention and treatment of TB-IRIS. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford

  5. Comparative 1H NMR-based metabonomic analysis of HIV-1 sera

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Philippeos, C.; Steffens, F. E.; Meyer, D.

    2009-01-01

    1 H NMR spectroscopy of sera from HIV-1 infected and uninfected individuals was performed on 300 and 600 MHz instruments. The resultant spectra were automatically data reduced to 90 and 180 integral segments of equal length. Analysis of variance identified significant differences between the sample groups, especially for the samples analyzed on 600 MHz and reduced to fewer segments. Linear discriminant analysis correctly classified 100% of the samples analyzed on the 300 MHz NMR (reduced to 180 segments); an increase in instrument sensitivity resulted in lower percentages of correctly classified samples. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) resulted in 100% correct classification of all samples from both instruments. Thus 1 H-NMR metabonomics on either instrument distinguishes HIV-positive individuals using or not using anti retroviral therapy, but the sensitivity of the instrument impacts on data reduction. Furthermore, MLR is a novel multivariate statistical technique for improved classification of biological data analyzed in NMR

  6. Immune defence against HIV-1 infection in HIV-1-exposed seronegative persons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmechel, S C; Russell, N; Hladik, F; Lang, J; Wilson, A; Ha, R; Desbien, A; McElrath, M J

    2001-11-01

    Rare individuals who are repeatedly exposed to HIV-1 through unprotected sexual contact fail to acquire HIV-1 infection. These persons represent a unique study population to evaluate mechanisms by which HIV-1 replication is either prevented or controlled. We followed longitudinally a group of healthy HIV-1 seronegative persons each reporting repeated high-risk sexual activities with their HIV-1-infected partner at enrollment. The volunteers were primarily (90%) male homosexuals, maintaining high risk activities with their known infected partner (45%) or multiple other partners (61%). We evaluated the quantity and specificity of HIV-1-specific T cells in 31 exposed seronegatives (ES) using a IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay to enumerate T cells recognizing epitopes within HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol and Nef. PBMC from only three of the 31 volunteers demonstrated ex vivo HIV-1-specific IFN-gamma secretion, in contrast to nearly 30% exhibiting cytolytic responses in previous studies. These findings suggest that if T cell responses in ES are induced by HIV-1 exposure, the frequency is at low levels in most of them, and below the level of detection using the ELISPOT assay. Alternative approaches to improve the sensitivity of detection may include use of dendritic cells as antigen-presenting cells in the ex vivo assay and more careful definition of the risk behavior and extent of HIV-1 exposure in conjunction with the evaluation of T cell responses.

  7. Fracture risk by HIV infection status in perinatally HIV-exposed children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siberry, George K; Li, Hong; Jacobson, Denise

    2012-03-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the incidence of fractures in HIV-infected children and comparable HIV-exposed, uninfected (HEU) children in a multicenter, prospective cohort study (PACTG 219/219C) in the United States. The main outcome was first fracture during the risk period. Nine fractures occurred in 7 of 1326 HIV-infected and 2 of 649 HEU children, corresponding to incidence rates of 1.2 per 1000 person-years and 1.1 per 1000 person-years, respectively. The incidence rate ratio was 1.1 (95% CI 0.2, 5.5). There was no evidence of a substantially increased risk of fracture in HIV-infected compared to HEU children.

  8. Safety and Immunogenicity of a Recombinant Adenovirus Serotype 35-Vectored HIV-1 Vaccine in Adenovirus Serotype 5 Seronegative and Seropositive Individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, Jonathan D; Bart, Pierre-Alexandre; Frahm, Nicole; Morgan, Cecilia; Gilbert, Peter B; Kochar, Nidhi; DeRosa, Stephen C; Tomaras, Georgia D; Wagner, Theresa M; Baden, Lindsey R; Koblin, Beryl A; Rouphael, Nadine G; Kalams, Spyros A; Keefer, Michael C; Goepfert, Paul A; Sobieszczyk, Magdalena E; Mayer, Kenneth H; Swann, Edith; Liao, Hua-Xin; Haynes, Barton F; Graham, Barney S; McElrath, M Juliana

    2015-05-01

    Recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 (rAd5)-vectored HIV-1 vaccines have not prevented HIV-1 infection or disease and pre-existing Ad5 neutralizing antibodies may limit the clinical utility of Ad5 vectors globally. Using a rare Ad serotype vector, such as Ad35, may circumvent these issues, but there are few data on the safety and immunogenicity of rAd35 directly compared to rAd5 following human vaccination. HVTN 077 randomized 192 healthy, HIV-uninfected participants into one of four HIV-1 vaccine/placebo groups: rAd35/rAd5, DNA/rAd5, and DNA/rAd35 in Ad5-seronegative persons; and DNA/rAd35 in Ad5-seropositive persons. All vaccines encoded the HIV-1 EnvA antigen. Antibody and T-cell responses were measured 4 weeks post boost immunization. All vaccines were generally well tolerated and similarly immunogenic. As compared to rAd5, rAd35 was equally potent in boosting HIV-1-specific humoral and cellular immunity and responses were not significantly attenuated in those with baseline Ad5 seropositivity. Like DNA, rAd35 efficiently primed rAd5 boosting. All vaccine regimens tested elicited cross-clade antibody responses, including Env V1/V2-specific IgG responses. Vaccine antigen delivery by rAd35 is well-tolerated and immunogenic as a prime to rAd5 immunization and as a boost to prior DNA immunization with the homologous insert. Further development of rAd35-vectored prime-boost vaccine regimens is warranted.

  9. Motivational Interviewing Targeting Risky Sex in HIV-Positive Young Thai Men Who Have Sex with Men

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rongkavilit, Chokechai; Wang, Bo; Naar-King, Sylvie; Bunupuradah, Torsak; Parsons, Jeffrey T.; Panthong, Apirudee; Koken, Juline A.; Saengcharnchai, Pichai; Phanuphak, Praphan

    2014-01-01

    Motivational interviewing (MI) has been shown to reduce sexual risks among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (HMSM) in the U.S. We conducted a randomized trial of Healthy Choices, a 4-session MI intervention, targeting sexual risks among 110 HIV-positive youth ages 16–25 years in Thailand. Risk assessments were conducted at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months post-intervention. This report presents the analysis of 74 HMSM in the study. There were 37 HMSM in the Intervention group and 37 in the control group. The proportions of participants having anal sex and having sex with either HIV-uninfected or unknown partners in past 30 days were significantly lower in Intervention group than in control group at 6 months post-intervention (38% vs. 65%, p = .04; and 27% vs. 62%, p Thai HMSM was associated with sexual risk reduction. Improvements in mental health and HIV stigma were noted in Intervention group. Healthy Choices is a promising behavioral intervention and should be further developed to serve the needs of young HMSM in resource-limited countries. PMID:24668304

  10. Inequalities and Duality in Gene Coexpression Networks of HIV-1 Infection Revealed by the Combination of the Double-Connectivity Approach and the Gini's Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuang Ma

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The symbiosis (Sym and pathogenesis (Pat is a duality problem of microbial infection, including HIV/AIDS. Statistical analysis of inequalities and duality in gene coexpression networks (GCNs of HIV-1 infection may gain novel insights into AIDS. In this study, we focused on analysis of GCNs of uninfected subjects and HIV-1-infected patients at three different stages of viral infection based on data deposited in the GEO database of NCBI. The inequalities and duality in these GCNs were analyzed by the combination of the double-connectivity (DC approach and the Gini's method. DC analysis reveals that there are significant differences between positive and negative connectivity in HIV-1 stage-specific GCNs. The inequality measures of negative connectivity and edge weight are changed more significantly than those of positive connectivity and edge weight in GCNs from the HIV-1 uninfected to the AIDS stages. With the permutation test method, we identified a set of genes with significant changes in the inequality and duality measure of edge weight. Functional analysis shows that these genes are highly enriched for the immune system, which plays an essential role in the Sym-Pat duality (SPD of microbial infections. Understanding of the SPD problems of HIV-1 infection may provide novel intervention strategies for AIDS.

  11. HIV-infected Children in Malawi Have Decreased Performance on the 6-minute Walk Test With Preserved Cardiac Mechanics Regardless of Antiretroviral Treatment Status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims Sanyahumbi, Amy E; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Guffey, Danielle; Hoffman, Irving; Kazembe, Peter N; McCrary, Madeline; Minard, Charles G; van der Horst, Charles; Sable, Craig A

    2017-07-01

    The aims of this study were to 1) determine if cardiac disease can be detected in HIV-infected children by strain imaging and 2) to evaluate differences in exercise performance between HIV-infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV-infected children not yet on ART and in HIV-uninfected children by 6-minute walk tests (6MWTs). This cross-sectional study evaluated cardiac function by echocardiogram and exercise performance by 6MWT in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children 4-18 years of age in Lilongwe, Malawi. Analyses compared HIV uninfected, HIV infected not yet on ART, and HIV infected on ART. Comparisons used χ test, t test, analysis of variance and multiple linear regression. No differences were found in ejection fraction, shortening fraction or strain in 73 children not yet on ART, 149 on ART and 77 HIV-uninfected controls. As viral load increased, children had worse circumferential strain. In addition, children receiving ART had better circumferential strain than those not yet on ART. Increased CD4 percentage was associated with better longitudinal strain and farther 6MWT distance. As longitudinal strain worsened, the 6MWT distance decreased. HIV-infected children not yet on ART walked a mean of 25.8 m less than HIV-uninfected children, and HIV-infected children on ART walked 25.9 m less (P = 0.015 comparing 3 groups). HIV-uninfected children performed better on the 6MWT than HIV-infected children. Lower viral load, being on ART, and higher CD4 percentage were associated with better strain measures. Better longitudinal strain was associated with a farther 6MWT distance. Overall, ejection fraction, shortening fraction and strain measures between groups were similar, so cardiac strain did not detect cardiac dysfunction in this young population.

  12. In vivo electroporation enhances the immunogenicity of an HIV-1 DNA vaccine candidate in healthy volunteers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandhya Vasan

    Full Text Available DNA-based vaccines have been safe but weakly immunogenic in humans to date.We sought to determine the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of ADVAX, a multigenic HIV-1 DNA vaccine candidate, injected intramuscularly by in vivo electroporation (EP in a Phase-1, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. Eight volunteers each received 0.2 mg, 1 mg, or 4 mg ADVAX or saline placebo via EP, or 4 mg ADVAX via standard intramuscular injection at weeks 0 and 8. A third vaccination was administered to eleven volunteers at week 36. EP was safe, well-tolerated and considered acceptable for a prophylactic vaccine. EP delivery of ADVAX increased the magnitude of HIV-1-specific cell mediated immunity by up to 70-fold over IM injection, as measured by gamma interferon ELISpot. The number of antigens to which the response was detected improved with EP and increasing dosage. Intracellular cytokine staining analysis of ELISpot responders revealed both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, with co-secretion of multiple cytokines.This is the first demonstration in healthy volunteers that EP is safe, tolerable, and effective in improving the magnitude, breadth and durability of cellular immune responses to a DNA vaccine candidate.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00545987.

  13. Association of the Fractal Dimension of Retinal Arteries and Veins with Quantitative Brain MRI Measures in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Howard A Crystal

    Full Text Available The fractal dimension of retinal arteries and veins is a measure of the complexity of the vascular tree. We hypothesized that retinal fractal dimension would be associated with brain volume and white matter integrity in HIV-infected women.Nested case-control within longitudinal cohort study.Women were recruited from the Brooklyn site of the Women's Interagency HIV study (WIHS; 34 HIV-infected and 21 HIV-uninfected women with analyzable MRIs and retinal photographs were included. Fractal dimension was determined using the SIVA software program on skeletonized retinal images. The relationship between predictors (retinal vascular measures and outcomes (quantitative MRI measures were analyzed with linear regression models. All models included age, intracranial volume, and both arterial and venous fractal dimension. Some models were adjusted for blood pressure, race/ethnicity, and HIV-infection.The women were 45.6 ± 7.3 years of age. Higher arterial dimension was associated with larger cortical volumes, but higher venous dimension was associated with smaller cortical volumes. In fully adjusted models, venous dimension was significantly associated with fractional anisotropy (standardized β = -0.41, p = 0.009 and total gray matter volume (β = -0.24, p = 0.03, and arterial dimension with mean diffusivity (β = -0.33,.p = 0.04 and fractional anisotropy (β = 0.34, p = 0.03. HIV-infection was not associated with any retinal or MRI measure.Higher venous fractal dimension was associated with smaller cortical volumes and lower fractional anisotropy, whereas higher arterial fractal dimension was associated with the opposite patterns. Longitudinal studies are needed to validate this finding.

  14. Association of the Fractal Dimension of Retinal Arteries and Veins with Quantitative Brain MRI Measures in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crystal, Howard A; Holman, Susan; Lui, Yvonne W; Baird, Alison E; Yu, Hua; Klein, Ronald; Rojas-Soto, Diana Marcella; Gustafson, Deborah R; Stebbins, Glenn T

    2016-01-01

    The fractal dimension of retinal arteries and veins is a measure of the complexity of the vascular tree. We hypothesized that retinal fractal dimension would be associated with brain volume and white matter integrity in HIV-infected women. Nested case-control within longitudinal cohort study. Women were recruited from the Brooklyn site of the Women's Interagency HIV study (WIHS); 34 HIV-infected and 21 HIV-uninfected women with analyzable MRIs and retinal photographs were included. Fractal dimension was determined using the SIVA software program on skeletonized retinal images. The relationship between predictors (retinal vascular measures) and outcomes (quantitative MRI measures) were analyzed with linear regression models. All models included age, intracranial volume, and both arterial and venous fractal dimension. Some models were adjusted for blood pressure, race/ethnicity, and HIV-infection. The women were 45.6 ± 7.3 years of age. Higher arterial dimension was associated with larger cortical volumes, but higher venous dimension was associated with smaller cortical volumes. In fully adjusted models, venous dimension was significantly associated with fractional anisotropy (standardized β = -0.41, p = 0.009) and total gray matter volume (β = -0.24, p = 0.03), and arterial dimension with mean diffusivity (β = -0.33,.p = 0.04) and fractional anisotropy (β = 0.34, p = 0.03). HIV-infection was not associated with any retinal or MRI measure. Higher venous fractal dimension was associated with smaller cortical volumes and lower fractional anisotropy, whereas higher arterial fractal dimension was associated with the opposite patterns. Longitudinal studies are needed to validate this finding.

  15. Comparative {sup 1}H NMR-based metabonomic analysis of HIV-1 sera

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Philippeos, C. [University of Johannesburg, Department of Biochemistry (South Africa); Steffens, F. E. [University of Pretoria, Department of Statistics (South Africa); Meyer, D. [University of Pretoria, Department of Biochemistry (South Africa)], E-mail: debra.meyer@up.ac.za

    2009-07-15

    {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy of sera from HIV-1 infected and uninfected individuals was performed on 300 and 600 MHz instruments. The resultant spectra were automatically data reduced to 90 and 180 integral segments of equal length. Analysis of variance identified significant differences between the sample groups, especially for the samples analyzed on 600 MHz and reduced to fewer segments. Linear discriminant analysis correctly classified 100% of the samples analyzed on the 300 MHz NMR (reduced to 180 segments); an increase in instrument sensitivity resulted in lower percentages of correctly classified samples. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) resulted in 100% correct classification of all samples from both instruments. Thus {sup 1}H-NMR metabonomics on either instrument distinguishes HIV-positive individuals using or not using anti retroviral therapy, but the sensitivity of the instrument impacts on data reduction. Furthermore, MLR is a novel multivariate statistical technique for improved classification of biological data analyzed in NMR.

  16. Vaccination of HIV-infected pregnant women: implications for protection of their young infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dangor, Ziyaad; Nunes, Marta C; Kwatra, Gaurav; Lala, Sanjay G; Madhi, Shabir A

    2017-01-01

    The prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV has resulted in reduced burden of pediatric HIV-infection, but the prevalence of maternal HIV infection remains high in sub-Saharan African countries. HIV-exposed-uninfected infants have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases than HIV-unexposed infants, particularly during the first six months of life, which in part might be due to lower levels of pathogen-specific protective antibodies acquired transplacentally from their mothers. This could be mitigated by vaccinating pregnant women to boost antibody levels; although vaccine responses among HIV-infected pregnant women might differ compared to HIV-uninfected women. We reviewed studies that compared natural and vaccine-induced antibody levels to different epitopes between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women. Most studies reported lower baseline/pre-vaccination antibody levels in HIV-infected pregnant women, which may not be reversed by antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy. There were only few studies on vaccination of HIV-infected pregnant women, mainly on influenza virus and group B Streptococcus (GBS) vaccines. Immunogenicity studies on influenza vaccines indicated that HIV-infected pregnant women had lower vaccine induced hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers and a decreased likelihood of seroconversion compared to HIV-uninfected women; and while higher CD4+ T-lymphocyte levels were associated with better immune responses to vaccination, HIV viral load was not associated with responses. Furthermore, infants born to influenza vaccinated HIV-infected pregnant women also had lower antibody levels and a lower proportion of HIV-exposed infants had titers above the putative correlate of protection compared to HIV-unexposed infants. The immunogenicity of a CRM 197 -conjugated trivalent GBS vaccine was also lower in HIV-infected pregnant women compared to HIV-uninfected women, irrespective of CD4+ T

  17. Bactericidal Immunity to Salmonella in Africans and Mechanisms Causing Its Failure in HIV Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yun Shan Goh

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Nontyphoidal strains of Salmonella are a leading cause of death among HIV-infected Africans. Antibody-induced complement-mediated killing protects healthy Africans against Salmonella, but increased levels of anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS antibodies in some HIV-infected African adults block this killing. The objective was to understand how these high levels of anti-LPS antibodies interfere with the killing of Salmonella.Sera and affinity-purified antibodies from African HIV-infected adults that failed to kill invasive S. Typhimurium D23580 were compared to sera from HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected subjects with bactericidal activity. The failure of sera from certain HIV-infected subjects to kill Salmonella was found to be due to an inherent inhibitory effect of anti-LPS antibodies. This inhibition was concentration-dependent and strongly associated with IgA and IgG2 anti-LPS antibodies (p<0.0001 for both. IgG anti-LPS antibodies, from sera of HIV-infected individuals that inhibit killing at high concentration, induced killing when diluted. Conversely, IgG, from sera of HIV-uninfected adults that induce killing, inhibited killing when concentrated. IgM anti-LPS antibodies from all subjects also induced Salmonella killing. Finally, the inhibitory effect of high concentrations of anti-LPS antibodies is seen with IgM as well as IgG and IgA. No correlation was found between affinity or avidity, or complement deposition or consumption, and inhibition of killing.IgG and IgM classes of anti-S. Typhimurium LPS antibodies from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals are bactericidal, while at very high concentrations, anti-LPS antibodies of all classes inhibit in vitro killing of Salmonella. This could be due to a variety of mechanisms relating to the poor ability of IgA and IgG2 to activate complement, and deposition of complement at sites where it cannot insert in the bacterial membrane. Vaccine trials are required to understand the significance of

  18. Basis and Statistical Design of the Passive HIV-1 Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) Test-of-Concept Efficacy Trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Peter B; Juraska, Michal; deCamp, Allan C; Karuna, Shelly; Edupuganti, Srilatha; Mgodi, Nyaradzo; Donnell, Deborah J; Bentley, Carter; Sista, Nirupama; Andrew, Philip; Isaacs, Abby; Huang, Yunda; Zhang, Lily; Capparelli, Edmund; Kochar, Nidhi; Wang, Jing; Eshleman, Susan H; Mayer, Kenneth H; Magaret, Craig A; Hural, John; Kublin, James G; Gray, Glenda; Montefiori, David C; Gomez, Margarita M; Burns, David N; McElrath, Julie; Ledgerwood, Julie; Graham, Barney S; Mascola, John R; Cohen, Myron; Corey, Lawrence

    2017-01-01

    Anti-HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) have been developed as potential agents for prevention of HIV-1 infection. The HIV Vaccine Trials Network and the HIV Prevention Trials Network are conducting the Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) trials to assess whether, and how, intravenous infusion of the anti-CD4 binding site bnAb, VRC01, prevents HIV-1 infection. These are the first test-of-concept studies to assess HIV-1 bnAb prevention efficacy in humans. The AMP trials are two parallel phase 2b HIV-1 prevention efficacy trials conducted in two cohorts: 2700 HIV-uninfected men and transgender persons who have sex with men in the United States, Peru, Brazil, and Switzerland; and 1500 HIV-uninfected sexually active women in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Participants are randomized 1:1:1 to receive an intravenous infusion of 10 mg/kg VRC01, 30 mg/kg VRC01, or a control preparation every 8 weeks for a total of 10 infusions. Each trial is designed (1) to assess overall prevention efficacy (PE) pooled over the two VRC01 dose groups vs. control and (2) to assess VRC01 dose and laboratory markers as correlates of protection (CoPs) against overall and genotype- and phenotype-specific infection. Each AMP trial is designed to have 90% power to detect PE > 0% if PE is ≥ 60%. The AMP trials are also designed to identify VRC01 properties (i.e., concentration and effector functions) that correlate with protection and to provide insight into mechanistic CoPs. CoPs are assessed using data from breakthrough HIV-1 infections, including genetic sequences and sensitivities to VRC01-mediated neutralization and Fc effector functions. The AMP trials test whether VRC01 can prevent HIV-1 infection in two study populations. If affirmative, they will provide information for estimating the optimal dosage of VRC01 (or subsequent derivatives) and identify threshold levels of neutralization and Fc effector functions associated with high-level protection, setting a benchmark

  19. Alterations in the nuclear proteome of HIV-1 infected T-cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeBoer, Jason; Jagadish, Teena; Haverland, Nicole A.; Madson, Christian J.; Ciborowski, Pawel; Belshan, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Virus infection of a cell involves the appropriation of host factors and the innate defensive response of the cell. The identification of proteins critical for virus replication may lead to the development of novel, cell-based inhibitors. In this study we mapped the changes in T-cell nuclei during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) at 20 hpi. Using a stringent data threshold, a total of 13 and 38 unique proteins were identified in infected and uninfected cells, respectively, across all biological replicates. An additional 15 proteins were found to be differentially regulated between infected and control nuclei. STRING analysis identified four clusters of protein–protein interactions in the data set related to nuclear architecture, RNA regulation, cell division, and cell homeostasis. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the differential expression of several proteins in both C8166-45 and Jurkat E6-1 T-cells. These data provide a map of the response in host cell nuclei upon HIV-1 infection. - Highlights: • We identify changes in the expression of nuclear proteins during HIV-1 infection. • 163 nuclear proteins were found differentially regulated during HIV-1 infection. • Bioinformatic analysis identified several nuclear pathways altered by HIV infection. • Candidate factors were validated in two independent cell lines

  20. Alterations in the nuclear proteome of HIV-1 infected T-cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeBoer, Jason [Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178 (United States); Jagadish, Teena; Haverland, Nicole A. [Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198 (United States); Madson, Christian J. [Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178 (United States); Ciborowski, Pawel [Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198 (United States); The Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583 (United States); Belshan, Michael, E-mail: michaelbelshan@creighton.edu [Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178 (United States); The Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583 (United States)

    2014-11-15

    Virus infection of a cell involves the appropriation of host factors and the innate defensive response of the cell. The identification of proteins critical for virus replication may lead to the development of novel, cell-based inhibitors. In this study we mapped the changes in T-cell nuclei during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) at 20 hpi. Using a stringent data threshold, a total of 13 and 38 unique proteins were identified in infected and uninfected cells, respectively, across all biological replicates. An additional 15 proteins were found to be differentially regulated between infected and control nuclei. STRING analysis identified four clusters of protein–protein interactions in the data set related to nuclear architecture, RNA regulation, cell division, and cell homeostasis. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the differential expression of several proteins in both C8166-45 and Jurkat E6-1 T-cells. These data provide a map of the response in host cell nuclei upon HIV-1 infection. - Highlights: • We identify changes in the expression of nuclear proteins during HIV-1 infection. • 163 nuclear proteins were found differentially regulated during HIV-1 infection. • Bioinformatic analysis identified several nuclear pathways altered by HIV infection. • Candidate factors were validated in two independent cell lines.

  1. Longitudinal Trends in Sexual Behaviors with Advancing Age and Menopause Among Women With and Without HIV-1 Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weedon, Jeremy; Golub, Elizabeth T.; Karpiak, Stephen E.; Gandhi, Monica; Cohen, Mardge H.; Levine, Alexandra M.; Minkoff, Howard L.; Adedimeji, Adebola A.; Goparaju, Lakshmi; Holman, Susan; Wilson, Tracey E.

    2014-01-01

    We assessed changes in self-reported sexual activity (SA) over 13 years among HIV-infected and uninfected women. The impact of aging and menopause on SA and unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse (UAVI) was examined among women in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), stratifying by HIV status and detectable viral load among HIV-infected women. Generalized mixed linear models were fitted for each outcome, adjusted for relevant covariates. HIV-uninfected women evidenced higher levels of SA and UAVI than HIV-infected. The odds of SA declined by 62–64 % per decade of age. The odds of SA in a 6-month interval for women aged 40–57 declined by 18–22 % post-menopause (controlling for age). Among HIV+/detectable women only, the odds of any UAVI decreased by 17 % per decade of age; the odds of UAVI were unchanged pre-menopause, and then decreased by 28 % post-menopause. Elucidating the factors accounting for ongoing unprotected sex among older women should inform interventions. PMID:25245474

  2. Continued Follow-Up of Phambili Phase 2b Randomized HIV-1 Vaccine Trial Participants Supports Increased HIV-1 Acquisition among Vaccinated Men.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoe Moodie

    Full Text Available The Phase 2b double-blinded, randomized Phambili/HVTN 503 trial evaluated safety and efficacy of the MRK Ad5 gag/pol/nef subtype B HIV-1 preventive vaccine vs placebo in sexually active HIV-1 seronegative participants in South Africa. Enrollment and vaccinations stopped and participants were unblinded but continued follow-up when the Step study evaluating the same vaccine in the Americas, Caribbean, and Australia was unblinded for non-efficacy. Final Phambili analyses found more HIV-1 infections amongst vaccine than placebo recipients, impelling the HVTN 503-S recall study.HVTN 503-S sought to enroll all 695 HIV-1 uninfected Phambili participants, provide HIV testing, risk reduction counseling, physical examination, risk behavior assessment and treatment assignment recall. After adding HVTN 503-S data, HIV-1 infection hazard ratios (HR vaccine vs. placebo were estimated by Cox models.Of the 695 eligible, 465 (67% enrolled with 230 from the vaccine group and 235 from the placebo group. 38% of the 184 Phambili dropouts were enrolled. Enrollment did not differ by treatment group, gender, or baseline HSV-2. With the additional 1286 person years of 503-S follow-up, the estimated HR over Phambili and HVTN 503-S follow-up was 1.52 (95% CI 1.08-2.15, p = 0.02, 82 vaccine/54 placebo infections. The HR was significant for men (HR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.49, 5.06, p = 0.001 but not for women (HR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.73, 1.72, p = 0.62.The additional follow-up from HVTN 503-S supported the Phambili finding of increased HIV-1 acquisition among vaccinated men and strengthened the evidence of lack of vaccine effect among women.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00413725 SA National Health Research Database DOH-27-0207-1539.

  3. Safety and tolerability of conserved region vaccines vectored by plasmid DNA, simian adenovirus and modified vaccinia virus ankara administered to human immunodeficiency virus type 1-uninfected adults in a randomized, single-blind phase I trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma-Jo Hayton

    Full Text Available HIV-1 vaccine development has advanced slowly due to viral antigenic diversity, poor immunogenicity and recently, safety concerns associated with human adenovirus serotype-5 vectors. To tackle HIV-1 variation, we designed a unique T-cell immunogen HIVconsv from functionally conserved regions of the HIV-1 proteome, which were presented to the immune system using a heterologous prime-boost combination of plasmid DNA, a non-replicating simian (chimpanzee adenovirus ChAdV-63 and a non-replicating poxvirus, modified vaccinia virus Ankara. A block-randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled phase I trial HIV-CORE 002 administered for the first time candidate HIV-1- vaccines or placebo to 32 healthy HIV-1/2-uninfected adults in Oxford, UK and elicited high frequencies of HIV-1-specific T cells capable of inhibiting HIV-1 replication in vitro. Here, detail safety and tolerability of these vaccines are reported.Local and systemic reactogenicity data were collected using structured interviews and study-specific diary cards. Data on all other adverse events were collected using open questions. Serum neutralizing antibody titres to ChAdV-63 were determined before and after vaccination.Two volunteers withdrew for vaccine-unrelated reasons. No vaccine-related serious adverse events or reactions occurred during 190 person-months of follow-up. Local and systemic events after vaccination occurred in 27/32 individuals and most were mild (severity grade 1 and predominantly transient (<48 hours. Myalgia and flu-like symptoms were more strongly associated with MVA than ChAdV63 or DNA vectors and more common in vaccine recipients than in placebo. There were no intercurrent HIV-1 infections during follow-up. 2/24 volunteers had low ChAdV-63-neutralizing titres at baseline and 7 increased their titres to over 200 with a median (range of 633 (231-1533 post-vaccination, which is of no safety concern.These data demonstrate safety and good tolerability of the pSG2

  4. Efficacy of a Clinic-Based Safer Sex Program for Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Uninfected and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosby, Richard A; Mena, Leandro; Salazar, Laura F; Hardin, James W; Brown, Tim; Vickers Smith, Rachel

    2018-03-01

    To test the efficacy of a single-session, clinic-based intervention designed to promote condom use among young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Six hundred YBMSM were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial, using a 12-month observation period. An intent-to-treat analysis was performed, with multiple imputation for missing data. Compared with the reference group, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men in the intervention group had 64% greater odds of reporting consistent condom use for anal receptive sex over 12 months (estimated odds ratio, 1.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.17, P = 0.001). Also, compared with the reference group, HIV-uninfected men in the intervention group had more than twice the odds of reporting consistent condom use for anal receptive sex over 12 months (estimated odds ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.74-2.63, P < 0.001). Significant intervention effects relative to incident sexually transmitted diseases were not observed. A single-session, clinic-based, intervention may help protect HIV-uninfected YBMSM against HIV acquisition and HIV-infected YBMSM from transmitting the virus to insertive partners.

  5. Multicohort Genomewide Association Study Reveals a New Signal of Protection Against HIV-1 Acquisition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limou, Sophie; Delaneau, Olivier; van Manen, Daniëlle; An, Ping; Sezgin, Efe; Le Clerc, Sigrid; Coulonges, Cédric; Troyer, Jennifer L.; Veldink, Jan H.; van den Berg, Leonard H.; Spadoni, Jean-Louis; Taing, Lieng; Labib, Taoufik; Montes, Matthieu; Delfraissy, Jean-François; Schachter, François; O’Brien, Stephen J.; Buchbinder, Susan; van Natta, Mark L.; Jabs, Douglas A.; Froguel, Philippe; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Winkler, Cheryl A.

    2012-01-01

    Background. To date, only mutations in CCR5 have been shown to confer resistance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, and these explain only a small fraction of the observed variability in HIV susceptibility. Methods. We performed a meta-analysis between 2 independent European genomewide association studies, each comparing HIV-1 seropositive cases with normal population controls known to be HIV uninfected, to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the HIV-1 acquisition phenotype. SNPs exhibiting P < 10−5 in this first stage underwent second-stage analysis in 2 independent US cohorts of European descent. Results. After the first stage, a single highly significant association was revealed for the chromosome 8 rs6996198 with HIV-1 acquisition and was replicated in both second-stage cohorts. Across the 4 groups, the rs6996198-T allele was consistently associated with a significant reduced risk of HIV-1 infection, and the global meta-analysis reached genomewide significance: Pcombined = 7.76 × 10−8. Conclusions. We provide strong evidence of association for a common variant with HIV-1 acquisition in populations of European ancestry. This protective signal against HIV-1 infection is the first identified outside the CCR5 nexus. First clues point to a potential functional role for a nearby candidate gene, CYP7B1, but this locus warrants further investigation. PMID:22362864

  6. Complications of cesarean deliveries among HIV-infected women in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kourtis, Athena P.; Ellington, Sascha; Pazol, Karen; Flowers, Lisa; Haddad, Lisa; Jamieson, Denise J.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To compare rates of complications associated with cesarean delivery in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women in the United States and to investigate trends in such complications across four study cycles spanning the implementation of HAART in the United States (1995–1996, 2000–2001, 2005–2006, 2010–2011). Design The Nationwide Inpatient Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project is the largest all-payer hospital inpatient care database in the United States; when weighted to account for the complex sampling design, nationally representative estimates are derived. After restricting the study sample to women aged 15–49 years, our study sample consisted of approximately 1 090 000 cesarean delivery hospitalizations annually. Methods Complications associated with cesarean deliveries were categorized as infection, hemorrhage, or surgical trauma, based on groups of specific International Classification of Diseases 9th revision codes. Length of hospitalization, hospital charges, and in-hospital deaths were also examined. Results The rate of complications significantly decreased during the study periods for HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women. However, rates of infectious complications and surgical trauma associated with cesarean deliveries remained higher among HIV-infected, compared with HIV-uninfected women in 2010–2011, as did prolonged hospital stay and in-hospital deaths. Length of hospitalization decreased over time for cesarean deliveries of HIV-infected women to a greater extent compared with HIV-uninfected women. Conclusion In the United States, rates of cesarean delivery complications decreased from 1995 to 2011. However, rates of infection, surgical trauma, hospital deaths, and prolonged hospitalization are still higher among HIV-infected women. Clinicians should remain alert to this persistently increased risk of cesarean delivery complications among HIV-infected women. PMID:25574961

  7. HIV-infected children living in Central Africa have low persistence of antibodies to vaccines used in the Expanded Program on Immunization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathurin C Tejiokem

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI is the most cost-effective measures to control vaccine-preventable diseases. Currently, the EPI schedule is similar for HIV-infected children; the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART should considerably prolong their life expectancy. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To evaluate the persistence of antibodies to the EPI vaccines in HIV-infected and HIV-exposed uninfected children who previously received these vaccines in routine clinical practice, we conducted a cross-sectional study of children, aged 18 to 36 months, born to HIV-infected mothers and living in Central Africa. We tested blood samples for antibodies to the combined diphtheria, tetanus, and whole-cell pertussis (DTwP, the measles and the oral polio (OPV vaccines. We enrolled 51 HIV-infected children of whom 33 were receiving ART, and 78 HIV-uninfected children born to HIV-infected women. A lower proportion of HIV-infected children than uninfected children had antibodies to the tested antigens with the exception of the OPV types 1 and 2. This difference was substantial for the measles vaccine (20% of the HIV-infected children and 56% of the HIV-exposed uninfected children, p<0.0001. We observed a high risk of low antibody levels for all EPI vaccines, except OPV types 1 and 2, in HIV-infected children with severe immunodeficiency (CD4(+ T cells <25%. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Children were examined at a time when their antibody concentrations to EPI vaccines would have still not undergone significant decay. However, we showed that the antibody concentrations were lowered in HIV-infected children. Moreover, antibody concentration after a single dose of the measles vaccine was substantially lower than expected, particularly low in HIV-infected children with low CD4(+ T cell counts. This study supports the need for a second dose of the measles vaccine and for a booster dose of the DTwP and OPV vaccines to maintain the

  8. Perinatal HIV Infection and Exposure and Their Association With Dental Caries in Nigerian Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coker, Modupe; El-Kamary, Samer S; Enwonwu, Cyril; Blattner, William; Langenberg, Patricia; Mongodin, Emmanuel; Akhigbe, Paul; Obuekwe, Ozo; Omoigberale, Austin; Charurat, Manhattan

    2018-01-01

    Although HIV infection is associated with well-known oral pathologies, there remains a dearth of comparative studies aimed at determining the association between HIV infection/exposure and early childhood caries. This is a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of 3 groups of children receiving care at a tertiary care hospital in Nigeria. The groups include HIV infected (HI), HIV exposed but uninfected and HIV-unexposed and -uninfected children 6 through 72 months of age. Medical records were reviewed, and caregivers were interviewed for sociodemographic, maternal and birth factors as well as early feeding and dietary information. Oral examinations were performed by trained dentist examiners. Of 335 children enrolled, 33 (9.9%) presented with caries. In an adjusted analysis, compared with HIV-unexposed and -uninfected children, HI children had significantly greater odds of having caries (odds ratio = 2.58; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-6.40; P = 0.04), but there was no statistically significant difference in HIV exposed but uninfected children (odds ratio = 2.01; 95% confidence interval: 0.56-7.23; P = 0.28). Factors significantly associated with higher caries prevalence include low CD4 counts and percentage, older age, longer duration of breastfeeding and spontaneous membrane rupture during delivery. Caries was more prevalent in HI children. These findings support the need to target HI children for oral health prevention and treatment services particularly in Nigeria and other developing countries.

  9. Antibody Responses with Fc-Mediated Functions after Vaccination of HIV-Infected Subjects with Trivalent Influenza Vaccine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Anne B; Lay, William N; Ana-Sosa-Batiz, Fernanda

    2016-01-01

    to immunize this at-risk group. IMPORTANCE: Infection with HIV is associated with increasing disease severity following influenza infections, and annual influenza vaccinations are recommended for this target group. However, HIV-infected individuals respond relatively poorly to vaccination compared to healthy......This study seeks to assess the ability of seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) to induce nonneutralizing antibodies (Abs) with Fc-mediated functions in HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected subjects. Functional influenza-specific Ab responses were studied in 30 HIV-negative and 27 HIV......-positive subjects immunized against seasonal influenza. All 57 subjects received the 2015 TIV. Fc-mediated antihemagglutinin (anti-HA) Ab activity was measured in plasma before and 4 weeks after vaccination using Fc-receptor-binding assays, NK cell activation assays, and phagocytosis assays. At baseline, the HIV...

  10. Healthy Aging in Older Women Living with HIV Infection: a Systematic Review of Psychosocial Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubtsova, Anna A; Kempf, Mirjam-Colette; Taylor, Tonya N; Konkle-Parker, Deborah; Wingood, Gina M; Holstad, Marcia McDonnell

    2017-02-01

    Due to life-enhancing effects of antiretroviral therapy, HIV-positive persons have the potential for long life comparable to their uninfected peers. Older women (age 50+) living with HIV (OWLH) are often an under-recognized aging group. We conducted a systematic review to examine psychosocial factors that impact how OWLH live, cope, and age with HIV. Initial key word search yielded 1527 records, and 21 studies met our inclusion criteria of original quantitative or qualitative research published between 2013 and 2016 with results specific to OWLH. These focused on health care and self-management, sexual health and risk, stigma, loneliness, mental health (depression, substance use), and protective factors (coping, social support, well-being). Due to the scarcity of studies on each topic and inconclusive findings, no clear patterns of results emerged. As the number of OWLH continues to grow, more research, including longitudinal studies, is needed to fully characterize the psychosocial factors that impact aging with HIV.

  11. Malnutrition in HIV-Infected Children Is an Indicator of Severe Disease with an Impaired Response to Antiretroviral Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Healy, Michael; Singh, Ravesh; Roider, Julia; Groll, Andreas; Kindra, Chirjeev; Sibaya, Thobekile; Moonsamy, Angeline; McGregor, Callum; Phan, Michelle Q.; Palma, Alejandro; Kloverpris, Henrik; Leslie, Alasdair; Bobat, Raziya; LaRussa, Philip; Ndung'u, Thumbi; Goulder, Philip; Sobieszczyk, Magdalena E.; Archary, Mohendran

    2018-01-01

    Abstract This observational study aimed to describe immunopathogenesis and treatment outcomes in children with and without severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and HIV-infection. We studied markers of microbial translocation (16sDNA), intestinal damage (iFABP), monocyte activation (sCD14), T-cell activation (CD38, HLA-DR) and immune exhaustion (PD1) in 32 HIV-infected children with and 41 HIV-infected children without SAM prior to initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and cross-sectionally compared these children to 15 HIV-uninfected children with and 19 HIV-uninfected children without SAM. We then prospectively measured these markers and correlated them to treatment outcomes in the HIV-infected children at 48 weeks following initiation of ART. Plasma levels of 16sDNA, iFABP and sCD14 were measured by quantitative real time PCR, ELISA and Luminex, respectively. T cell phenotype markers were measured by flow cytometry. Multiple regression analysis was performed using generalized linear models (GLMs) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) approach for variable selection. Microbial translocation, T cell activation and exhaustion were increased in HIV-uninfected children with SAM compared to HIV-uninfected children without SAM. In HIV-infected children microbial translocation, immune activation, and exhaustion was strongly increased but did not differ by SAM-status. SAM was associated with increased mortality rates early after ART initiation. Malnutrition, age, microbial translocation, monocyte, and CD8 T cell activation were independently associated with decreased rates of CD4% immune recovery after 48 weeks of ART. SAM is associated with increased microbial translocation, immune activation, and immune exhaustion in HIV-uninfected children and with worse prognosis and impaired immune recovery in HIV-infected children on ART. PMID:28670966

  12. Evaluation of Salivary Vitamin C and Catalase in HIV Positive and Healthy HIV Negative Control Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmadi-Motamayel, Fatemeh; Vaziri-Amjad, Samaneh; Goodarzi, Mohammad Taghi; Poorolajal, Jalal

    2017-01-01

    Saliva is a complex oral biologic fluid secreted by major and minor salivary glands. Saliva has immunological, enzymatic and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a life-threatening disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary vitamin C and catalase levels in HIV-positive patients in comparison to a healthy control group. Forty-nine HIV-infected individuals and 49 healthy subjects were selected. Five mL of unstimulated saliva was collected in 5 minutes using a sterilized Falcon tube with Navazesh method. Catalase and vitamin C levels were assessed by spectrophotometric assay. Data were analyzed with STATA 12. Salivary catalase levels were 7.99±2.40 and 8.37±1.81 in the case and control groups, respectively. Catalase level was lower in the case group but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.380). Salivary vitamin C levels in the case and control groups were 3.76±1.92 and 4.87±2.20, respectively (P=0.009). HIV can alter salivary antioxidant capacity as well as vitamin C and catalase levels. Saliva may reflect serum antioxidative changes in these patients. Therefore, further research is necessary on salivary and serum oxidants and the antioxidant changes. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  13. HIV status, breastfeeding modality at 5 months and postpartum maternal weight changes over 24 months in rural South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chetty, Terusha; Carter, Rosalind J; Bland, Ruth M; Newell, Marie-Louise

    2014-07-01

    To determine the effect of infant feeding practices on postpartum weight change among HIV-infected and -uninfected women in South Africa. In a non-randomised intervention cohort study of antiretroviral therapy-naïve women in South Africa, infants were classified as exclusive (EBF), mixed (MF) or non-breastfed (NBF) at each visit. We analysed infant feeding cumulatively from birth to 5 months using 24-hour feeding history (collected weekly for each of the preceding 7 days). Using generalised estimating equation mixed models, allowing for repeated measures, we compared postpartum weight change (kg) from the first maternal postpartum weight within the first 6 weeks (baseline weight) to each subsequent visit through 24 months among 2340 HIV-infected and -uninfected women with live births and at least two postpartum weight measurements. HIV-infected (-0.2 kg CI: -1.7 to 1.3 kg; P = 0.81) and -uninfected women (-0.5 kg; 95% CI: -2.1 to 1.2 kg; P = 0.58) had marginal non-significant weight loss from baseline to 24 months postpartum. Adjusting for HIV status, socio-demographic, pregnancy-related and infant factors, 5-month feeding modality was not significantly associated with postpartum weight change: weight change by 24 months postpartum, compared to the change in the reference EBF group, was 0.03 kg in NBF (95% CI: -2.5 to +2.5 kg; P = 0.90) and 0.1 kg in MF (95% CI: -3.0 to +3.2 kg; P = 0.78). HIV-infected and -uninfected women experienced similar weight loss over 24 months. Weight change postpartum was not associated with 5-month breastfeeding modality among HIV-infected and -uninfected women. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Real-time visualization of HIV-1 GAG trafficking in infected macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karine Gousset

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 particle production is driven by the Gag precursor protein Pr55(Gag. Despite significant progress in defining both the viral and cellular determinants of HIV-1 assembly and release, the trafficking pathway used by Gag to reach its site of assembly in the infected cell remains to be elucidated. The Gag trafficking itinerary in primary monocyte-derived macrophages is especially poorly understood. To define the site of assembly and characterize the Gag trafficking pathway in this physiologically relevant cell type, we have made use of the biarsenical-tetracysteine system. A small tetracysteine tag was introduced near the C-terminus of the matrix domain of Gag. The insertion of the tag at this position did not interfere with Gag trafficking, virus assembly or release, particle infectivity, or the kinetics of virus replication. By using this in vivo detection system to visualize Gag trafficking in living macrophages, Gag was observed to accumulate both at the plasma membrane and in an apparently internal compartment that bears markers characteristic of late endosomes or multivesicular bodies. Significantly, the internal Gag rapidly translocated to the junction between the infected macrophages and uninfected T cells following macrophage/T-cell synapse formation. These data indicate that a population of Gag in infected macrophages remains sequestered internally and is presented to uninfected target cells at a virological synapse.

  15. T-cell dynamics in healthy and HIV-infected individuals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrisekoop, N.

    2007-01-01

    This thesis focuses on T-cell dynamics in healthy and both treated and untreated HIV-infected individuals. Although the progressive decline in CD4+ T-cell numbers is the hallmark of HIV infection, the mechanisms behind this depletion remain controversial. Currently the most prevailing ideas include

  16. Partial protective effect of CCR5-Delta 32 heterozygosity in a cohort of heterosexual Italian HIV-1 exposed uninfected individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cauda Roberto

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Despite multiple sexual exposure to HIV-1 virus, some individuals remain HIV-1 seronegative (exposed seronegative, ESN. The mechanisms underlying this resistance remain still unclear, although a multifactorial pathogenesis can be hypothesised. Although several genetic factors have been related to HIV-1 resistance, the homozigosity for a mutation in CCR5 gene (the 32 bp deletion, i.e. CCR5-Delta32 allele is presently considered the most relevant one. In the present study we analysed the genotype at CCR5 locus of 30 Italian ESN individuals (case group who referred multiple unprotected heterosexual intercourse with HIV-1 seropositive partner(s, for at least two years. One hundred and twenty HIV-1 infected patients and 120 individuals representative of the general population were included as control groups. Twenty percent of ESN individuals had heterozygous CCR5-Delta 32 genotype, compared to 7.5% of HIV-1 seropositive and 10% of individuals from the general population, respectively. None of the analysed individuals had CCR5-Delta 32 homozygous genotype. Sequence analysis of the entire open reading frame of CCR5 was performed in all ESN subjects and no polymorphisms or mutations were identified. Moreover, we determined the distribution of C77G variant in CD45 gene, which has been previously related to HIV-1 infection susceptibility. The frequency of the C77G variant showed no significant difference between ESN subjects and the two control groups. In conclusion, our data show a significantly higher frequency of CCR5-Delta 32 heterozygous genotype (p = 0.04 among the Italian heterosexual ESN individuals compared to HIV-1 seropositive patients, suggesting a partial protective role of CCR5-Delta 32 heterozygosity in this cohort.

  17. Micronutrient intake of HIV-infected women in Mangaung, Free State ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conclusions. Insufficient micronutrient intakes are common in both HIV-infected and uninfected women. A well-balanced diet and micronutrient supplementation seem warranted to ensure optimal health and survival, particularly in HIV-infected women. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 20 (1) 2007: pp. 28-36 ...

  18. HIV-DNA Given with or without Intradermal Electroporation Is Safe and Highly Immunogenic in Healthy Swedish HIV-1 DNA/MVA Vaccinees: A Phase I Randomized Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charlotta Nilsson

    Full Text Available We compared safety and immunogenicity of intradermal (ID vaccination with and without electroporation (EP in a phase I randomized placebo-controlled trial of an HIV-DNA prime HIV-MVA boost vaccine in healthy Swedish volunteers.HIV-DNA plasmids encoding HIV-1 genes gp160 subtypes A, B and C; Rev B; Gag A and B and RTmut B were given ID at weeks 0, 6 and 12 in a dose of 0.6 mg. Twenty-five volunteers received vaccine using a needle-free device (ZetaJet with (n=16 or without (n=9 ID EP (Dermavax. Five volunteers were placebo recipients. Boosting with recombinant MVA-CMDR expressing HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol of CRF01_AE (HIV-MVA or placebo was performed at weeks 24 and 40. Nine of the vaccinees received a subtype C CN54 gp140 protein boost together with HIV-MVA.The ID/EP delivery was very well tolerated. After three HIV-DNA immunizations, no statistically significant difference was seen in the IFN-γ ELISpot response rate to Gag between HIV-DNA ID/EP recipients (5/15, 33% and HIV-DNA ID recipients (1/7, 14%, p=0.6158. The first HIV-MVA or HIV-MVA+gp140 vaccination increased the IFN-γ ELISpot response rate to 18/19 (95%. CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cell responses to Gag or Env were demonstrable in 94% of vaccinees. A balanced CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response was noted, with 78% and 71% responders, respectively. IFN-γ and IL-2 dominated the CD4+ T cell response to Gag and Env. The CD8+ response to Gag was broader with expression of IFN-γ, IL-2, MIP-1β and/or CD107. No differences were seen between DNA vaccine groups. Binding antibodies were induced after the second HIV-MVA+/-gp140 in 93% of vaccinees to subtype C Env, with the highest titers among EP/gp140 recipients.Intradermal electroporation of HIV-DNA was well tolerated. Strong cell- and antibody-mediated immune responses were elicited by the HIV-DNA prime and HIV-MVA boosting regimen, with or without intradermal electroporation use.International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN 60284968.

  19. HIV-DNA Given with or without Intradermal Electroporation Is Safe and Highly Immunogenic in Healthy Swedish HIV-1 DNA/MVA Vaccinees: A Phase I Randomized Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsson, Charlotta; Hejdeman, Bo; Godoy-Ramirez, Karina; Tecleab, Teghesti; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Bråve, Andreas; Earl, Patricia L; Stout, Richard R; Robb, Merlin L; Shattock, Robin J; Biberfeld, Gunnel; Sandström, Eric; Wahren, Britta

    2015-01-01

    We compared safety and immunogenicity of intradermal (ID) vaccination with and without electroporation (EP) in a phase I randomized placebo-controlled trial of an HIV-DNA prime HIV-MVA boost vaccine in healthy Swedish volunteers. HIV-DNA plasmids encoding HIV-1 genes gp160 subtypes A, B and C; Rev B; Gag A and B and RTmut B were given ID at weeks 0, 6 and 12 in a dose of 0.6 mg. Twenty-five volunteers received vaccine using a needle-free device (ZetaJet) with (n=16) or without (n=9) ID EP (Dermavax). Five volunteers were placebo recipients. Boosting with recombinant MVA-CMDR expressing HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol of CRF01_AE (HIV-MVA) or placebo was performed at weeks 24 and 40. Nine of the vaccinees received a subtype C CN54 gp140 protein boost together with HIV-MVA. The ID/EP delivery was very well tolerated. After three HIV-DNA immunizations, no statistically significant difference was seen in the IFN-γ ELISpot response rate to Gag between HIV-DNA ID/EP recipients (5/15, 33%) and HIV-DNA ID recipients (1/7, 14%, p=0.6158). The first HIV-MVA or HIV-MVA+gp140 vaccination increased the IFN-γ ELISpot response rate to 18/19 (95%). CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cell responses to Gag or Env were demonstrable in 94% of vaccinees. A balanced CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response was noted, with 78% and 71% responders, respectively. IFN-γ and IL-2 dominated the CD4+ T cell response to Gag and Env. The CD8+ response to Gag was broader with expression of IFN-γ, IL-2, MIP-1β and/or CD107. No differences were seen between DNA vaccine groups. Binding antibodies were induced after the second HIV-MVA+/-gp140 in 93% of vaccinees to subtype C Env, with the highest titers among EP/gp140 recipients. Intradermal electroporation of HIV-DNA was well tolerated. Strong cell- and antibody-mediated immune responses were elicited by the HIV-DNA prime and HIV-MVA boosting regimen, with or without intradermal electroporation use. International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 60284968.

  20. Quantification of oral palatine Langerhans cells in HIV/AIDS associated oral Kaposi sarcoma with and without oral candidiasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jivan, Vibha; Meer, Shabnum

    2016-01-01

    Langerhans cells (LCs) are effective antigen-presenting cells that function as "custodians" of mucosa, modifying the immune system to pathogen entry, and tolerance to self-antigen and commensal microbes. A reduction in number of LCs in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals may predispose to local mucosal infections. To quantitatively determine the number of oral mucosal LCs in HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) associated oral Kaposi sarcoma (KS) with/without oral candidiasis (OC) and to define in situ interrelationships between the cells, OC, and HIV infection. Thirty-two periodic acid-Schiff. (PAS) stained histologic sections of palatal HIV/AIDS associated KS with intact oral epithelium were examined for Candida and divided into two groups: . (1) KS coinfected with Candida and. (2) KS noninfected with Candida. Sections were immunohistochemically stained with CD1a. The standard length of surface epithelium was measured and number of positively stained LCs counted per unit length. Control cases included non-Candida infected palatal mucosa overlying pleomorphic adenoma. (PA) and oral mucosa infected with Candida in otherwise healthy individuals. LC number per unit length of surface epithelium was statistically significantly greatest in uninfected PA mucosa and lowest in KS coinfected with Candida (P = 0.0001). A statistically significant difference was also noted between uninfected PA mucosa and non-Candida infected KS (P = 0.0014), in KS coinfected with Candida and non-infected KS (P = 0.0035), between OC and PA (P = 0.0001), and OC and KS coinfected with Candida (P = 0.0247). LC numbers are significantly reduced in oral tissues of HIV/AIDS infected patients by Candida infection when compared to oral tissues without.

  1. Measuring HIV stigma at the family level: psychometric assessment of the Chinese Courtesy Stigma Scales (CCSSs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hongjie; Xu, Yongfang; Sun, Yehuan; Dumenci, Levent

    2014-01-01

    Courtesy stigma is the stigmatization a person perceives or experiences due to their association with a stigmatized individual or group. Most HIV-related stigma scales have been developed for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), but not for their HIV-uninfected family members. To date, few measurement scales have been designed to measure the degree of stigma among both PLWHAs and their HIV-uninfected family members at the family level. We developed a set of courtesy stigma scales and estimated their reliability and validity from 256 PLWHAs and 256 of their HIV-uninfected family members. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed in two independent samples: a development sample (N = 216) and a validation sample (N = 296), respectively. Two factors ("public stigma" and "self-perceived stigma") had high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient between 0.83-0.90) and good construct validity (standardized factor loading range: 0.37-0.95) in both samples. These findings document that the newly developed brief instrument is a psychometrically sound measure of HIV-related stigma among both PLWHAs and their HIV-uninfected family members.

  2. Maternal HIV infection alters the immune balance in the mother and fetus; implications for pregnancy outcome and infant health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfeifer, Caroline; Bunders, Madeleine J

    2016-03-01

    With the rapid roll-out of combination antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, there is an annual increase in the number of uninfected infants born to HIV-infected women. Although the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy has vastly improved pregnancy outcome and the health of infants born to HIV-infected women, concerns remain regarding the impact the maternal HIV infection on the pregnancy outcome and the health of HIV-exposed uninfected infants. Maternal HIV infection is associated with negative pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight. In addition, an increased susceptibility to infections is reported in HIV-exposed uninfected infants compared with infants born to uninfected women. Studies have shown that HIV-exposure affects the maternal/fetal unit, with increase of proinflammatory cytokine produced by placental cells, as well as altered infant immune responses. These changes could provide the underlying conditions for negative pregnancy outcomes and facilitate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the infant. Further studies are required to understand the underlying mechanisms and investigate whether these altered infant immune responses persist and have clinical consequences beyond childhood. HIV infection in pregnant women is associated with altered immune responses in HIV-infected women and their offspring with clinical consequences for pregnancy outcome and the HIV-exposed uninfected infant. Further studies are required to address the origin and long-term consequences of prenatal HIV-exposure and subsequent immune activation for infant health.

  3. Nosocomial infections in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Twenty-five nosocomial infections (23%) among the HIV-infected children, but only ... candidiasis in seven and zero, urinary tract infection in four and one and .... tant or multidrug-resistant TB received ... bacterial infections, 96 hours in the case.

  4. HIV-1 Infection Is Associated with Depletion and Functional Impairment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific CD4 T Cells in Individuals with Latent Tuberculosis Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Cheryl L; Abrahams, Deborah A; Harris, Levelle D; van Rooyen, Michele; Stone, Lynnett; de Kock, Marwou; Hanekom, Willem A

    2017-09-15

    Coinfection with HIV is the single greatest risk factor for reactivation of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and progression to active tuberculosis disease. HIV-associated dysregulation of adaptive immunity by depletion of CD4 Th cells most likely contributes to loss of immune control of LTBI in HIV-infected individuals, although the precise mechanisms whereby HIV infection impedes successful T cell-mediated control of M. tuberculosis have not been well defined. To further delineate mechanisms whereby HIV impairs protective immunity to M. tuberculosis , we evaluated the frequency, phenotype, and functional capacity of M. tuberculosis -specific CD4 T cells in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected adults with LTBI. HIV infection was associated with a lower total frequency of cytokine-producing M. tuberculosis -specific CD4 T cells, and preferential depletion of a discrete subset of M. tuberculosis -specific IFN-γ + IL-2 - TNF-α + CD4 T cells. M. tuberculosis -specific CD4 T cells in HIV-infected individuals expressed significantly higher levels of Ki67, compared with HIV-uninfected individuals, thus indicating recent activation and turnover of these cells in vivo. The ex vivo proliferative capacity of M. tuberculosis -specific CD4 T cells was markedly impaired in HIV-infected individuals, compared with HIV-uninfected individuals. Moreover, HIV infection was associated with increased M. tuberculosis Ag-induced CD4 T cell death ex vivo, indicating a possible mechanism contributing to impaired proliferative capacity of M. tuberculosis -specific CD4 T cells in HIV-infected individuals. These data provide new insights into the parameters of M. tuberculosis -specific CD4 T cell immunity that are impaired in HIV-infected individuals with LTBI, which may contribute to their increased risk of developing active tuberculosis disease. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  5. The Times, They are a-Changing: HOPE for HIV-to-HIV Organ Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haidar, Ghady; Singh, Nina

    2017-09-01

    HIV-infected persons who achieve undetectable viral loads on antiretroviral therapy currently have near-normal lifespans. Liver disease is a major cause of non-AIDS-related deaths, and as a result of longer survival, the prevalence of end-stage renal disease in HIV is increasing. HIV-infected persons undergoing organ transplantation generally achieve comparable patient and graft survival rates compared to their HIV-uninfected counterparts, despite a nearly threefold increased risk of acute rejection. However, the ongoing shortage of suitable organs can limit transplantation as an option, and patients with HIV have higher waitlist mortality than others. One way to solve this problem would be to expand the donor pool to include HIV-infected individuals. The results of a South Africa study involving 27 HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants showed promise, with 3- and 5-year patient and graft survival rates similar to those of their HIV-uninfected counterparts. Similarly, individual cases of HIV-to-HIV liver transplantation from the United Kingdom and Switzerland have also shown good results. In the United States, HIV-to-HIV kidney and liver transplants are currently permitted only under a research protocol. Nevertheless, areas of ambiguity exist, including streamlining organ allocation practices, optimizing HIV-infected donor and recipient selection, managing donor-derived transmission of a resistant HIV strain, determining optimal immunosuppressive and antiretroviral regimens, and elucidating the incidence of rejection in HIV-to-HIV solid organ transplant recipients.

  6. Bystander CD4+ T lymphocytes survive in HIV-infected human lymphoid tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grivel, Jean-Charles; Biancotto, Angelique; Ito, Yoshinori; Lima, Rosangela G.; Margolis, Leonid B.

    2003-01-01

    HIV infection is associated with depletion of CD4(+) T cells. The mechanisms of this phenomenon remain to be understood. In particular, it remains controversial whether and to what extent uninfected ("bystander") CD4(+) T cells die in HIV-infected individuals. We address this question using a system of human lymphoid tissue ex vivo. Tissue blocks were inoculated with HIV-1. After productive infection was established, they were treated with the reverse transcriptase inhibitor nevirapine to protect from infection those CD4(+) T cells that had not yet been infected. These CD4(+) T cells residing in HIV-infected tissue are by definition bystanders. Our results demonstrate that after nevirapine application the number of bystander CD4(+) T cells is conserved. Thus, in the context of HIV-infected human lymphoid tissue, productive HIV infection kills infected cells but is not sufficient to cause the death of a significant number of uninfected CD4(+) T cells.

  7. immune response can measuring immunity to hiv during ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2005-11-01

    Nov 1, 2005 ... inhibitors (PIs), have resulted in significant suppression of viral replication. ... thymus, with the potential for immune reconstitution when ..... HIV-exposed but uninfected Gambian women [published erratum appears in. Nat Med ...

  8. Fluctuations in Blood Marginal Zone B-Cell Frequencies May Reflect Migratory Patterns Associated with HIV-1 Disease Progression Status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauvin, Julie; Chagnon-Choquet, Josiane; Poudrier, Johanne; Roger, Michel

    2016-01-01

    We have previously shown that overexpression of BLyS/BAFF was associated with increased relative frequencies of innate "precursor" marginal zone (MZ)-like B-cells in the blood of HIV-1-infected rapid and classic progressors. However, along with relatively normal BLyS/BAFF expression levels, these cells remain unaltered in elite-controllers (EC), rather, percentages of more mature MZ-like B-cells are decreased in the blood of these individuals. Fluctuations in frequencies of blood MZ-like B-cell populations may reflect migratory patterns associated with disease progression status, suggesting an important role for these cells in HIV-1 pathogenesis. We have therefore longitudinally measured plasma levels of B-tropic chemokines by ELISA-based technology as well as their ligands by flow-cytometry on blood B-cell populations of HIV-1-infected individuals with different rates of disease progression and uninfected controls. Migration potential of B-cell populations from these individuals were determined by chemotaxis assays. We found important modulations of CXCL13-CXCR5, CXCL12-CXCR4/CXCR7, CCL20-CCR6 and CCL25-CCR9 chemokine-axes and increased cell migration patterns in HIV progressors. Interestingly, frequencies of CCR6 expressing cells were significantly elevated within the precursor MZ-like population, consistent with increased migration in response to CCL20. Although we found little modulation of chemokine-axes in EC, cell migration was greater than that observed for uninfected controls, especially for MZ-like B-cells. Overall the immune response against HIV-1 may involve recruitment of MZ-like B-cells to peripheral sites. Moreover, our findings suggest that "regulated" attraction of these cells in a preserved BLyS/BAFF non-inflammatory environment, such as encountered in EC could be beneficial to the battle and even control of HIV.

  9. Elevated NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide level is independently associated with all-cause mortality in HIV-infected women in the early and recent HAART eras in the Women's Interagency HIV Study cohort.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew R Gingo

    Full Text Available HIV-infected individuals are at increased risk of right and left heart dysfunction. N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP, a marker of cardiac ventricular strain and systolic dysfunction, may be associated with all-cause mortality in HIV-infected women. The aim of this study was to determine if elevated levels of NT-proBNP is associated with increased mortality in HIV-infected women.Prospective cohort study.We measured NT-proBNP in 936 HIV-infected and 387 age-matched HIV-uninfected women early (10/11/94 to 7/17/97 and 1082 HIV-infected and 448 HIV-uninfected women late (4/1/08 to 10/7/08 in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART periods in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. An NT-proBNP >75th percentile was more likely in HIV-infected persons, but only statistically significant in the late period (27% vs. 21%, unadjusted p = 0.03. In HIV-infected participants, NT-proBNP>75th percentile was independently associated with worse 5-year survival in the early HAART period (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.4, p<0.001 and remained a predictor of mortality in the late HAART period (HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.5, p = 0.002 independent of other established risk covariates (age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking, hepatitis C serostatus, hypertension, renal function, and hemoglobin. NT-proBNP level was not associated with mortality in HIV-uninfected women.NT-proBNP is a novel independent marker of mortality in HIV-infected women both when HAART was first introduced and currently. As NT-proBNP is often associated with both pulmonary hypertension and left ventricular dysfunction, these findings suggest that these conditions may contribute significantly to adverse outcomes in this population, requiring further definition of causes and treatments of elevated NT-proBNP in HIV-infected women.

  10. Contribution of maternal ART and breastfeeding to 24-month survival in HIV-exposed uninfected children: an individual pooled analysis of African and Asian studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arikawa, Shino; Rollins, Nigel; Jourdain, Gonzague; Humphrey, Jean; Kourtis, Athena P; Hoffman, Irving; Essex, Max; Farley, Tim; Coovadia, Hoosen M; Gray, Glenda; Kuhn, Louise; Shapiro, Roger; Leroy, Valériane; Bollinger, Robert C; Onyango-Makumbi, Carolyne; Lockman, Shahin; Marquez, Carina; Doherty, Tanya; Dabis, François; Mandelbrot, Laurent; Le Coeur, Sophie; Rolland, Matthieu; Joly, Pierre; Newell, Marie-Louise; Becquet, Renaud

    2017-12-21

    Increasing numbers of HIV-infected pregnant women receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Studies suggested that HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children face higher mortality than HIV-unexposed children, but evidence mostly relates to the pre-ART era, breastfeeding of limited duration and considerable maternal mortality. Maternal ART and prolonged breastfeeding under cover of ART may improve survival, although this has not been reliably quantified. Individual data on 19,219 HEU children from 21 PMTCT trials/cohorts undertaken 1995-2015 in Africa and Asia were pooled and the association between 24-month mortality and maternal/infant factors quantified using random-effects Cox proportional hazards models accounting for between-study heterogeneity. Adjusted attributable fractions of risks computed using the predict function in the R package "frailtypack" estimate the relative contribution of risk factors to overall mortality in HEU children. Cumulative incidence of death was 5.5% (95%CI: 5.1-5.9) by age 24 months. Low birth weight (LBWART (aHR: 0.5) was significantly associated with lower mortality. At population level, LBW accounted for 16.2% of child deaths by 24 months, never breastfeeding for 10.8%, mother not receiving ART for 45.6%, and maternal death for 4.3%; these factors combined explained 63.6% of deaths by age 24 months. Survival of HEU children could be substantially improved if public health strategies provided all mothers living with HIV with ART and supported optimal infant feeding and care for LBW neonates. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

  11. Altered Memory T-Cell Responses to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and Tetanus Toxoid Vaccination and Altered Cytokine Responses to Polyclonal Stimulation in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Kenyan Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Knight, Miguel A; Nduati, Eunice; Hassan, Amin S; Gambo, Faith; Odera, Dennis; Etyang, Timothy J; Hajj, Nassim J; Berkley, James Alexander; Urban, Britta C; Rowland-Jones, Sarah L

    2015-01-01

    Implementation of successful prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV strategies has resulted in an increased population of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants. HEU infants have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than HIV-unexposed (HU) infants. Numerous factors may contribute to poor health in HEU infants including immunological alterations. The present study assessed T-cell phenotype and function in HEU infants with a focus on memory Th1 responses to vaccination. We compared cross-sectionally selected parameters at 3 and 12 months of age in HIV-exposed (n = 42) and HU (n = 28) Kenyan infants. We measured ex vivo activated and bulk memory CD4 and CD8 T-cells and regulatory T-cells by flow cytometry. In addition, we measured the magnitude, quality and memory phenotype of antigen-specific T-cell responses to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and Tetanus Toxoid vaccine antigens, and the magnitude and quality of the T cell response following polyclonal stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin B. Finally, the influence of maternal disease markers on the immunological parameters measured was assessed in HEU infants. Few perturbations were detected in ex vivo T-cell subsets, though amongst HEU infants maternal HIV viral load positively correlated with CD8 T cell immune activation at 12 months. Conversely, we observed age-dependent differences in the magnitude and polyfunctionality of IL-2 and TNF-α responses to vaccine antigens particularly in Th1 cells. These changes mirrored those seen following polyclonal stimulation, where at 3 months, cytokine responses were higher in HEU infants compared to HU infants, and at 12 months, HEU infant cytokine responses were consistently lower than those seen in HU infants. Finally, reduced effector memory Th1 responses to vaccine antigens were observed in HEU infants at 3 and 12 months and higher central memory Th1 responses to M. tuberculosis antigens were observed at 3 months only. Long-term monitoring of vaccine efficacy

  12. Altered Memory T-Cell Responses to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and Tetanus Toxoid Vaccination and Altered Cytokine Responses to Polyclonal Stimulation in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Kenyan Infants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel A Garcia-Knight

    Full Text Available Implementation of successful prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV strategies has resulted in an increased population of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU infants. HEU infants have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than HIV-unexposed (HU infants. Numerous factors may contribute to poor health in HEU infants including immunological alterations. The present study assessed T-cell phenotype and function in HEU infants with a focus on memory Th1 responses to vaccination. We compared cross-sectionally selected parameters at 3 and 12 months of age in HIV-exposed (n = 42 and HU (n = 28 Kenyan infants. We measured ex vivo activated and bulk memory CD4 and CD8 T-cells and regulatory T-cells by flow cytometry. In addition, we measured the magnitude, quality and memory phenotype of antigen-specific T-cell responses to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and Tetanus Toxoid vaccine antigens, and the magnitude and quality of the T cell response following polyclonal stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin B. Finally, the influence of maternal disease markers on the immunological parameters measured was assessed in HEU infants. Few perturbations were detected in ex vivo T-cell subsets, though amongst HEU infants maternal HIV viral load positively correlated with CD8 T cell immune activation at 12 months. Conversely, we observed age-dependent differences in the magnitude and polyfunctionality of IL-2 and TNF-α responses to vaccine antigens particularly in Th1 cells. These changes mirrored those seen following polyclonal stimulation, where at 3 months, cytokine responses were higher in HEU infants compared to HU infants, and at 12 months, HEU infant cytokine responses were consistently lower than those seen in HU infants. Finally, reduced effector memory Th1 responses to vaccine antigens were observed in HEU infants at 3 and 12 months and higher central memory Th1 responses to M. tuberculosis antigens were observed at 3 months only. Long-term monitoring of

  13. Ageing and healthy sexuality among women living with HIV.

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    Narasimhan, Manjulaa; Payne, Caitlin; Caldas, Stephanie; Beard, John R; Kennedy, Caitlin E

    2016-11-01

    Populations around the world are rapidly ageing and effective treatment for HIV means women living with HIV (WLHIV) can live longer, healthier lives. HIV testing and screening programmes and safer sex initiatives often exclude older sexually active WLHIV. Systematically reviewing the literature to inform World Health Organization guidelines on the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of WLHIV, identified four studies examining healthy sexuality among older WLHIV. In Uganda, WLHIV reported lower rates of sexual activity and rated sex as less important than men. In the United States, HIV stigma, disclosure, and body image concerns, among other issues, were described as inhibiting relationship formation and safer sexual practices. Sexual activity declined similarly over time for all women, including for WLHIV who reported more protected sex, while a significant minority of WLHIV reported unprotected sex. A single intervention, the "ROADMAP" intervention, demonstrated significant increases in HIV knowledge and decreases in HIV stigma and high risk sexual behaviour. WLHIV face ageist discrimination and other barriers to remaining sexually active and maintaining healthy sexual relationships, including challenges procuring condoms and seeking advice on safe sex practices, reduced ability to negotiate safer sex, physical and social changes associated with menopause, and sexual health challenges due to disability and comorbidities. Normative guidance does not adequately address the SRHR of older WLHIV, and while this systematic review highlights the paucity of data, it also calls for additional research and attention to this important area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells accumulate and secrete interferon alpha in lymph nodes of HIV-1 patients.

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    Clara Lehmann

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC decline during HIV-1 infection, but at the same time they express markedly higher levels of interferon alpha (IFNalpha, which is associated with HIV-1 disease progression. Here we show an accumulation of pDC in lymph nodes (LN of treatment-naïve HIV-1 patients. This phenomenon was associated with elevated expression of the LN homing marker, CCR7, on pDC in peripheral blood of HIV-1 patients, which conferred increased migratory capacity in response to CCR7 ligands in ex vivo functional assays. LN-homed pDC of HIV-1 patients presented higher CD40 and lower BDCA2 levels, but unchanged CD83 and CD86 expression. In addition, these cells expressed markedly higher amounts of IFNalpha compared to uninfected individuals, and were undergoing faster rates of cell death. These results demonstrate for the first time that in asymptomatic, untreated HIV-1 patients circulating pDC up-regulate CCR7 expression, accumulate in lymph nodes, and express high amounts of IFNalpha before undergoing cell death. Since IFNalpha inhibits cell proliferation and modulates immune responses, chronically high levels of this cytokine in LN of HIV-1 patients may impair differentiation and immune function of bystander CD4(+ T cells, thus playing into the mechanisms of AIDS immunopathogenesis.

  15. Acceleration of Age-Associated Methylation Patterns in HIV-1-Infected Adults

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    Sehl, Mary; Sinsheimer, Janet S.; Hultin, Patricia M.; Hultin, Lance E.; Quach, Austin; Martínez-Maza, Otoniel; Horvath, Steve; Vilain, Eric; Jamieson, Beth D.

    2015-01-01

    Patients with treated HIV-1-infection experience earlier occurrence of aging-associated diseases, raising speculation that HIV-1-infection, or antiretroviral treatment, may accelerate aging. We recently described an age-related co-methylation module comprised of hundreds of CpGs; however, it is unknown whether aging and HIV-1-infection exert negative health effects through similar, or disparate, mechanisms. We investigated whether HIV-1-infection would induce age-associated methylation changes. We evaluated DNA methylation levels at >450,000 CpG sites in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of young (20-35) and older (36-56) adults in two separate groups of participants. Each age group for each data set consisted of 12 HIV-1-infected and 12 age-matched HIV-1-uninfected samples for a total of 96 samples. The effects of age and HIV-1 infection on methylation at each CpG revealed a strong correlation of 0.49, pmodules; module 3 (ME3) was significantly correlated with age (cor=0.70) and HIV-1 status (cor=0.31). Older HIV-1+ individuals had a greater number of hypermethylated CpGs across ME3 (p=0.015). In a multivariate model, ME3 was significantly associated with age and HIV status (Data set 1: βage= 0.007088, p=2.08 x 10-9; βHIV= 0.099574, p=0.0011; Data set 2: βage= 0.008762, p=1.27x 10-5; βHIV= 0.128649, p= 0.0001). Using this model, we estimate that HIV-1 infection accelerates age-related methylation by approximately 13.7 years in data set 1 and 14.7 years in data set 2. The genes related to CpGs in ME3 are enriched for polycomb group target genes known to be involved in cell renewal and aging. The overlap between ME3 and an aging methylation module found in solid tissues is also highly significant (Fisher-exact p=5.6 x 10-6, odds ratio=1.91). These data demonstrate that HIV-1 infection is associated with methylation patterns that are similar to age-associated patterns and suggest that general aging and HIV-1 related aging work through some common cellular

  16. Large Isoform of Mammalian Relative of DnaJ is a Major Determinant of Human Susceptibility to HIV-1 Infection

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    Yu-Ping Chiang

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Individual differences in susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection have been of interest for decades. We aimed to determine the contribution of large isoform of Mammalian DnaJ (MRJ-L, a HIV-1 Vpr-interacting cellular protein, to this natural variation. Expression of MRJ-L in monocyte-derived macrophages was significantly higher in HIV-infected individuals (n = 31 than their uninfected counterparts (n = 27 (p = 0.009. Fifty male homosexual subjects (20 of them are HIV-1 positive were further recruited to examine the association between MRJ-L levels and occurrence of HIV infection. Bayesian multiple logistic regression revealed that playing a receptive role and increased levels of MRJ-L in macrophages were two risk factors for HIV-1 infection. A 1% rise in MRJ-L expression was associated with a 1.13 fold (95% CrI 1.06–1.29 increase in odds of contracting HIV-1 infection. Ex vivo experiments revealed that MRJ-L facilitated Vpr-dependent nuclear localization of virus. Infection of macrophage-tropic strain is a critical step in HIV-1 transmission. MRJ-L is a critical factor in this process; hence, subjects with higher macrophage MRJ-L levels are more vulnerable to HIV-1 infection.

  17. The Perinatal Guidelines Evaluation Project HIV and Pregnancy Study: overview and cohort description.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ethier, Kathleen A.; Ickovics, Jeannette R.; Fernandez, M. Isabel; Wilson, Tracey E.; Royce, Rachel A.; Koenig, Linda J.

    2002-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The HIV and Pregnancy Study of the Perinatal Guidelines Evaluation Project is a prospective, longitudinal, multisite study established to: (a) assess the implementation of Public Health Service guidelines regarding the prevention of perinatal HIV transmission and (b) evaluate the psychosocial consequences of HIV infection among pregnant women. A distinctive aspect of the study is the use of an HIV-negative comparison group. This article describes the methodology of the study and baseline characteristics of the study sample. Methods and Results. HIV-infected (n = 336) and uninfected (n = 298) pregnant women were enrolled from four geographic areas: Connecticut, North Carolina, Brooklyn, NY, and Miami, FL. The study included three structured face-to-face interviews from late pregnancy to six months postpartum for HIV-infected and uninfected women. Additional self-reports of medication adherence were collected for the HIV-infected participants, and the medical records of infected mothers and their infants were reviewed. Electronic monitoring of medication adherence was conducted for a subset of the infected women. The groups were successfully matched on self-reported characteristics, including HIV-risk behaviors. More than half of the uninfected women reported a high-risk sexual partner. Baseline comparisons indicated that both the HIV-infected and uninfected women had high levels of depressive symptoms, stress, and recent negative life events. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a unique description of the psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of a population of low-income women. The results of this study suggest that HIV infection is one of many stressors faced by the women in this study. PMID:12356998

  18. Sero- and Molecular Epidemiology of HIV-1 in Papua Province, Indonesia

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    Muhammad Qushai Yunifiar M

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS cause serious health problems and affect the Indonesian economy. Papua province has the highest prevalence of HIV infection in the country; however, epidemiological data are limited. Therefore, in order to reveal the current situation of HIV/AIDS in Papua province, sero- and molecular epidemiological studies of HIV were conducted. Methods: serological tests were conducted on 157 healthy individuals from the general population residing in Paniai, Papua. In addition, a molecular epidemiological study was then conducted on HIV type 1 (HIV-1 genes derived from infected individuals. Peripheral blood samples from HIV-1-positive individuals and 15 additionally enrolled, previously confirmed HIV-1-positive individuals were subjected to a genotypic analysis. Results: serological tests revealed that 2 out of 157 (1.27% healthy individuals were HIV-positive. In addition, HIV-1 subtyping revealed that subtype B and CRF01_AE were the major subtype and circulating recombinant form (CRF of HIV-1 prevalent in the region, while subtype A1 and a recombinant form including viral gene fragments of CRF01_AE and subtype B was also detected. In addition, HIV drug resistance-associated major mutations were detected in the reverse transcriptase gene derived from infected individual on antiretroviral therapy. Conclusion: these results provide important information for clearer understanding on the current situation of HIV/AIDS in Papua province in Indonesia.

  19. Evaluation of sequence ambiguities of the HIV-1 pol gene as a method to identify recent HIV-1 infection in transmitted drug resistance surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson, Emmi; Shao, Wei; Bontell, Irene; Cham, Fatim; Cuong, Do Duy; Wondwossen, Amogne; Morris, Lynn; Hunt, Gillian; Sönnerborg, Anders; Bertagnolio, Silvia; Maldarelli, Frank; Jordan, Michael R

    2013-08-01

    Identification of recent HIV infection within populations is a public health priority for accurate estimation of HIV incidence rates and transmitted drug resistance at population level. Determining HIV incidence rates by prospective follow-up of HIV-uninfected individuals is challenging and serological assays have important limitations. HIV diversity within an infected host increases with duration of infection. We explore a simple bioinformatics approach to assess viral diversity by determining the percentage of ambiguous base calls in sequences derived from standard genotyping of HIV-1 protease and reverse transcriptase. Sequences from 691 recently infected (≤1 year) and chronically infected (>1 year) individuals from Sweden, Vietnam and Ethiopia were analyzed for ambiguity. A significant difference (p<0.0001) in the proportion of ambiguous bases was observed between sequences from individuals with recent and chronic infection in both HIV-1 subtype B and non-B infection, consistent with previous studies. In our analysis, a cutoff of <0.47% ambiguous base calls identified recent infection with a sensitivity and specificity of 88.8% and 74.6% respectively. 1,728 protease and reverse transcriptase sequences from 36 surveys of transmitted HIV drug resistance performed following World Health Organization guidance were analyzed for ambiguity. The 0.47% ambiguity cutoff was applied and survey sequences were classified as likely derived from recently or chronically infected individuals. 71% of patients were classified as likely to have been infected within one year of genotyping but results varied considerably amongst surveys. This bioinformatics approach may provide supporting population-level information to identify recent infection but its application is limited by infection with more than one viral variant, decreasing viral diversity in advanced disease and technical aspects of population based sequencing. Standardization of sequencing techniques and base calling

  20. Barriers to Antiretroviral Initiation in HIV-1-Discordant Couples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Brandon L.; Choi, Robert Y.; Liu, Amy Y.; Mackelprang, Romel D.; Rositch, Anne F.; Bosire, Rose; Manyara, Lucy; Gatuguta, Anne; Kiarie, James N.; Farquhar, Carey

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND In Kenya and much of sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of all couples affected by HIV are discordant. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) slows disease progression in HIV-1-infected individuals, and reduces transmission to uninfected partners. We examined time to ART initiation and factors associated with delayed initiation in HIV-1-discordant couples in Nairobi. METHODS HIV-1-discordant couples were enrolled and followed quarterly for up to 2 years. Clinical staff administered questionnaires and conducted viral loads and CD4 counts. Participants with a CD4 count meeting ART criteria were referred to a nearby PEPFAR-funded treatment center. Barriers to ART initiation among participants with a CD4 count eligible for ART were assessed by Cox regression. RESULTS Of 439 HIV-1-infected participants (63.6% females and 36.4% males) 146 met CD4 count criteria for ART during follow-up. Median time from meeting CD4 criteria until ART initiation was 8.9 months, with 42.0% of eligible participants on ART by 6 months and 63.4% on ART by 1 year. The CD4 count at the time of eligibility was inversely associated with time to ART initiation (HR=0.49, p< 0.001). Compared to homeowners, those paying higher rents started ART 48% more slowly (p=0.062) and those paying lower rents started 71% more slowly (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS Despite access to regular health care, referrals to treatment centers, and free access to ART, over a third of participants with an eligible CD4 count had not started ART within 1 year. Factors of lower socioeconomic status may slow ART initiation and targeted approaches are needed to avoid delays in treatment initiation. PMID:21826010

  1. Intimate partner sexual and physical violence among women in Togo, West Africa: Prevalence, associated factors, and the specific role of HIV infection

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    Juan Burgos-Soto

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: A substantial proportion of newly diagnosed HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur within serodiscordant cohabiting heterosexual couples. Intimate partner violence is a major concern for couple-oriented HIV preventive approaches. This study aimed at estimating the prevalence and associated factors of intimate partner physical and sexual violence among HIV-infected and -uninfected women in Togo. We also described the severity and consequences of this violence as well as care-seeking behaviors of women exposed to intimate partner violence. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and July 2011 within Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé. HIV-infected women attending HIV care and uninfected women attending postnatal care and/or children immunization visits were interviewed. Intimate partner physical and sexual violence and controlling behaviors were assessed using an adapted version of the WHO Multi-country study on Women's Health and Life Events questionnaire. Results: Overall, 150 HIV-uninfected and 304 HIV-infected women accepted to be interviewed. The prevalence rates of lifetime physical and sexual violence among HIV-infected women were significantly higher than among uninfected women (63.1 vs. 39.3%, p<0.01 and 69.7 vs. 35.3%, p<0.01, respectively. Forty-two percent of the women reported having ever had physical injuries as a consequence of intimate partner violence. Among injured women, only one-third had ever disclosed real causes of injuries to medical staff and none of them had been referred to local organizations to receive appropriate psychological support. Regardless of HIV status and after adjustment on potential confounders, the risk of intimate partner physical and sexual violence was strongly and significantly associated with male partner multi-partnership and early start of sexual life. Among uninfected women, physical violence was significantly associated with gender submissive

  2. HIV-1 transmission within marriage in rural Uganda: a longitudinal study.

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    Samuel Biraro

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy reduces risk of transmission to the uninfected partner in HIV discordant couples, but there are relatively little observational data on HIV transmission within couples from non-trial settings. The aims of this paper are to estimate HIV incidence among HIV discordant couples using longstanding observational data from a rural Ugandan population and to identify factors associated with HIV transmission within couples, including the role of HSV-2 infection. METHODS: Using existing data collected at population-wide annual serological and behavioural surveys in a rural district in southwest Uganda between 1989 and 2007, HIV discordant partners were identified. Stored serum samples were tested for HSV-2 serostatus using the Kalon ELISA test. HIV seroconversion rates and factors association with HIV seroconversion were analysed using Poisson regression. RESULTS: HIV status of both partners was known in 2465 couples and of these 259 (10.5% were HIV serodiscordant. At enrollment, HSV-2 prevalence was 87.3% in HIV positive partners and 71.5% in HIV negative partners. Of the 259 discordant couples, 62 converted to HIV (seroconversion rate 7.11/100 PYAR, 95%CI; 5.54, 9.11 with the rate decreasing from 10.89 in 1990-1994 to 4.32 in 2005-2007. Factors independently associated with HIV seroconversion were female sex, non-Muslim religion, greater age difference (man older than woman by more than 15 years, higher viral load in the positive partner and earlier calendar period. HSV-2 was not independently associated with HIV acquisition (HR 1.62, 95%CI; 0.57, 4.55 or transmission (HR 0.61, 95%CI; 0.24, 1.57. No transmissions occurred in the 29 couples where the index partner was on ART during follow up (872 person-years on ART. DISCUSSION: HIV negative partners in serodiscordant couples have a high incidence of HIV if the index partner is not on antiretroviral therapy and should be provided with interventions

  3. Risk perception and sex behaviour in pregnancy and breastfeeding in high HIV prevalence settings: Programmatic implications for PrEP delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farley, Elise; Towriss, Catriona; Gomba, Yolanda; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Gorbach, Pamina; Shoptaw, Steven; Coates, Thomas; Myer, Landon

    2018-01-01

    HIV acquisition during pregnancy and breastfeeding significantly contributes toward paediatric HIV infection; however, little is known about risk behaviours in HIV-uninfected pregnant and postpartum women. We conducted twenty-six in-depth-interviews between July and December 2016 using a semi-structured interview guide among HIV-uninfected pregnant and recently postpartum women at-risk of HIV acquisition (defined as reporting ≥1 of the following: partner’s serostatus unknown or HIV-infected, recent condomless sex in pregnancy, and/or alcohol use during pregnancy) who attended primary healthcare services. Our study contextualizes factors related to risky sexual behaviours during pregnancy and postpartum periods and assesses knowledge and hypothetical acceptability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in pregnancy. Translated and transcribed data were coded and analysed by three researchers using a thematic analysis approach. In interviews with HIV-uninfected pregnant/postpartum women at-risk of HIV acquisition, we identified common themes associated with sexual risk behaviours during pregnancy, including: lack of control over decisions in sex and condom use in pregnancy, low perceived risk (e.g. beliefs that their partner has the same HIV-negative serostatus), and socio-cultural beliefs around condom use during pregnancy (e.g. contact with sperm is essential for baby’s development). PrEP knowledge was low among HIV-uninfected pregnant and breastfeeding women, and potential acceptability was good, though primary concerns were around the potential impact on the infant. While mothers presented a clear desire to protect themselves from HIV acquisition once pregnant, they also reported lack of control, and socio-cultural beliefs, like sex is good for the baby, that increased their risk of seroconversion. Mothers had limited PrEP awareness but reported hypothetical willingness to use PrEP because of concerns over HIV acquisition and onward mother to child transmission

  4. Premature and accelerated aging: HIV or HAART?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smith, R.L.; de Boer, R.; Brul, S.; Budovskaya, Y.; van der Spek, H.

    2013-01-01

    Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly increased life expectancy of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive population. Nevertheless, the average lifespan of HIV-patients remains shorter compared to uninfected individuals. Immunosenescence, a current explanation for

  5. Effects of Health Insurance Interruption on Loss of Hypertension Control in Women With and Women Without HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edmonds, Andrew; Ludema, Christina; Eron, Joseph J; Cole, Stephen R; Adedimeji, Adebola A; Cohen, Mardge H; Cooper, Hannah L; Fischl, Margaret; Johnson, Mallory O; Krause, Denise D; Merenstein, Dan; Milam, Joel; Wilson, Tracey E; Adimora, Adaora A

    2017-12-01

    Among low-income women with and without HIV, it is a priority to reduce age-related comorbidities, including hypertension and its sequelae. Because consistent health insurance access has been identified as an important factor in controlling many chronic diseases, we estimated the effects of coverage interruption on loss of hypertension control in a cohort of women in the United States. We analyzed prospective, longitudinal data from the Women's Interagency HIV Study. HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women were included between 2005 and 2014 when they reported health insurance at consecutive biannual visits and had controlled hypertension, and were followed for any insurance break and loss of hypertension control. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) by Cox proportional hazards regression with inverse-probability-of-treatment-and censoring weights (marginal structural models), and plotted the cumulative incidence of hypertension control loss. Among 890 HIV-infected women, the weighted HR for hypertension control loss comparing health insurance interruption to uninterrupted coverage was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.91). Inclusion of AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) participation with health insurance modestly increased the HR (1.47; 95% CI, 1.04-2.07). Analysis of 272 HIV-uninfected women yielded a similar HR (1.39; 95% CI, 0.88-2.21). Additionally, there were indications of uninterrupted coverage having a protective effect on hypertension when compared with the natural course in HIV-infected (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.61-1.11) and HIV-uninfected (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.52-1.19) women. This study provides evidence that health insurance continuity promotes hypertension control in key populations. Interventions that ensure coverage stability and ADAP access should be a policy priority.

  6. Upregulation of innate antiviral restricting factor expression in the cord blood and decidual tissue of HIV-infected mothers.

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    Pereira, Nátalli Zanete; Cardoso, Elaine Cristina; Oliveira, Luanda Mara da Silva; de Lima, Josenilson Feitosa; Branco, Anna Cláudia Calvielli Castelo; Ruocco, Rosa Maria de Souza Aveiro; Zugaib, Marcelo; de Oliveira Filho, João Bosco; Duarte, Alberto José da Silva; Sato, Maria Notomi

    2013-01-01

    Programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV have reduced the transmission rate of perinatal HIV infection and have thereby increased the number of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants. Natural immunity to HIV-1 infection in both mothers and newborns needs to be further explored. In this study, we compared the expression of antiviral restricting factors in HIV-infected pregnant mothers treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy (n=23) and in cord blood (CB) (n=16), placental tissues (n=10-13) and colostrum (n=5-6) samples and compared them to expression in samples from uninfected (UN) pregnant mothers (n=21). Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were prepared from maternal and CB samples following deliveries by cesarean section. Maternal (decidua) and fetal (chorionic villus) placental tissues were obtained, and colostrum was collected 24 h after delivery. The mRNA and protein expression levels of antiviral factors were then evaluated. We observed a significant increase in the mRNA expression levels of antiviral factors in MNCs from HIV-infected mothers and CB, including the apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme 3G (A3G), A3F, tripartite motif family-5α (TRIM-5α), TRIM-22, myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA), stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) and IFN-β, compared with the levels detected in uninfected (UN) mother-CB pairs. Moreover, A3G transcript and protein levels and α-defensin transcript levels were decreased in the decidua of HIV-infected mothers. Decreased TRIM-5α protein levels in the villi and increased STING mRNA expression in both placental tissues were also observed in HIV-infected mothers compared with uninfected (UN) mothers. Additionally, colostrum cells from infected mothers showed increased tetherin and IFN-β mRNA levels and CXCL9 protein levels. The data presented here indicate that antiviral restricting factor expression can be induced in utero in HIV-infected mothers. Future studies are warranted to determine

  7. Diminished physical function in older HIV-infected adults in the Southeastern U.S. despite successful antiretroviral therapy.

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    Audrey L Khoury

    Full Text Available As antiretroviral therapy efficacy improves, HIV is gradually being recognized more as a chronic disease within the aging HIV-infected population. While these individuals are surviving into old age, they may, however, be experiencing "accelerated aging" with greater declines in physical function than that observed among comparably matched individuals free of HIV. This decline is not well understood and it remains unclear if physical decline correlates with the degree of immunosuppression based on CD4 lymphocyte nadir.In a cross-sectional study of accelerated aging in the older HIV-infected population on antiretroviral therapy (ART, physical performance evaluations were completed on a cohort of 107 HIV-infected subjects, age 50 years or older (with no HIV-1 RNA >200 copies/mL in the prior 12 months, and compared to reference ranges for age- and gender-matched HIV-uninfected persons. Physical performance testing consisted of four validated assessments: the 2.4-meter walk, 30-second chair stand, grip strength and 6-minute walk test.When compared to age- and gender-matched HIV-uninfected reference controls, older HIV-infected persons had diminished physical function. No correlation was found between physical function and degree of immunosuppression as determined by pre-ART CD4 nadir.Despite improved survival, HIV-infected adults on suppressive ART have diminished physical function compared to HIV-uninfected persons. The degree of HIV-associated immunosuppression does not correlate with the observed degree of physical function decline in older HIV-infected persons, suggesting the decline is mediated by other mechanisms.

  8. Malnutrition is associated with HIV infection in children less than 5 years in Bobo-Dioulasso City, Burkina Faso

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poda, Ghislain Gnimbar; Hsu, Chien-Yeh; Chao, Jane C-J

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and malnutrition are still 2 major health issues in sub-Saharan Africa including Burkina Faso where few studies have been conducted on child malnutrition and HIV infection. This study assessed the effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV infection and also compared the prevalence of malnutrition in terms of an inadequate diet, underweight, stunting, and wasting among HIV-infected and uninfected children less than 5 years in Bobo-Dioulasso city, Burkina Faso. This was a case–control study matching for age and sex in 164 HIV-infected and 164 HIV-uninfected children. The sociodemographic characteristics of mothers and children, household food security, drinking water source, child feeding and care practices, and child anthropometric data such as body weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference were collected. The prevalence of food insecurity and inadequate diet was 58% and 92% of children less than 5 years of age, respectively. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 77% versus 35%, 65% versus 61%, and 63% versus 26% in HIV-infected and uninfected children less than 5 years of age, respectively. Out of 164 HIV-infected children, 59% were on ART initiation during data collection and the median of CD4 cell counts was 1078 cells/μL. HIV-infected children on ART had greater CD4 cell counts (P = .04) and higher weight-for-age Z (P = .01) and weight-for-height Z scores (P = .03) than those without ART. HIV infection was a risk factor for those who had inadequate dietary intake [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17–3.62, P = .04]. In addition, HIV-infected children were more likely of being underweight (AOR = 10.24, 95% CI 4.34–24.17, P children less than 5 years of age. High prevalence of malnutrition was observed in HIV-infected children compared with HIV-uninfected children. Except for ART, nutritional assessment and

  9. Acceleration of age-associated methylation patterns in HIV-1-infected adults.

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    Tammy M Rickabaugh

    Full Text Available Patients with treated HIV-1-infection experience earlier occurrence of aging-associated diseases, raising speculation that HIV-1-infection, or antiretroviral treatment, may accelerate aging. We recently described an age-related co-methylation module comprised of hundreds of CpGs; however, it is unknown whether aging and HIV-1-infection exert negative health effects through similar, or disparate, mechanisms. We investigated whether HIV-1-infection would induce age-associated methylation changes. We evaluated DNA methylation levels at >450,000 CpG sites in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC of young (20-35 and older (36-56 adults in two separate groups of participants. Each age group for each data set consisted of 12 HIV-1-infected and 12 age-matched HIV-1-uninfected samples for a total of 96 samples. The effects of age and HIV-1 infection on methylation at each CpG revealed a strong correlation of 0.49, p<1 x 10(-200 and 0.47, p<1 x 10(-200. Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA identified 17 co-methylation modules; module 3 (ME3 was significantly correlated with age (cor=0.70 and HIV-1 status (cor=0.31. Older HIV-1+ individuals had a greater number of hypermethylated CpGs across ME3 (p=0.015. In a multivariate model, ME3 was significantly associated with age and HIV status (Data set 1: βage=0.007088, p=2.08 x 10(-9; βHIV=0.099574, p=0.0011; Data set 2: βage=0.008762, p=1.27 x 10(-5; βHIV=0.128649, p=0.0001. Using this model, we estimate that HIV-1 infection accelerates age-related methylation by approximately 13.7 years in data set 1 and 14.7 years in data set 2. The genes related to CpGs in ME3 are enriched for polycomb group target genes known to be involved in cell renewal and aging. The overlap between ME3 and an aging methylation module found in solid tissues is also highly significant (Fisher-exact p=5.6 x 10(-6, odds ratio=1.91. These data demonstrate that HIV-1 infection is associated with methylation patterns that

  10. Discovery of natural mouse serum derived HIV-1 entry inhibitor(s).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, M; Chen, Y; Xi, J; Ru, S; Ji, M; Zhang, D; Fang, Q; Tang, B

    Among rationally designed human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) inhibitors, diverse natural factors have showed as potent anti-HIV activity in human blood. We have discovered that the boiled supernatant of healthy mouse serum could suppress HIV-1 entry, and exhibited reduced inhibitory activity after trypsin digestion. Further analysis demonstrated that only the fraction containing 10-25 K proteins could inhibit HIV-1 mediated cell-cell fusion. These results suggest that the 10-25 K protein(s) is novel natural HIV-1 entry inhibitor(s). Our findings provide important information about novel natural HIV entry inhibitors in mouse serum.

  11. The Impact of HIV on Maternal Morbidity in the Pre-HAART Era in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha

    2012-01-01

    Results. Major morbidity was observed in 46/129 (36% and 104/390 (27% of the HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women, respectively, who remained in followup. In the multivariable analysis, major morbidity was independently associated with HIV infection, adjusted odds ratio (AOR 1.7 (1.1 to 2.7, nulliparity (AOR 2.0 (1.3 to 3.0, and lack of, or minimal, formal education (AOR 2.1 (1.1 to 3.8. Conclusions. HIV was associated with a 70% increase in the odds of major maternal morbidity in these Ugandan mothers.

  12. The vaginal microbiota over an 8- to 10-year period in a cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Supriya D; Donovan, Brock; Weber, Kathleen M; Cohen, Mardge; Ravel, Jacques; Gajer, Pawel; Gilbert, Douglas; Burgad, Derick; Spear, Greg T

    2015-01-01

    We identified predominant vaginal microbiota communities, changes over time, and how this varied by HIV status and other factors in a cohort of 64 women. Bacterial DNA was extracted from reposited cervicovaginal lavage samples collected annually over an 8-10 year period from Chicago Women's Interagency HIV Study participants: 22 HIV-negative, 22 HIV-positive with stable infection, 20 HIV-positive with progressive infection. The vaginal microbiota was defined by pyrosequencing of the V1/V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Scheduled visits included Bacterial vaginsosis (BV) screening; clinically detected cases were referred for treatment. Hierarchical clustering identified bacterial community state types (CST). Multinomial mixed effects modeling determined trends over time in CST, by HIV status and other factors. The median follow-up time was 8.1 years (range 5.5-15.3). Six CSTs were identified. The mean relative abundance (RA) of Lactobacillus spp. by CST (with median number of bacterial taxa) was: CST-1-25.7% (10), CST-2-27.1% (11), CST-3-34.6% (9), CST-4-46.8% (9), CST-5-57.9% (4), CST-6-69.4% (2). The two CSTs representing the highest RA of Lactobacillus and lowest diversity increased with each additional year of follow-up (CST-5, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.62 [95% CI: 1.34-1.94]; CST-6, aOR = 1.57 [95 CI: 1.31-1.89]), while the two CSTs representing lowest RA of Lactobacillus and higher diversity decreased with each additional year (CST-1, aOR = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.80-1.00]; CST-2, aOR = 0.86 [95% CI: 0.75-0.99]). There was no association between HIV status and CST at baseline or over time. CSTs representing lower RA of Lactobacillus were associated with current cigarette smoking. The vaginal microbial community significantly improved over time in this cohort of women with HIV and at high risk for HIV who had regular detection and treatment referral for BV.

  13. The vaginal microbiota over an 8- to 10-year period in a cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Supriya D Mehta

    Full Text Available We identified predominant vaginal microbiota communities, changes over time, and how this varied by HIV status and other factors in a cohort of 64 women.Bacterial DNA was extracted from reposited cervicovaginal lavage samples collected annually over an 8-10 year period from Chicago Women's Interagency HIV Study participants: 22 HIV-negative, 22 HIV-positive with stable infection, 20 HIV-positive with progressive infection. The vaginal microbiota was defined by pyrosequencing of the V1/V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Scheduled visits included Bacterial vaginsosis (BV screening; clinically detected cases were referred for treatment. Hierarchical clustering identified bacterial community state types (CST. Multinomial mixed effects modeling determined trends over time in CST, by HIV status and other factors.The median follow-up time was 8.1 years (range 5.5-15.3. Six CSTs were identified. The mean relative abundance (RA of Lactobacillus spp. by CST (with median number of bacterial taxa was: CST-1-25.7% (10, CST-2-27.1% (11, CST-3-34.6% (9, CST-4-46.8% (9, CST-5-57.9% (4, CST-6-69.4% (2. The two CSTs representing the highest RA of Lactobacillus and lowest diversity increased with each additional year of follow-up (CST-5, adjusted odds ratio (aOR = 1.62 [95% CI: 1.34-1.94]; CST-6, aOR = 1.57 [95 CI: 1.31-1.89], while the two CSTs representing lowest RA of Lactobacillus and higher diversity decreased with each additional year (CST-1, aOR = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.80-1.00]; CST-2, aOR = 0.86 [95% CI: 0.75-0.99]. There was no association between HIV status and CST at baseline or over time. CSTs representing lower RA of Lactobacillus were associated with current cigarette smoking.The vaginal microbial community significantly improved over time in this cohort of women with HIV and at high risk for HIV who had regular detection and treatment referral for BV.

  14. Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in an Aging HIV Population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martin-Iguacel, R; Llibre, J M; Friis-Moller, N

    2015-01-01

    With more effective and widespread antiretroviral treatment, the overall incidence of AIDS- or HIV-related death has decreased dramatically. Consequently, as patients are aging, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the HIV population....... The incidence of CVD overall in HIV is relatively low, but it is approximately 1.5-2-fold higher than that seen in age-matched HIV-uninfected individuals. Multiple factors are believed to explain this excess in risk such as overrepresentation of traditional cardiovascular risk factors (particularly smoking...

  15. Rate of candidiasis among HIV-infected children in Spain in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (1997-2008).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvaro-Meca, Alejandro; Jensen, Julia; Micheloud, Dariela; Díaz, Asunción; Gurbindo, Dolores; Resino, Salvador

    2013-03-04

    Candidiasis is the most common opportunistic infection seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The aim of our study was to estimate the candidiasis rate and evaluate its trend in HIV-infected children in Spain during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) compared to HIV-uninfected children. We carried out a retrospective study. Data were obtained from the records of the Minimum Basic Data Set from hospitals in Spain. All HIV-infected children were under 17 years of age, and a group of HIV-uninfected children with hospital admissions matching the study group by gender and age were randomly selected. The follow-up period (1997-2008) was divided into three calendar periods: a) From 1997 to 1999 for early-period HAART; b) from 2000 to 2002 for mid-period HAART; and c) from 2003 to 2008 for late-period HAART. Among children with hospital admissions, HIV-infected children had much higher values than HIV-uninfected children during each of the three calendar periods for overall candidiasis rates (150.0 versus 6.1 events per 1,000 child hospital admissions/year (p candidiasis rate (events per 1,000 HIV-infected children/year) decreased from 1997-1999 to 2000-2002 (18.8 to 10.6; p candidiasis, both non-ICM and ICM rates experienced significant decreases from 1997-1999 to 2003-2008 (15.9 to 5.7 (p candidiasis rate still remains higher than in the general population (from 1997 to 2008), candidiasis diagnoses have decreased among HIV-infected children throughout the HAART era, and it has ceased to be a major health problem among children with HIV infection.

  16. Moral Agency and the Sexual Transmission of HIV

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Leary, Ann; Wolitski, Richard J.

    2009-01-01

    Sexual transmission of HIV occurs because an infected person has unprotected sex with a previously uninfected person. The majority of HIV infections are transmitted by individuals who are unaware of their infection, and most persons who are diagnosed with HIV significantly reduce or eliminate risk behaviors once they learn they have HIV. However,…

  17. The transcriptome of HIV-1 infected intestinal CD4+ T cells exposed to enteric bacteria.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alyson C Yoder

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Global transcriptome studies can help pinpoint key cellular pathways exploited by viruses to replicate and cause pathogenesis. Previous data showed that laboratory-adapted HIV-1 triggers significant gene expression changes in CD4+ T cell lines and mitogen-activated CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood. However, HIV-1 primarily targets mucosal compartments during acute infection in vivo. Moreover, early HIV-1 infection causes extensive depletion of CD4+ T cells in the gastrointestinal tract that herald persistent inflammation due to the translocation of enteric microbes to the systemic circulation. Here, we profiled the transcriptome of primary intestinal CD4+ T cells infected ex vivo with transmitted/founder (TF HIV-1. Infections were performed in the presence or absence of Prevotella stercorea, a gut microbe enriched in the mucosa of HIV-1-infected individuals that enhanced both TF HIV-1 replication and CD4+ T cell death ex vivo. In the absence of bacteria, HIV-1 triggered a cellular shutdown response involving the downregulation of HIV-1 reactome genes, while perturbing genes linked to OX40, PPAR and FOXO3 signaling. However, in the presence of bacteria, HIV-1 did not perturb these gene sets or pathways. Instead, HIV-1 enhanced granzyme expression and Th17 cell function, inhibited G1/S cell cycle checkpoint genes and triggered downstream cell death pathways in microbe-exposed gut CD4+ T cells. To gain insights on these differential effects, we profiled the gene expression landscape of HIV-1-uninfected gut CD4+ T cells exposed to bacteria. Microbial exposure upregulated genes involved in cellular proliferation, MAPK activation, Th17 cell differentiation and type I interferon signaling. Our findings reveal that microbial exposure influenced how HIV-1 altered the gut CD4+ T cell transcriptome, with potential consequences for HIV-1 susceptibility, cell survival and inflammation. The HIV-1- and microbe-altered pathways unraveled here may serve as a

  18. CD4/CD8 Ratio and KT Ratio Predict Yellow Fever Vaccine Immunogenicity in HIV-Infected Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avelino-Silva, Vivian I; Miyaji, Karina T; Hunt, Peter W; Huang, Yong; Simoes, Marisol; Lima, Sheila B; Freire, Marcos S; Caiaffa-Filho, Helio H; Hong, Marisa A; Costa, Dayane Alves; Dias, Juliana Zanatta C; Cerqueira, Natalia B; Nishiya, Anna Shoko; Sabino, Ester Cerdeira; Sartori, Ana M; Kallas, Esper G

    2016-12-01

    HIV-infected individuals have deficient responses to Yellow Fever vaccine (YFV) and may be at higher risk for adverse events (AE). Chronic immune activation-characterized by low CD4/CD8 ratio or high indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO) activity-may influence vaccine response in this population. We prospectively assessed AE, viremia by the YFV virus and YF-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAb) in HIV-infected (CD4>350) and -uninfected adults through 1 year after vaccination. The effect of HIV status on initial antibody response to YFV was measured during the first 3 months following vaccination, while the effect on persistence of antibody response was measured one year following vaccination. We explored CD4/CD8 ratio, IDO activity (plasma kynurenine/tryptophan [KT] ratio) and viremia by Human Pegivirus as potential predictors of NAb response to YFV among HIV-infected participants with linear mixed models. 12 HIV-infected and 45-uninfected participants were included in the final analysis. HIV was not significantly associated with AE, YFV viremia or NAb titers through the first 3 months following vaccination. However, HIV-infected participants had 0.32 times the NAb titers observed for HIV-uninfected participants at 1 year following YFV (95% CI 0.13 to 0.83, p = 0.021), independent of sex, age and prior vaccination. In HIV-infected participants, each 10% increase in CD4/CD8 ratio predicted a mean 21% higher post-baseline YFV Nab titer (p = 0.024). Similarly, each 10% increase in KT ratio predicted a mean 21% lower post-baseline YFV Nab titer (p = 0.009). Viremia by Human Pegivirus was not significantly associated with NAb titers. HIV infection appears to decrease the durability of NAb responses to YFV, an effect that may be predicted by lower CD4/CD8 ratio or higher KT ratio.

  19. The metabolic profiles of HIV-infected and non-infected women in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    infected and HIV-uninfected women. Conclusions: The results indicate a possible impact of HIV infection on serum protein and serum albumin, which may adversely affect biochemical nutritional status and the course of HIV progression.

  20. A Phase I Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Study of the Safety and Immunogenicity of an Adjuvanted HIV-1 Gag-Pol-Nef Fusion Protein and Adenovirus 35 Gag-RT-Int-Nef Vaccine in Healthy HIV-Uninfected African Adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gloria Omosa-Manyonyi

    Full Text Available Sequential prime-boost or co-administration of HIV vaccine candidates based on an adjuvanted clade B p24, RT, Nef, p17 fusion protein (F4/AS01 plus a non-replicating adenovirus 35 expressing clade A Gag, RT, Int and Nef (Ad35-GRIN may lead to a unique immune profile, inducing both strong T-cell and antibody responses.In a phase 1, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 146 healthy adult volunteers were randomized to one of four regimens: heterologous prime-boost with two doses of F4/AS01E or F4/AS01B followed by Ad35-GRIN; Ad35-GRIN followed by two doses of F4/AS01B; or three co-administrations of Ad35-GRIN and F4/AS01B. T cell and antibody responses were measured.The vaccines were generally well-tolerated, and did not cause serious adverse events. The response rate, by IFN-γ ELISPOT, was greater when Ad35-GRIN was the priming vaccine and in the co-administration groups. F4/AS01 induced CD4+ T-cells expressing primarily CD40L and IL2 +/- TNF-α, while Ad35-GRIN induced predominantly CD8+ T-cells expressing IFN-γ +/- IL2 or TNF-α. Viral inhibition was induced after Ad35-GRIN vaccination, regardless of the regimen. Strong F4-specific antibody responses were induced. Immune responses persisted at least a year after the last vaccination. The complementary response profiles, characteristic of each vaccine, were both expressed after co-administration.Co-administration of an adjuvanted protein and an adenovirus vector showed an acceptable safety and reactogenicity profile and resulted in strong, multifunctional and complementary HIV-specific immune responses.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01264445.

  1. Astrocytes sustain long-term productive HIV-1 infection without establishment of reactivable viral latency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barat, Corinne; Proust, Alizé; Deshiere, Alexandre; Leboeuf, Mathieu; Drouin, Jean; Tremblay, Michel J

    2018-02-21

    The "shock and kill" HIV-1 cure strategy proposes eradication of stable cellular reservoirs by clinical treatment with latency-reversing agents (LRAs). Although resting CD4 + T cells latently infected with HIV-1 constitute the main reservoir that is targeted by these approaches, their consequences on other reservoirs such as the central nervous system are still unknown and should be taken into consideration. We performed experiments aimed at defining the possible role of astrocytes in HIV-1 persistence in the brain and the effect of LRA treatments on this viral sanctuary. We first demonstrate that the diminished HIV-1 production in a proliferating astrocyte culture is due to a reduced proliferative capacity of virus-infected cells compared with uninfected astrocytes. In contrast, infection of non-proliferating astrocytes led to a robust HIV-1 infection that was sustained for over 60 days. To identify astrocytes latently infected with HIV-1, we designed a new dual-color reporter virus called NL4.3 eGFP-IRES-Crimson that is fully infectious and encodes for all viral proteins. Although we detected a small fraction of astrocytes carrying silent HIV-1 proviruses, we did not observe any reactivation using various LRAs and even strong inducers such as tumor necrosis factor, thus suggesting that these proviruses were either not transcriptionally competent or in a state of deep latency. Our findings imply that astrocytes might not constitute a latent reservoir per se but that relentless virus production by this brain cell population could contribute to the neurological disorders seen in HIV-1-infected persons subjected to combination antiretroviral therapy. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Age-related skeletal muscle decline is similar in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yarasheski, Kevin E; Scherzer, Rebecca; Kotler, Donald P; Dobs, Adrian S; Tien, Phyllis C; Lewis, Cora E; Kronmal, Richard A; Heymsfield, Steven B; Bacchetti, Peter; Grunfeld, Carl

    2011-03-01

    Skeletal muscle (SM) mass decreases with advanced age and with disease in HIV infection. It is unknown whether age-related muscle loss is accelerated in the current era of antiretroviral therapy and which factors might contribute to muscle loss among HIV-infected adults. We hypothesized that muscle mass would be lower and decline faster in HIV-infected adults than in similar-aged controls. Whole-body (1)H-magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify regional and total SM in 399 HIV-infected and 204 control men and women at baseline and 5 years later. Multivariable regression identified associated factors. At baseline and Year 5, total SM was lower in HIV-infected than control men. HIV-infected women were similar to control women at both time points. After adjusting for demographics, lifestyle factors, and total adipose tissue, HIV infection was associated with lower Year 5 SM in men and higher SM in women compared with controls. Average overall 5-year change in total SM was small and age related, but rate of change was similar in HIV-infected and control men and women. CD4 count and efavirenz use in HIV-infected participants were associated with increasing SM, whereas age and stavudine use were associated with decreasing SM. Muscle mass was lower in HIV-infected men compared with controls, whereas HIV-infected women had slightly higher SM than control women after multivariable adjustment. We found evidence against substantially faster SM decline in HIV infected versus similar-aged controls. SM gain was associated with increasing CD4 count, whereas stavudine use may contribute to SM loss.

  3. Disability, social functioning and school inclusion among older children and adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rukuni, Ruramayi; McHugh, Grace; Majonga, Edith; Kranzer, Katharina; Mujuru, Hilda; Munyati, Shungu; Nathoo, Kusum; Gregson, Celia L; Kuper, Hannah; Ferrand, Rashida A

    2018-02-01

    Increasing numbers of children with HIV are surviving to adolescence and encountering multiple clinical and social consequences of long-standing HIV infection. We aimed to investigate the association between HIV and disability, social functioning and school inclusion among 6- to 16-year-olds in Zimbabwe. HIV-infected children receiving antiretroviral therapy from a public-sector HIV clinic and HIV-uninfected children attending primary care clinics in the same catchment area were recruited. Standardised questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic, social functioning and disability data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between HIV status and disability and functioning. We recruited 202 HIV-infected and 285 HIV-uninfected children. There was no difference in age and gender between the two groups, but a higher proportion of HIV-infected children were orphaned. The prevalence of any disability was higher in HIV-infected than uninfected children (37.6% vs. 18.5%, P disability to those with HIV but no disabilities. Children with HIV commonly experience disabilities, and this is associated with social and educational exclusion. Rehabilitation and support services are needed to facilitate educational attainment and social participation in this group. © 2017 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Prognostic value of the stromal cell-derived factor 1 3'A mutation in pediatric human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tresoldi, Eleonora; Romiti, Maria Luisa; Boniotto, Michele; Crovella, Sergio; Salvatori, Francesca; Palomba, Elvia; Pastore, Angela; Cancrini, Caterina; de Martino, Maurizio; Plebani, Anna; Castelli, Guido; Rossi, Paolo; Tovo, Pier Angelo; Amoroso, Antonio; Scarlatti, Gabriella

    2002-03-01

    A mutation of the stromal cell-derived factor 1 gene (SDF-1 3'A) was shown to protect adults exposed to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from infection and to affect HIV disease progression in adults. The presence of this mutation in HIV-1-infected Kenyan children did not predict mother-to-child virus transmission. The SDF-1 3'A polymorphism was studied in 256 HIV-1-infected, 118 HIV-1-exposed but uninfected, and 170 unexposed and uninfected children of Italian origin, and the frequency of SDF-1 3'A heterozygosity and homozygosity in each of the 3 groups was similar. Of the 256 HIV-1-infected children, 194 were regularly followed up and were assigned to groups according to disease progression. The frequency of the SDF-1 3'A allele was substantially lower among children with long-term nonprogression than among children with rapid (P =.0329) or delayed (P =.0375) progression. We show that the presence of the SDF-1 3'A gene correlates with accelerated disease progression in HIV-1-infected children born to seropositive mothers but does not protect against mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission.

  5. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and neutralizing activity in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broliden, K; Sievers, E; Tovo, P A; Moschese, V; Scarlatti, G; Broliden, P A; Fundaro, C; Rossi, P

    1993-01-01

    The prognostic and protective role of antibodies mediating cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and neutralization was evaluated in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their consecutively followed children. The presence and titres of ADCC mediating and/or neutralizing antibodies in maternal sera did not predict HIV-1 infection in their respective children. No significant difference in the sera from the children was seen when comparing the presence of neutralizing antibodies between the uninfected and infected children. Stratification of the infected group according to clinical status revealed differences. Only one of 24 AIDS patients had a high neutralizing titre against IIIB. Four patients had a very low titre and the remaining had no detectable neutralizing antibodies at all. In contrast, 10/17 infected non-AIDS children had neutralizing antibodies. Similarly, no significant difference was seen when comparing the presence of ADCC-mediating antibodies between the uninfected and the infected group of children. However, a significantly higher frequency of ADCC was seen in the seropositive non-AIDS children compared with the AIDS children. This study clearly shows that the presence of antibodies mediating ADCC and neutralization in infected children, 0-2 years old, is associated with a better clinical status and delayed disease progression. PMID:8324904

  6. Interferon-Inducible CD169/Siglec1 Attenuates Anti-HIV-1 Effects of Alpha Interferon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akiyama, Hisashi; Ramirez, Nora-Guadalupe Pina; Gibson, Gregory; Kline, Christopher; Watkins, Simon; Ambrose, Zandrea

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT A hallmark of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in vivo is chronic immune activation concomitant with type I interferon (IFN) production. Although type I IFN induces an antiviral state in many cell types, HIV-1 can replicate in vivo via mechanisms that have remained unclear. We have recently identified a type I IFN-inducible protein, CD169, as the HIV-1 attachment factor on dendritic cells (DCs) that can mediate robust infection of CD4+ T cells in trans. Since CD169 expression on macrophages is also induced by type I IFN, we hypothesized that type I IFN-inducible CD169 could facilitate productive HIV-1 infection in myeloid cells in cis and CD4+ T cells in trans and thus offset antiviral effects of type I IFN. In support of this hypothesis, infection of HIV-1 or murine leukemia virus Env (MLV-Env)-pseudotyped HIV-1 particles was enhanced in IFN-α-treated THP-1 monocytoid cells, and this enhancement was primarily dependent on CD169-mediated enhancement at the virus entry step, a phenomenon phenocopied in HIV-1 infections of IFN-α-treated primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). Furthermore, expression of CD169, a marker of type I IFN-induced immune activation in vivo, was enhanced in lymph nodes from pigtailed macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) carrying HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT-SHIV), compared to uninfected macaques, and interestingly, there was extensive colocalization of p27gag and CD169, suggesting productive infection of CD169+ myeloid cells in vivo. While cell-free HIV-1 infection of IFN-α-treated CD4+ T cells was robustly decreased, initiation of infection in trans via coculture with CD169+ IFN-α-treated DCs restored infection, suggesting that HIV-1 exploits CD169 in cis and in trans to attenuate a type I IFN-induced antiviral state. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 infection in humans causes immune activation characterized by elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including type I interferons (IFN

  7. HIV-1 and SIV Predominantly Use CCR5 Expressed on a Precursor Population to Establish Infection in T Follicular Helper Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Zaunders

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundT follicular helper (Tfh cells are increasingly recognized as a major reservoir of HIV infection that will likely need to be addressed in approaches to curing HIV. However, Tfh express minimal CCR5, the major coreceptor for HIV-1, and the mechanism by which they are infected is unclear. We have previously shown that macaque Tfh lack CCR5, but are infected in vivo with CCR5-using SIV at levels comparable to other memory CD4+ T cells. Similarly, human splenic Tfh cells are highly infected with HIV-1 DNA. Therefore, we set out to examine the mechanism of infection of Tfh cells.MethodologyTfh and other CD4+ T cell subsets from macaque lymph nodes and spleens, splenic Tfh from HIV+ subjects, and tonsillar Tfh from HIV-uninfected subjects were isolated by cell sorting prior to cell surface and molecular characterization. HIV proviral gp120 sequences were submitted to genotypic and phenotypic tropism assays. Entry of CCR5- and CXCR4-using viruses into Tfh from uninfected tonsillar tissue was measured using a fusion assay.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis, genotypic, and phenotypic analysis showed that splenic Tfh cells from chronic HIV+ subjects were predominantly infected with CCR5-using viruses. In macaques, purified CCR5+PD-1intermediate(int+ memory CD4+ T cells were shown to include pre-Tfh cells capable of differentiating in vitro to Tfh by upregulation of PD-1 and Bcl6, confirmed by qRT-PCR and single-cell multiplex PCR. Infected PD-1int cells survive, carry SIV provirus, and differentiate into PD-1hi Tfh after T cell receptor stimulation, suggesting a pathway for SIV infection of Tfh. In addition, a small subset of macaque and human PD-1hi Tfh can express low levels of CCR5, which makes them susceptible to infection. Fusion assays demonstrated CCR5-using HIV-1 entry into CCR5+ Tfh and pre-Tfh cells from human tonsils.ConclusionThe major route of infection of Tfh in macaques and humans appears to be via a CCR5-expressing pre-Tfh population

  8. CD4/CD8 Ratio and KT Ratio Predict Yellow Fever Vaccine Immunogenicity in HIV-Infected Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, Peter W.; Huang, Yong; Simoes, Marisol; Lima, Sheila B.; Freire, Marcos S.; Caiaffa-Filho, Helio H.; Hong, Marisa A.; Costa, Dayane Alves; Dias, Juliana Zanatta C.; Cerqueira, Natalia B.; Nishiya, Anna Shoko; Sabino, Ester Cerdeira; Sartori, Ana M.; Kallas, Esper G.

    2016-01-01

    Background HIV-infected individuals have deficient responses to Yellow Fever vaccine (YFV) and may be at higher risk for adverse events (AE). Chronic immune activation–characterized by low CD4/CD8 ratio or high indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO) activity—may influence vaccine response in this population. Methods We prospectively assessed AE, viremia by the YFV virus and YF-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAb) in HIV-infected (CD4>350) and -uninfected adults through 1 year after vaccination. The effect of HIV status on initial antibody response to YFV was measured during the first 3 months following vaccination, while the effect on persistence of antibody response was measured one year following vaccination. We explored CD4/CD8 ratio, IDO activity (plasma kynurenine/tryptophan [KT] ratio) and viremia by Human Pegivirus as potential predictors of NAb response to YFV among HIV-infected participants with linear mixed models. Results 12 HIV-infected and 45-uninfected participants were included in the final analysis. HIV was not significantly associated with AE, YFV viremia or NAb titers through the first 3 months following vaccination. However, HIV–infected participants had 0.32 times the NAb titers observed for HIV-uninfected participants at 1 year following YFV (95% CI 0.13 to 0.83, p = 0.021), independent of sex, age and prior vaccination. In HIV-infected participants, each 10% increase in CD4/CD8 ratio predicted a mean 21% higher post-baseline YFV Nab titer (p = 0.024). Similarly, each 10% increase in KT ratio predicted a mean 21% lower post-baseline YFV Nab titer (p = 0.009). Viremia by Human Pegivirus was not significantly associated with NAb titers. Conclusions HIV infection appears to decrease the durability of NAb responses to YFV, an effect that may be predicted by lower CD4/CD8 ratio or higher KT ratio. PMID:27941965

  9. Effects of Perinatal HIV Infection and Early Institutional Rearing on Physical and Cognitive Development of Children in Ukraine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobrova-Krol, Natasha A.; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; Juffer, Femmie

    2010-01-01

    To study the effects of perinatal HIV-1 infection and early institutional rearing on the physical and cognitive development of children, 64 Ukrainian uninfected and HIV-infected institutionalized and family-reared children were examined (mean age = 50.9 months). Both HIV infection and institutional care were related to delays in physical and…

  10. HIV Infection Is Associated with Increased Fatty Infiltration of the Thigh Muscle with Aging Independent of Fat Distribution.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javzandulam Natsag

    Full Text Available Lower muscle density on computed tomography (CT provides a measure of fatty infiltration of muscle, an aspect of muscle quality that has been associated with metabolic abnormalities, weakness, decreased mobility, and increased fracture risk in older adults. We assessed the cross-sectional relationship between HIV serostatus, age, thigh muscle attenuation, and thigh muscle cross-sectional area (CSA.Mean CT-quantified Hounsfield units (HU of the thigh muscle bundle and CSA were evaluated in 368 HIV-infected and 145 HIV-uninfected men enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS Cardiovascular Substudy using multivariable linear regression. Models all were adjusted for HIV serostatus, age, race, and body mass index (BMI; each model was further adjusted for covariates that differed by HIV serostatus, including insulin resistance, hepatitis C, malignancy, smoking, alcohol use, and self-reported limitation in physical activity.HIV-infected men had greater thigh muscle CSA (p<0.001 but lower muscle density (p<0.001 compared to HIV-uninfected men. Muscle density remained lower in HIV-infected men (p = 0.001 when abdominal visceral adiposity, and thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue area were substituted for BMI in a multivariable model. Muscle density decreased by 0.16 HU per year (p<0.001 of increasing age among the HIV-infected men, but not in the HIV-uninfected men (HIV x age interaction -0.20 HU; p = 0.002.HIV-infected men had lower thigh muscle density compared to HIV-uninfected men, and a more pronounced decline with increasing age, indicative of greater fatty infiltration. These findings suggest that lower muscle quality among HIV-infected persons may be a risk factor for impairments in physical function with aging.

  11. IL-21 augments NK effector functions in chronically HIV-infected individuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strbo, Natasa; de Armas, Lesley; Liu, Huanliang; Kolber, Michael A.; Lichtenheld, Mathias; Pahwa, Savita

    2009-01-01

    Objective This study addresses the interleukin (IL)-21 effects on resting peripheral blood NK cells in chronically HIV-infected individuals. Design The effects of IL-21 on perforin expression, proliferation, degranulation, IFN-γ production, cytotoxicity and induction of STAT phosphorylation in NK cells were determined in vitro. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected and healthy individuals were incubated in vitro for 6h, 24h or 5 days with IL-21 or IL-15. Percentages of perforin, IFN-γ, CD107a, NKG2D and STAT3-5 positive cells were determined within NK cell populations. K562 cells were used as target cells in NK cytotoxicity assay. Results Frequency of CD56dim cells in chronically HIV-infected individuals was diminished. Perforin expression in CD56dim and CD56bright was comparable in healthy and HIV-infected individuals. IL-15 up-regulated perforin expression primarily in CD56bright NK cells while IL-21 up-regulated perforin in both NK subsets. IL-21 and IL- 15 up-regulated CD107a and IFN-γ as well as NK cytotoxicity. IL-15 predominantly activated STAT5, while IL-21 activated STAT5 and STAT3. IL-15, but not IL-21 increased NK cell proliferation in uninfected and HIV-infected individuals. Conclusion IL-21 augments NK effector functions in chronically HIV-infected individuals and due to its perforin enhancing properties it has potential for immunotherapy or as a vaccine adjuvant. PMID:18670213

  12. Combination antiretroviral therapy improves cognitive performance and functional connectivity in treatment-naïve HIV-infected individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Yuchuan; Qiu, Xing; Wang, Lu; Ma, Qing; Mapstone, Mark; Luque, Amneris; Weber, Miriam; Tivarus, Madalina; Miller, Eric; Arduino, Roberto C; Zhong, Jianhui; Schifitto, Giovanni

    2017-10-01

    Our study aimed to investigate the short-term effect of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on cognitive performance and functional and structural connectivity and their relationship to plasma levels of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Seventeen ARV treatment-naïve HIV-infected individuals (baseline mean CD4 cell count, 479 ± 48 cells/mm 3 ) were age matched with 17 HIV-uninfected individuals. All subjects underwent a detailed neurocognitive and functional assessment and magnetic resonance imaging. HIV-infected subjects were scanned before starting cART and 12 weeks after initiation of treatment. Uninfected subjects were assessed once at baseline. Functional connectivity (FC) was assessed within the default mode network while structural connectivity was assessed by voxel-wise analysis using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography within the DMN. Tenofovir and emtricitabine blood concentration were measured at week 12 of cART. Prior to cART, HIV-infected individuals had significantly lower cognitive performance than control subjects as measured by the total Z-score from the neuropsychological tests assessing six cognitive domains (p = 0.020). After 12 weeks of cART treatment, there remained only a weak cognitive difference between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected subjects (p = 0.057). Mean FC was lower in HIV-infected individuals compared with those uninfected (p = 0.008), but FC differences became non-significant after treatment (p = 0.197). There were no differences in DTI metrics between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals using the TBSS approach and limited evidence of decreased structural connectivity within the DMN in HIV-infected individuals. Tenofovir and emtricitabine plasma concentrations did not correlate with either cognitive performance or imaging metrics. Twelve weeks of cART improves cognitive performance and functional connectivity in ARV treatment-naïve HIV-infected individuals with relatively

  13. A Controlled Study of Tuberculosis Diagnosis in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Children in Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberhelman, Richard A.; Soto-Castellares, Giselle; Gilman, Robert H.; Castillo, Maria E.; Kolevic, Lenka; Delpino, Trinidad; Saito, Mayuko; Salazar-Lindo, Eduardo; Negron, Eduardo; Montenegro, Sonia; Laguna-Torres, V. Alberto; Maurtua-Neumann, Paola; Datta, Sumona; Evans, Carlton A.

    2015-01-01

    Background Diagnosing tuberculosis in children is challenging because specimens are difficult to obtain and contain low tuberculosis concentrations, especially with HIV-coinfection. Few studies included well-controls so test specificities are poorly defined. We studied tuberculosis diagnosis in 525 children with and without HIV-infection. Methods and Findings ‘Cases’ were children with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 209 HIV-negative; n = 81 HIV-positive) and asymptomatic ‘well-control’ children (n = 200 HIV-negative; n = 35 HIV-positive). Specimens (n = 2422) were gastric aspirates, nasopharyngeal aspirates and stools analyzed by a total of 9688 tests. All specimens were tested with an in-house hemi-nested IS6110 PCR that took 0.2) for HIV-positive versus HIV-negative cases. All specimens were also tested with auramine acid-fast microscopy, microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) liquid culture, and Lowenstein-Jensen solid culture that took ≤6 weeks and had 100% specificity (all 2112 tests on 704 specimens from 235 well-controls were negative). Microscopy-positivity was rare (0.21%, 5/2422 specimens) and all microscopy-positive specimens were culture-positive. Culture-positivity was less frequent (P≤0.01) in HIV-infection: 1.2% (1/81) HIV-positive cases versus 11% (22/209) HIV-negative cases; caused by 0.42% (2/481) versus 4.7% (58/1235) of their specimens, respectively. Conclusions In HIV-positive children with suspected tuberculosis, diagnostic yield was so low that 1458 microscopy and culture tests were done per case confirmed and even in children with culture-proven tuberculosis most tests and specimens were false-negative; whereas PCR was so prone to false-positives that PCR-positivity was as likely in specimens from well-controls as suspected-tuberculosis cases. This demonstrates the importance of control participants in diagnostic test evaluation and that even extensive laboratory testing only rarely contributed to the care of

  14. Is arterial stiffness in HIV-infected individuals associated with HIV-related factors?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteiro, P.; Miranda-Filho, D.B.; Bandeira, F.; Lacerda, H.R.; Chaves, H.; Albuquerque, M.F.P.M.; Montarroyos, U.R.; Ximenes, R.A.A.

    2012-01-01

    We investigated the association between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and HIV infection, antiretroviral treatment-related characteristics, viral load, immune status, and metabolic changes in a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of HIV/AIDS patients who have been followed for metabolic and cardiovascular changes since 2007. The study included patients recruited from the cohort (N = 261) and a comparison group (N = 82) of uninfected individuals, all enrolled from April to November 2009. Aortic stiffness was estimated using the carotid-femoral PWV (Complior-Artech, Paris, France). The groups were similar with respect to age, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, Framingham score, and use of antihypertensive and hypolipidemic medications. Hypertension was more frequent among the controls. Individuals with HIV had higher triglyceride, glucose and HDL cholesterol levels. Among individuals with HIV/AIDS, those with a nadir CD4 + T-cell count <200 cells/mm 3 had a higher PWV (P = 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference when subjects were stratified by gender. Heart rate, age, male gender, and blood pressure were independently correlated with PWV. Nadir CD4 + T-cell count did not remain in the final model. There was no significance difference in PWV between HIV-infected individuals and uninfected controls. PWV was correlated with age, gender, and blood pressure across the entire population and among those infected with HIV. We recommend cohort studies to further explore the association between inflammation related to HIV infection and/or immune reconstitution and antiretroviral use and PWV

  15. Malnutrition is associated with HIV infection in children less than 5 years in Bobo-Dioulasso City, Burkina Faso: A case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poda, Ghislain Gnimbar; Hsu, Chien-Yeh; Chao, Jane C-J

    2017-05-01

    Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and malnutrition are still 2 major health issues in sub-Saharan Africa including Burkina Faso where few studies have been conducted on child malnutrition and HIV infection. This study assessed the effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV infection and also compared the prevalence of malnutrition in terms of an inadequate diet, underweight, stunting, and wasting among HIV-infected and uninfected children less than 5 years in Bobo-Dioulasso city, Burkina Faso.This was a case-control study matching for age and sex in 164 HIV-infected and 164 HIV-uninfected children. The sociodemographic characteristics of mothers and children, household food security, drinking water source, child feeding and care practices, and child anthropometric data such as body weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference were collected.The prevalence of food insecurity and inadequate diet was 58% and 92% of children less than 5 years of age, respectively. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 77% versus 35%, 65% versus 61%, and 63% versus 26% in HIV-infected and uninfected children less than 5 years of age, respectively. Out of 164 HIV-infected children, 59% were on ART initiation during data collection and the median of CD4 cell counts was 1078 cells/μL. HIV-infected children on ART had greater CD4 cell counts (P = .04) and higher weight-for-age Z (P = .01) and weight-for-height Z scores (P = .03) than those without ART. HIV infection was a risk factor for those who had inadequate dietary intake [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-3.62, P = .04]. In addition, HIV-infected children were more likely of being underweight (AOR = 10.24, 95% CI 4.34-24.17, P children less than 5 years of age.High prevalence of malnutrition was observed in HIV-infected children compared with HIV-uninfected children. Except for ART, nutritional assessment and support should be

  16. Rate of candidiasis among HIV-infected children in Spain in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (1997–2008)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Candidiasis is the most common opportunistic infection seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The aim of our study was to estimate the candidiasis rate and evaluate its trend in HIV-infected children in Spain during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) compared to HIV-uninfected children. Methods We carried out a retrospective study. Data were obtained from the records of the Minimum Basic Data Set from hospitals in Spain. All HIV-infected children were under 17 years of age, and a group of HIV-uninfected children with hospital admissions matching the study group by gender and age were randomly selected. The follow-up period (1997–2008) was divided into three calendar periods: a) From 1997 to 1999 for early-period HAART; b) from 2000 to 2002 for mid-period HAART; and c) from 2003 to 2008 for late-period HAART. Results Among children with hospital admissions, HIV-infected children had much higher values than HIV-uninfected children during each of the three calendar periods for overall candidiasis rates (150.0 versus 6.1 events per 1,000 child hospital admissions/year (p candidiasis rate (events per 1,000 HIV-infected children/year) decreased from 1997–1999 to 2000–2002 (18.8 to 10.6; p candidiasis, both non-ICM and ICM rates experienced significant decreases from 1997–1999 to 2003–2008 (15.9 to 5.7 (p candidiasis rate still remains higher than in the general population (from 1997 to 2008), candidiasis diagnoses have decreased among HIV-infected children throughout the HAART era, and it has ceased to be a major health problem among children with HIV infection. PMID:23510319

  17. Mathematical Modeling Predicts that Increased HSV-2 Shedding in HIV-1 Infected Persons Is Due to Poor Immunologic Control in Ganglia and Genital Mucosa.

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    Joshua T Schiffer

    Full Text Available A signature feature of HIV infection is poor control of herpes virus infections, which reactivate from latency and cause opportunistic infections. While the general mechanism underlying this observation is deficient CD4+T-cell function, it is unknown whether increased severity of herpes virus infections is due primarily to poor immune control in latent or lytic sites of infection, or whether CD4+ immunodeficiency leads to more critical downstream deficits in humoral or cell-mediated immunologic responses. Here we compare genital shedding patterns of herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2 in 98 HIV infected and 98 HIV uninfected men matched on length of infection, HSV-1 serostatus and nationality. We demonstrate that high copy HSV-2 shedding is more frequent in HIV positive men, particularly in participants with CD4+ T-cell count <200/μL. Genital shedding is more frequent due to higher rate of shedding episodes, as well as a higher proportion of prolonged shedding episodes. Peak episode viral load was not found to differ between HIV infected and uninfected participants regardless of CD4+ T-cell count. We simulate a mathematical model which recapitulates these findings and identifies that rate of HSV-2 release from neural tissue increases, duration of mucosal cytolytic immune protection decreases, and cell-free viral lifespan increases in HIV infected participants. These results suggest that increased HSV-2 shedding in HIV infected persons may be caused by impaired immune function in both latent and lytic tissue compartments, with deficits in clearance of HSV-2 infected cells and extracellular virus.

  18. Contribution of intestinal barrier damage, microbial translocation and HIV-1 infection status to an inflammaging signature.

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    Amanda K Steele

    Full Text Available Systemic inflammation is a characteristic of both HIV-1 infection and aging ("inflammaging". Intestinal epithelial barrier damage (IEBD and microbial translocation (MT contribute to HIV-associated inflammation, but their impact on inflammaging remains unclear.Plasma biomarkers for IEBD (iFABP, MT (LPS, sCD14, T-cell activation (sCD27, and inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6 were measured in 88 HIV-1 uninfected (HIV(neg and 83 treated, HIV-1-infected (HIV(pos adults from 20-100 years old.Age positively correlated with iFABP (r = 0.284, p = 0.008, sCD14 (r = 0.646, p = <0.0001 and LPS (r = 0.421, p = 0.0002 levels in HIV(neg but not HIV(pos subjects. Age also correlated with sCD27, hsCRP, and IL-6 levels regardless of HIV status. Middle-aged HIV(pos subjects had elevated plasma biomarker levels similar to or greater than those of elderly HIV(neg subjects with the exception of sCD14. Clustering analysis described an inflammaging phenotype (IP based on iFABP, sCD14, sCD27, and hsCRP levels in HIV(neg subjects over 60 years of age. The IP in HIV(neg subjects was used to develop a classification model that was applied to HIV(pos subjects to determine whether HIV(pos subjects under 60 years of age were IP+. HIV(pos IP+ subjects were similar in age to IP- subjects but had a greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD based on Framingham risk score (p =  0.01.We describe a novel IP that incorporates biomarkers of IEBD, MT, immune activation as well as inflammation. Application of this novel IP in HIV-infected subjects identified a group at higher risk of CVD.

  19. Lack of mucosal immune reconstitution during prolonged treatment of acute and early HIV-1 infection.

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    Saurabh Mehandru

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available During acute and early HIV-1 infection (AEI, up to 60% of CD4(+ T cells in the lamina propria of the lower gastrointestinal (GI tract are lost as early as 2-4 wk after infection. Reconstitution in the peripheral blood during therapy with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART is well established. However, the extent of immune reconstitution in the GI tract is unknown.Fifty-four AEI patients and 18 uninfected control participants underwent colonic biopsy. Forty of the 54 AEI patients were followed after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (18 were studied longitudinally with sequential biopsies over a 3-y period after beginning HAART, and 22 were studied cross sectionally after 1-7 y of uninterrupted therapy. Lymphocyte subsets, markers of immune activation and memory in the peripheral blood and GI tract were determined by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. In situ hybridization was performed in order to identify persistent HIV-1 RNA expression. Of the patients studied, 70% maintained, on average, a 50%-60% depletion of lamina propria lymphocytes despite 1-7 y of HAART. Lymphocytes expressing CCR5 and both CCR5 and CXCR4 were persistently and preferentially depleted. Levels of immune activation in the memory cell population, CD45RO+ HLA-DR+, returned to levels seen in the uninfected control participants in the peripheral blood, but were elevated in the GI tract of patients with persistent CD4+ T cell depletion despite therapy. Rare HIV-1 RNA-expressing cells were detected by in situ hybridization.Apparently suppressive treatment with HAART during acute and early infection does not lead to complete immune reconstitution in the GI mucosa in the majority of patients studied, despite immune reconstitution in the peripheral blood. Though the mechanism remains obscure, the data suggest that there is either viral or immune-mediated accelerated T cell destruction or, possibly, alterations in T cell homing to the GI tract. Although clinically

  20. Immune activation in HIV-infected aging women on antiretrovirals--implications for age-associated comorbidities: a cross-sectional pilot study.

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    Maria L Alcaide

    Full Text Available Persistent immune activation and microbial translocation associated with HIV infection likely place HIV-infected aging women at high risk of developing chronic age-related diseases. We investigated immune activation and microbial translocation in HIV-infected aging women in the post-menopausal ages.Twenty-seven post-menopausal women with HIV infection receiving antiretroviral treatment with documented viral suppression and 15 HIV-negative age-matched controls were enrolled. Levels of immune activation markers (T cell immune phenotype, sCD25, sCD14, sCD163, microbial translocation (LPS and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and impaired cognitive function (sVCAM-1, sICAM-1 and CXCL10 were evaluated.T cell activation and exhaustion, monocyte/macrophage activation, and microbial translocation were significantly higher in HIV-infected women when compared to uninfected controls. Microbial translocation correlated with T cell and monocyte/macrophage activation. Biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and impaired cognition were elevated in women with HIV infection and correlated with immune activation.HIV-infected antiretroviral-treated aging women who achieved viral suppression are in a generalized status of immune activation and therefore are at an increased risk of age-associated end-organ diseases compared to uninfected age-matched controls.

  1. Erythropoiesis in HIV-infected and uninfected Malawian children with severe anemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Calis, Job C. J.; Phiri, Kamija S.; Vet, Raymond J. W. M.; de Haan, Rob J.; Munthali, Francis; Kraaijenhagen, Robert J.; Hulshof, Paul J. M.; Molyneux, Malcolm E.; Brabin, Bernard J.; Boele van Hensbroek, Michaël; Bates, Imelda

    2010-01-01

    Anemia is common in HIV infection, but the pathophysiology is poorly understood. Bone marrow analysis in 329 severely anemic (hemoglobin <5 g/dl) Malawian children with (n = 40) and without (n = 289) HIV infection showed that HIV-infected children had fewer CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitors (median

  2. L Particles Transmit Viral Proteins from Herpes Simplex Virus 1-Infected Mature Dendritic Cells to Uninfected Bystander Cells, Inducing CD83 Downmodulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilingloh, Christiane S; Kummer, Mirko; Mühl-Zürbes, Petra; Drassner, Christina; Daniel, Christoph; Klewer, Monika; Steinkasserer, Alexander

    2015-11-01

    Mature dendritic cells (mDCs) are known as the most potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) since they are also able to prime/induce naive T cells. Thus, mDCs play a pivotal role during the induction of antiviral immune responses. Remarkably, the cell surface molecule CD83, which was shown to have costimulatory properties, is targeted by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) for viral immune escape. Infection of mDCs with HSV-1 results in downmodulation of CD83, resulting in reduced T cell stimulation. In this study, we report that not only infected mDCs but also uninfected bystander cells in an infected culture show a significant CD83 reduction. We demonstrate that this effect is independent of phagocytosis and transmissible from infected to uninfected mDCs. The presence of specific viral proteins found in these uninfected bystander cells led to the hypothesis that viral proteins are transferred from infected to uninfected cells via L particles. These L particles are generated during lytic replication in parallel with full virions, called H particles. L particles contain viral proteins but lack the viral capsid and DNA. Therefore, these particles are not infectious but are able to transfer several viral proteins. Incubation of mDCs with L particles indeed reduced CD83 expression on uninfected bystander DCs, providing for the first time evidence that functional viral proteins are transmitted via L particles from infected mDCs to uninfected bystander cells, thereby inducing CD83 downmodulation. HSV-1 has evolved a number of strategies to evade the host's immune system. Among others, HSV-1 infection of mDCs results in an inhibited T cell activation caused by degradation of CD83. Interestingly, CD83 is lost not only from HSV-1-infected mDCs but also from uninfected bystander cells. The release of so-called L particles, which contain several viral proteins but lack capsid and DNA, during infection is a common phenomenon observed among several viruses, such as human

  3. CD8+ T-Cells Count in Acute Myocardial Infarction in HIV Disease in a Predominantly Male Cohort

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    Oluwatosin A. Badejo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Human Immunodeficiency Virus- (HIV- infected persons have a higher risk for acute myocardial infarction (AMI than HIV-uninfected persons. Earlier studies suggest that HIV viral load, CD4+ T-cell count, and antiretroviral therapy are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD risk. Whether CD8+ T-cell count is associated with CVD risk is not clear. We investigated the association between CD8+ T-cell count and incident AMI in a cohort of 73,398 people (of which 97.3% were men enrolled in the U.S. Veterans Aging Cohort Study-Virtual Cohort (VACS-VC. Compared to uninfected people, HIV-infected people with high baseline CD8+ T-cell counts (>1065 cells/mm3 had increased AMI risk (adjusted HR=1.82, P<0.001, 95% CI: 1.46 to 2.28. There was evidence that the effect of CD8+ T-cell tertiles on AMI risk differed by CD4+ T-cell level: compared to uninfected people, HIV-infected people with CD4+ T-cell counts ≥200 cells/mm3 had increased AMI risk with high CD8+ T-cell count, while those with CD4+ T-cell counts <200 cells/mm3 had increased AMI risk with low CD8+ T-cell count. CD8+ T-cell counts may add additional AMI risk stratification information beyond that provided by CD4+ T-cell counts alone.

  4. Sequential Immunization with gp140 Boosts Immune Responses Primed by Modified Vaccinia Ankara or DNA in HIV-Uninfected South African Participants.

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    Gavin Churchyard

    Full Text Available The safety and immunogenicity of SAAVI DNA-C2 (4 mg IM, SAAVI MVA-C (2.9 x 109 pfu IM and Novartis V2-deleted subtype C gp140 (100 mcg with MF59 adjuvant in various vaccination regimens was evaluated in HIV-uninfected adults in South Africa.Participants at three South African sites were randomized (1:1:1:1 to one of four vaccine regimens: MVA prime, sequential gp140 protein boost (M/M/P/P; concurrent MVA/gp140 (MP/MP; DNA prime, sequential MVA boost (D/D/M/M; DNA prime, concurrent MVA/gp140 boost (D/D/MP/MP or placebo. Peak HIV specific humoral and cellular responses were measured.184 participants were enrolled: 52% were female, all were Black/African, median age was 23 years (range, 18-42 years and 79% completed all vaccinations. 159 participants reported at least one adverse event, 92.5% were mild or moderate. Five, unrelated, serious adverse events were reported. The M/M/P/P and D/D/MP/MP regimens induced the strongest peak neutralizing and binding antibody responses and the greatest CD4+ T-cell responses to Env. All peak neutralizing and binding antibody responses decayed with time. The MVA, but not DNA, prime contributed to the humoral and cellular immune responses. The D/D/M/M regimen was poorly immunogenic overall but did induce modest CD4+ T-cell responses to Gag and Pol. CD8+ T-cell responses to any antigen were low for all regimens.The SAAVI DNA-C2, SAAVI MVA-C and Novartis gp140 with MF59 adjuvant in various combinations were safe and induced neutralizing and binding antibodies and cellular immune responses. Sequential immunization with gp140 boosted immune responses primed by MVA or DNA. The best overall immune responses were seen with the M/M/P/P regimen.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01418235.

  5. The value of confirmatory testing in early infant HIV diagnosis programmes in South Africa: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

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    Lorna Dunning

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The specificity of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs used for early infant diagnosis (EID of HIV infection is <100%, leading some HIV-uninfected infants to be incorrectly identified as HIV-infected. The World Health Organization recommends that infants undergo a second NAAT to confirm any positive test result, but implementation is limited. Our objective was to determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of confirmatory HIV testing for EID programmes in South Africa.Using the Cost-effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC-Pediatric model, we simulated EID testing at age 6 weeks for HIV-exposed infants without and with confirmatory testing. We assumed a NAAT cost of US$25, NAAT specificity of 99.6%, NAAT sensitivity of 100% for infants infected in pregnancy or at least 4 weeks prior to testing, and a mother-to-child transmission (MTCT rate at 12 months of 4.9%; we simulated guideline-concordant rates of testing uptake, result return, and antiretroviral therapy (ART initiation (100%. After diagnosis, infants were linked to and retained in care for 10 years (false-positive or lifelong (true-positive. All parameters were varied widely in sensitivity analyses. Outcomes included number of infants with false-positive diagnoses linked to ART per 1,000 ART initiations, life expectancy (LE, in years and per-person lifetime HIV-related healthcare costs. Both without and with confirmatory testing, LE was 26.2 years for HIV-infected infants and 61.4 years for all HIV-exposed infants; clinical outcomes for truly infected infants did not differ by strategy. Without confirmatory testing, 128/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses; with confirmatory testing, 1/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses. Because confirmatory testing averted costly HIV care and ART in truly HIV-uninfected infants, it was cost-saving: total cost US$1,790/infant tested, compared to US$1,830/infant tested without confirmatory testing

  6. Elevated Cancer-Specific Mortality Among HIV-Infected Patients in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coghill, Anna E; Shiels, Meredith S; Suneja, Gita; Engels, Eric A

    2015-07-20

    Despite advances in the treatment of HIV, HIV-infected people remain at increased risk for many cancers, and the number of non-AIDS-defining cancers is increasing with the aging of the HIV-infected population. No prior study has comprehensively evaluated the effect of HIV on cancer-specific mortality. We identified cases of 14 common cancers occurring from 1996 to 2010 in six US states participating in a linkage of cancer and HIV/AIDS registries. We used Cox regression to examine the association between patient HIV status and death resulting from the presenting cancer (ascertained from death certificates), adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, year of cancer diagnosis, and cancer stage. We included 1,816,461 patients with cancer, 6,459 (0.36%) of whom were HIV infected. Cancer-specific mortality was significantly elevated in HIV-infected compared with HIV-uninfected patients for many cancers: colorectum (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.84), pancreas (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.35 to 2.18), larynx (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.47), lung (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.39), melanoma (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.70), breast (HR, 2.61; 95% CI, 2.06 to 3.31), and prostate (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.41). HIV was not associated with increased cancer-specific mortality for anal cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. After further adjustment for cancer treatment, HIV remained associated with elevated cancer-specific mortality for common non-AIDS-defining cancers: colorectum (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.80), lung (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.44), melanoma (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.14 to 3.27), and breast (HR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.86 to 3.73). HIV-infected patients with cancer experienced higher cancer-specific mortality than HIV-uninfected patients, independent of cancer stage or receipt of cancer treatment. The elevation in cancer-specific mortality among HIV-infected patients may be attributable to unmeasured stage or treatment differences as well

  7. Oral Mycobiome Analysis of HIV-Infected Patients: Identification of Pichia as an Antagonist of Opportunistic Fungi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, Pranab K.; Chandra, Jyotsna; Retuerto, Mauricio; Sikaroodi, Masoumeh; Brown, Robert E.; Jurevic, Richard; Salata, Robert A.; Lederman, Michael M.; Gillevet, Patrick M.; Ghannoum, Mahmoud A.

    2014-01-01

    Oral microbiota contribute to health and disease, and their disruption may influence the course of oral diseases. Here, we used pyrosequencing to characterize the oral bacteriome and mycobiome of 12 HIV-infected patients and matched 12 uninfected controls. The number of bacterial and fungal genera in individuals ranged between 8–14 and 1–9, among uninfected and HIV-infected participants, respectively. The core oral bacteriome (COB) comprised 14 genera, of which 13 were common between the two groups. In contrast, the core oral mycobiome (COM) differed between HIV-infected and uninfected individuals, with Candida being the predominant fungus in both groups. Among Candida species, C. albicans was the most common (58% in uninfected and 83% in HIV-infected participants). Furthermore, 15 and 12 bacteria-fungi pairs were correlated significantly within uninfected and HIV-infected groups, respectively. Increase in Candida colonization was associated with a concomitant decrease in the abundance of Pichia, suggesting antagonism. We found that Pichia spent medium (PSM) inhibited growth of Candida, Aspergillus and Fusarium. Moreover, Pichia cells and PSM inhibited Candida biofilms (P = .002 and .02, respectively, compared to untreated controls). The mechanism by which Pichia inhibited Candida involved nutrient limitation, and modulation of growth and virulence factors. Finally, in an experimental murine model of oral candidiasis, we demonstrated that mice treated with PSM exhibited significantly lower infection score (P = .011) and fungal burden (P = .04) compared to untreated mice. Moreover, tongues of PSM-treated mice had few hyphae and intact epithelium, while vehicle- and nystatin-treated mice exhibited extensive fungal invasion of tissue with epithelial disruption. These results showed that PSM was efficacious against oral candidiasis in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory activity of PSM was associated with secretory protein/s. Our findings provide the

  8. Immunogenicity and safety of two doses of catch-up immunization with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in Indian children living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arya, Bikas K; Bhattacharya, Sangeeta Das; Sutcliffe, Catherine G; Saha, Malay K; Bhattacharyya, Subhasish; Niyogi, Swapan Kumar; Moss, William J; Panda, Samiran; Das, Ranjan Saurav; Mallick, Mausom; Mandal, Sutapa

    2016-04-27

    Children living with HIV are at increased risk of disease from Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Data are limited on the immunogenicity of a two-dose, catch-up schedule for Hib conjugate vaccine (HibCV) among HIV-infected children accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) late. The objectives of the study were to: (1) evaluate baseline immunity to Hib and the immunogenicity and safety of two doses of HibCV among HIV-infected Indian children; and (2) document the threshold antibody level required to prevent Hib colonization among HIV-infected children following immunization. We conducted a prospective cohort study among HIV-infected children 2-15 years of age and HIV-uninfected children 2-5 years of age. HIV-infected children received two doses of HibCV and uninfected children received one. Serum anti-Hib PRP IgG antibodies were measured at baseline and two months after immunization in the HIV-infected children. Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs were collected at baseline and follow-up. 125 HIV-infected and 44 uninfected children participated. 40% of HIV-infected children were receiving ART and 26% had a viral load >100,000 copies/mL. The geometric mean concentration of serum anti-Hib PRP antibody increased from 0.25 μg/mL at baseline to 2.65 μg/mL after two doses of HibCV, representing a 10.6-fold increase (pchildren mounted an immune response. Moderate or severe immune suppression, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, and lower baseline antibody levels were associated with lower post-vaccine serum anti-Hib PRP IgG antibodies. A serum anti-Hib PRP IgG antibody level ≥ 3.3 μg/mL was protective against Hib NP colonization. There were no differences in adverse events between HIV-infected and uninfected children. Including a catch-up immunization schedule for older HIV infected children in countries introducing Hib vaccines is important. Older HIV-infected children with delayed access to ART and without suppressed viral loads mounted an adequate immune response

  9. Sexual risk factors for HIV infection in early and advanced HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic overview of 68 epidemiological studies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Chen

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available It is commonly assumed that sexual risk factors for heterosexual HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, such as multi-partner sex, paid sex and co-infections, become less important as HIV epidemics mature and prevalence increases.We conducted a systematic review of 68 African epidemiological studies from 1986 to 2006 involving 17,000 HIV positive adults and 73,000 controls. We used random-effects methods and stratified results by gender, time, background HIV prevalence rates and other variables. The number of sex partners, history of paid sex, and infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV-2 or other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs each showed significant associations with HIV infection. Among the general population, the odds ratio (OR of HIV infection for women reporting 3+ sex partners versus 0-2 was 3.64 (95%CI [2.87-4.62], with similar risks for men. About 9% of infected women reported ever having been paid for sex, versus 4% of control women (OR = 2.29, [1.45-3.62]. About 31% of infected men reported ever paying for sex versus 18% of uninfected men (OR = 1.75, [1.30-2.36]. HSV-2 infection carried the largest risk of HIV infection: OR = 4.62, [2.85-7.47] in women, and OR = 6.97, [4.68-10.38] in men. These risks changed little over time and stratification by lower and higher HIV background prevalence showed that risk ratios for most variables were larger in high prevalence settings. Among uninfected controls, the male-female differences in the number of sex partners and in paid sex were more extreme in the higher HIV prevalence settings than in the lower prevalence settings.Multi-partner sex, paid sex, STIs and HSV-2 infection are as important to HIV transmission in advanced as in early HIV epidemics. Even in high prevalence settings, prevention among people with high rates of partner change, such as female sex workers and their male clients, is likely to reduce transmission overall.

  10. HIV-associated disruption of tight and adherens junctions of oral epithelial cells facilitates HSV-1 infection and spread.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irna Sufiawati

    Full Text Available Herpes simplex virus (HSV types 1 and 2 are the most common opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS. In these immunocompromised individuals, HSV-1 reactivates and replicates in oral epithelium, leading to oral disorders such as ulcers, gingivitis, and necrotic lesions. Although the increased risk of HSV infection may be mediated in part by HIV-induced immune dysfunction, direct or indirect interactions of HIV and HSV at the molecular level may also play a role. In this report we show that prolonged interaction of the HIV proteins tat and gp120 and cell-free HIV virions with polarized oral epithelial cells leads to disruption of tight and adherens junctions of epithelial cells through the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. HIV-induced disruption of oral epithelial junctions facilitates HSV-1 paracellular spread between the epithelial cells. Furthermore, HIV-associated disruption of adherens junctions exposes sequestered nectin-1, an adhesion protein and critical receptor for HSV envelope glycoprotein D (gD. Exposure of nectin-1 facilitates binding of HSV-1 gD, which substantially increases HSV-1 infection of epithelial cells with disrupted junctions over that of cells with intact junctions. Exposed nectin-1 from disrupted adherens junctions also increases the cell-to-cell spread of HSV-1 from infected to uninfected oral epithelial cells. Antibodies to nectin-1 and HSV-1 gD substantially reduce HSV-1 infection and cell-to-cell spread, indicating that HIV-promoted HSV infection and spread are mediated by the interaction of HSV gD with HIV-exposed nectin-1. Our data suggest that HIV-associated disruption of oral epithelial junctions may potentiate HSV-1 infection and its paracellular and cell-to-cell spread within the oral mucosal epithelium. This could be one of the possible mechanisms of rapid development of HSV-associated oral lesions in HIV-infected individuals.

  11. Selective Loss of Early Differentiated, Highly Functional PD1high CD4 T Cells with HIV Progression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert M Paris

    Full Text Available The role of PD-1 expression on CD4 T cells during HIV infection is not well understood. Here, we describe the differential expression of PD-1 in CD127high CD4 T cells within the early/intermediate differentiated (EI (CD27highCD45RAlow T cell population among uninfected and HIV-infected subjects, with higher expression associated with decreased viral replication (HIV-1 viral load. A significant loss of circulating PD-1highCTLA-4low CD4 T cells was found specifically in the CD127highCD27highCD45RAlow compartment, while initiation of antiretroviral treatment, particularly in subjects with advanced disease, reversed these dynamics. Increased HIV-1 Gag DNA was also found in PD-1high compared to PD-1low ED CD4 T cells. In line with an increased susceptibility to HIV infection, PD-1 expression in this CD4 T cell subset was associated with increased activation and expression of the HIV co-receptor, CCR5. Rather than exhaustion, this population produced more IFN-g, MIP1-a, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17a compared to PD-1low EI CD4 T cells. In line with our previous findings, PD-1high EI CD4 T cells were also characterized by a high expression of CCR7, CXCR5 and CCR6, a phenotype associated with increased in vitro B cell help. Our data show that expression of PD-1 on early-differentiated CD4 T cells may represent a population that is highly functional, more susceptible to HIV infection and selectively lost in chronic HIV infection.

  12. Contraception in the Context of HIV/AIDS: A Review | Agboghoroma ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HIV-positive women, like their uninfected counterparts, may desire to plan pregnancies, limit their families, or avoid pregnancy. The effective use of contraception by HIV-positive clients can contribute significantly to reduction in both sexual and vertical transmission of the virus. HIV-positive clients can use most of the ...

  13. Is arterial stiffness in HIV-infected individuals associated with HIV-related factors?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Monteiro, P. [Serviço de Doenças Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Miranda-Filho, D.B. [Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Bandeira, F. [Serviço de Endocrinologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Lacerda, H.R. [Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Chaves, H. [Departamento de Cardiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Albuquerque, M.F.P.M. [Centro de Pesquisa Aggeu Magalhães,FIOCRUZ, Recife, PE (Brazil); Montarroyos, U.R. [Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Ximenes, R.A.A. [Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil); Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE (Brazil)

    2012-07-13

    We investigated the association between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and HIV infection, antiretroviral treatment-related characteristics, viral load, immune status, and metabolic changes in a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of HIV/AIDS patients who have been followed for metabolic and cardiovascular changes since 2007. The study included patients recruited from the cohort (N = 261) and a comparison group (N = 82) of uninfected individuals, all enrolled from April to November 2009. Aortic stiffness was estimated using the carotid-femoral PWV (Complior-Artech, Paris, France). The groups were similar with respect to age, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, Framingham score, and use of antihypertensive and hypolipidemic medications. Hypertension was more frequent among the controls. Individuals with HIV had higher triglyceride, glucose and HDL cholesterol levels. Among individuals with HIV/AIDS, those with a nadir CD4{sup +} T-cell count <200 cells/mm{sup 3} had a higher PWV (P = 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference when subjects were stratified by gender. Heart rate, age, male gender, and blood pressure were independently correlated with PWV. Nadir CD4{sup +} T-cell count did not remain in the final model. There was no significance difference in PWV between HIV-infected individuals and uninfected controls. PWV was correlated with age, gender, and blood pressure across the entire population and among those infected with HIV. We recommend cohort studies to further explore the association between inflammation related to HIV infection and/or immune reconstitution and antiretroviral use and PWV.

  14. Is arterial stiffness in HIV-infected individuals associated with HIV-related factors?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Monteiro

    Full Text Available We investigated the association between pulse wave velocity (PWV and HIV infection, antiretroviral treatment-related characteristics, viral load, immune status, and metabolic changes in a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of HIV/AIDS patients who have been followed for metabolic and cardiovascular changes since 2007. The study included patients recruited from the cohort (N = 261 and a comparison group (N = 82 of uninfected individuals, all enrolled from April to November 2009. Aortic stiffness was estimated using the carotid-femoral PWV (Complior-Artech, Paris, France. The groups were similar with respect to age, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, Framingham score, and use of antihypertensive and hypolipidemic medications. Hypertension was more frequent among the controls. Individuals with HIV had higher triglyceride, glucose and HDL cholesterol levels. Among individuals with HIV/AIDS, those with a nadir CD4+ T-cell count <200 cells/mm³ had a higher PWV (P = 0.01. There was no statistically significant difference when subjects were stratified by gender. Heart rate, age, male gender, and blood pressure were independently correlated with PWV. Nadir CD4+ T-cell count did not remain in the final model. There was no significance difference in PWV between HIV-infected individuals and uninfected controls. PWV was correlated with age, gender, and blood pressure across the entire population and among those infected with HIV. We recommend cohort studies to further explore the association between inflammation related to HIV infection and/or immune reconstitution and antiretroviral use and PWV.

  15. Cancer treatment disparities in HIV-infected individuals in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suneja, Gita; Shiels, Meredith S; Angulo, Rory; Copeland, Glenn E; Gonsalves, Lou; Hakenewerth, Anne M; Macomber, Kathryn E; Melville, Sharon K; Engels, Eric A

    2014-08-01

    HIV-infected individuals with cancer have worse survival rates compared with their HIV-uninfected counterparts. One explanation may be differing cancer treatment; however, few studies have examined this. We used HIV and cancer registry data from Connecticut, Michigan, and Texas to study adults diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, or cervical, lung, anal, prostate, colorectal, or breast cancers from 1996 to 2010. We used logistic regression to examine associations between HIV status and cancer treatment, adjusted for cancer stage and demographic covariates. For a subset of local-stage cancers, we used logistic regression to assess the relationship between HIV status and standard treatment modality. We identified predictors of cancer treatment among individuals with both HIV and cancer. We evaluated 3,045 HIV-infected patients with cancer and 1,087,648 patients with cancer without HIV infection. A significantly higher proportion of HIV-infected individuals did not receive cancer treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.67; 95% CI, 1.41 to 1.99), lung cancer (aOR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.80 to 2.64), Hodgkin's lymphoma (aOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.33 to 2.37), prostate cancer (aOR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.31 to 2.46), and colorectal cancer (aOR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.38 to 3.72). HIV infection was associated with a lack of standard treatment modality for local-stage DLBCL (aOR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.50 to 2.72), non-small-cell lung cancer (aOR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.46 to 4.03), and colon cancer (aOR, 4.77; 95% CI, 1.76 to 12.96). Among HIV-infected individuals, factors independently associated with lack of cancer treatment included low CD4 count, male sex with injection drug use as mode of HIV exposure, age 45 to 64 years, black race, and distant or unknown cancer stage. HIV-infected individuals are less likely to receive treatment for some cancers than uninfected people, which may affect survival rates. © 2014 by American Society of Clinical

  16. Pregnancy Outcomes in HIV-Infected Women: Experience from a Tertiary Care Center in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadhwal, Vatsla; Sharma, Aparna; Khoiwal, Kavita; Deka, Dipika; Sarkar, Plaboni; Vanamail, P

    2017-01-01

    There is conflicting data on the effect of HIV infection as well as antiretroviral therapy (ART) on pregnancy outcome. The objectives of this study were to compare pregnancy outcomes in women with and without HIV infection, and to evaluate the effect of HAART on pregnancy in HIV-infected women. This is a prospective case record analysis of 212 HIV-infected women delivering between 2002 and 2015, in a tertiary health care center in India. The pregnancy outcome in HIV-infected women was compared to 238 HIV-uninfected controls. Women received ART for prevention of mother to child transmission as per protocol which varied during the period of study. Effect of use of ART on preterm birth (PTB) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) was analyzed. HIV-infected women were more likely to have PTB, IUGR, and anemia (9.4%, 9.9%, 5.2%) compared to uninfected women (7.6%, 5%, 3.8%), this did not reach statistical significance (P-value = >0.05). The incidence of PIH, diabetes mellitus and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy was similar in both groups. Mean birth weight was significantly lower in neonates of HIV-infected women (2593.60±499g) than HIV-uninfected women (2919±459g) [P-value=0.001]. neonatal intensive care unit admissions were also significantly higher in infants born to HIV-infected women (P-value=0.002). HIV-infected women on ART had decreased incidence of PTB and IUGR. Good antenatal care and multidisciplinary team approach can optimize pregnancy outcomes in HIV-infected women.

  17. Opportunistic and other intestinal parasitic infections in AIDS patients, HIV seropositive healthy carriers and HIV seronegative individuals in southwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariam, Zelalem T; Abebe, Gemeda; Mulu, Andargachew

    2008-12-01

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and major causes of morbidity and mortality of such patients are opportunistic infections caused by viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens. To determine the magnitude of opportunistic and non-opportunistic intestinal parasitic infections among AIDS patients and HIV positive carrier individuals. Cross-sectional study was conducted among AIDS patients, HIV positive healthy carriers and HIV negative individuals in Jimma University Hospital, Mother Theresa Missionary Charity Centre, Medan Acts Projects and Mekdim HIV positive persons and AIDS orphans' national association from January to May, 2004. Convenient sampling technique was employed to identify the study subjects and hence a total of 160 subjects were included. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data of the patients. Stool samples were examined by direct saline, iodine wet mount, formol-ether sedimentation concentration, oocyst concentration and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Out of 160 persons enrolled in this study 100 (62.5%) (i.e. 65 male and 35 female) were infected with one or more intestinal parasites. The highest rate 36 (69.2%) of intestinal parasites were observed among HIV/AIDS patients, followed by HIV positive healthy carriers 35 (61.4%) of and HIV negative individuals (29 (56.9%). Isospora belli 2 (3.9%), Cryptosporidum parvum 8 (15.4%), Strongyloides stercoralis 6 (11.5%) and Blastocystis 2 (3.9%) were found only in HIV/AIDS groups I. belli, C. parvum, S. stercoralis and Blastocystis are the major opportunistic intestinal parasites observed in HIV/AIDS patients. Therefore, early detection and treatment of these parasites are important to improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhoea.

  18. Broad anti-HIV activity of the Oscillatoria agardhii agglutinin homologue lectin family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Férir, Geoffrey; Huskens, Dana; Noppen, Sam; Koharudin, Leonardus M I; Gronenborn, Angela M; Schols, Dominique

    2014-10-01

    Oscillatoria agardhii agglutinin homologue (OAAH) proteins belong to a recently discovered lectin family. The founding member OAA and a designed hybrid OAAH (OPA) recognize similar but unique carbohydrate structures of Man-9, compared with other antiviral carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs). These two newly described CBAs were evaluated for their inactivating properties on HIV replication and transmission and for their potential as microbicides. Various cellular assays were used to determine antiviral activity against wild-type and certain CBA-resistant HIV-1 strains: (i) free HIV virion infection in human T lymphoma cell lines and PBMCs; (ii) syncytium formation assay using persistently HIV-infected T cells and non-infected CD4+ T cells; (iii) DC-SIGN-mediated viral capture; and (iv) transmission to uninfected CD4+ T cells. OAA and OPA were also evaluated for their mitogenic properties and potential synergistic effects using other CBAs. OAA and OPA inhibit HIV replication, syncytium formation between HIV-1-infected and uninfected T cells, DC-SIGN-mediated HIV-1 capture and transmission to CD4+ target T cells, thereby rendering a variety of HIV-1 and HIV-2 clinical isolates non-infectious, independent of their coreceptor use. Both CBAs competitively inhibit the binding of the Manα(1-2)Man-specific 2G12 monoclonal antibody (mAb) as shown by flow cytometry and surface plasmon resonance analysis. The HIV-1 NL4.3(2G12res), NL4.3(MVNres) and IIIB(GRFTres) strains were equally inhibited as the wild-type HIV-1 strains by these CBAs. Combination studies indicate that OAA and OPA act synergistically with Hippeastrum hybrid agglutinin, 2G12 mAb and griffithsin (GRFT), with the exception of OPA/GRFT. OAA and OPA are unique CBAs with broad-spectrum anti-HIV activity; however, further optimization will be necessary for microbicidal application. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights

  19. Bone health in HIV-infected children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckard, Allison R; Mora, Stefano

    2016-05-01

    Chronic HIV infection and exposure to antiretroviral therapy compromises bone health in children and adolescents, potentially impacting their long-term quality of life. Thus, the purpose of this article is to review the most recent literature on this topic in HIV-infected children and adolescents. Recent studies continue to demonstrate bone abnormalities in HIV-infected children and adolescents, whether HIV is acquired perinatally or during adolescence. Researchers have employed new modalities, both high tech and those that can be utilized in resource-limited settings, to better assess bone health. New data suggest that this population may also be experiencing an increase incidence of fractures, and they may not acquire the same peak bone mass as their HIV-uninfected counterparts. Reassuringly, however, in-utero tenofovir exposure does not appear to have a significant impact on bone health in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants. HIV-infected children and adolescents are exposed to HIV and antiretroviral therapy for many decades starting early in life and during the most critical time for skeletal growth and bone mass accrual. Recent findings underscore the need for further research on bone in this population. Longitudinal studies are especially needed to evaluate long-term risk of osteoporosis and fracture.

  20. Could low level laser therapy and highly active antiretroviral therapy lead to complete eradication of HIV-1 in vitro?

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Lugongolo, Masixole Y

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available used to treat different medical conditions such as diabetic wounds, sports injuries and others. The technique involves exposure of cells or tissue to low levels of red and near infrared laser light. Both HIV infected and uninfected cells were laser...

  1. Liver function tests in HIV-1 infected asymptomatic patients and HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The mean ± SEM serum ALB concentration of 23.5 ± 1.2 g/L in AIDS patients was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those of HIV-1 infected asymptomatic patients and healthy controls; 38.9 ± 3.1g/L and 39.4 ± 2.8g/L respectively. The mean ± SEM TB concentration of 17.8 ± 1.3 μmol/L in AIDS patients was significantly ...

  2. Pulmonary symptoms and diagnoses are associated with HIV in the MACS and WIHS cohorts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gingo, Matthew R; Balasubramani, Goundappa K; Rice, Thomas B; Kingsley, Lawrence; Kleerup, Eric C; Detels, Roger; Seaberg, Eric C; Greenblatt, Ruth M; Holman, Susan; Huang, Laurence; Sutton, Sarah H; Bertolet, Marnie; Morris, Alison

    2014-04-30

    Several lung diseases are increasingly recognized as comorbidities with HIV; however, few data exist related to the spectrum of respiratory symptoms, diagnostic testing, and diagnoses in the current HIV era. The objective of the study is to determine the impact of HIV on prevalence and incidence of respiratory disease in the current era of effective antiretroviral treatment. A pulmonary-specific questionnaire was administered yearly for three years to participants in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). Adjusted prevalence ratios for respiratory symptoms, testing, or diagnoses and adjusted incidence rate ratios for diagnoses in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected participants were determined. Risk factors for outcomes in HIV-infected individuals were modeled. Baseline pulmonary questionnaires were completed by 907 HIV-infected and 989 HIV-uninfected participants in the MACS cohort and by 1405 HIV-infected and 571 HIV-uninfected participants in the WIHS cohort. In MACS, dyspnea, cough, wheezing, sleep apnea, and incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more common in HIV-infected participants. In WIHS, wheezing and sleep apnea were more common in HIV-infected participants. Smoking (MACS and WIHS) and greater body mass index (WIHS) were associated with more respiratory symptoms and diagnoses. While sputum studies, bronchoscopies, and chest computed tomography scans were more likely to be performed in HIV-infected participants, pulmonary function tests were no more common in HIV-infected individuals. Respiratory symptoms in HIV-infected individuals were associated with history of pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, or use of HAART. A diagnosis of asthma or COPD was associated with previous pneumonia. In these two cohorts, HIV is an independent risk factor for several respiratory symptoms and pulmonary diseases including COPD and sleep apnea. Despite a higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms

  3. Ischemic heart disease in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals: a population-based cohort study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Obel, N; Thomsen, Henrik F.; Kronborg, G

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There are concerns about highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) causing a progressive increase in the risk of ischemic heart disease. We examined this issue in a nationwide cohort study of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and a population-based control...... group. METHODS: We determined the rate of first hospitalization for ischemic heart disease in all Danish patients with HIV infection (3953 patients) from 1 January 1995 through 31 December 2004 and compared this rate with that for 373,856 subjects in a population-based control group. Data on first...... hospitalization for ischemic heart disease and comorbidity were obtained from the Danish National Hospital Registry for all study participants. We used Cox's regression to compute the hospitalization rate ratio as an estimate of relative risk, adjusting for comorbidity. RESULTS: Although the difference...

  4. The value of confirmatory testing in early infant HIV diagnosis programmes in South Africa: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunning, Lorna; Francke, Jordan A; Mallampati, Divya; MacLean, Rachel L; Penazzato, Martina; Hou, Taige; Myer, Landon; Abrams, Elaine J; Walensky, Rochelle P; Leroy, Valériane; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Ciaranello, Andrea

    2017-11-01

    The specificity of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) used for early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV infection is model, we simulated EID testing at age 6 weeks for HIV-exposed infants without and with confirmatory testing. We assumed a NAAT cost of US$25, NAAT specificity of 99.6%, NAAT sensitivity of 100% for infants infected in pregnancy or at least 4 weeks prior to testing, and a mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate at 12 months of 4.9%; we simulated guideline-concordant rates of testing uptake, result return, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation (100%). After diagnosis, infants were linked to and retained in care for 10 years (false-positive) or lifelong (true-positive). All parameters were varied widely in sensitivity analyses. Outcomes included number of infants with false-positive diagnoses linked to ART per 1,000 ART initiations, life expectancy (LE, in years) and per-person lifetime HIV-related healthcare costs. Both without and with confirmatory testing, LE was 26.2 years for HIV-infected infants and 61.4 years for all HIV-exposed infants; clinical outcomes for truly infected infants did not differ by strategy. Without confirmatory testing, 128/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses; with confirmatory testing, 1/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses. Because confirmatory testing averted costly HIV care and ART in truly HIV-uninfected infants, it was cost-saving: total cost US$1,790/infant tested, compared to US$1,830/infant tested without confirmatory testing. Confirmatory testing remained cost-saving unless NAAT cost exceeded US$400 or the HIV-uninfected status of infants incorrectly identified as infected was ascertained and ART stopped within 3 months of starting. Limitations include uncertainty in the data used in the model, which we examined with sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. We also excluded clinical harms to HIV-uninfected infants incorrectly treated with ART after false-positive diagnosis (e

  5. Echolucency of the carotid artery intima-media complex and intima-media thickness have different cardiovascular risk factor relationships: the Women's Interagency HIV Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Molly; Parrinello, Christina M; Xue, Xiaonan; Mack, Wendy J; Anastos, Kathryn; Lazar, Jason M; Selzer, Robert H; Shircore, Anne M; Plankey, Michael; Tien, Phyllis; Cohen, Mardge; Gange, Stephen J; Hodis, Howard N; Kaplan, Robert C

    2015-02-19

    Adults infected with HIV have increased atherosclerosis potentially associated with both HIV and non-HIV associated factors. We characterized risk factors for atherosclerosis as measured by noninvasive vascular imaging. We used B-mode ultrasound to examine levels and correlates of echogenicity and vessel wall thickness of the carotid artery intima-media complex in 1282 HIV-infected and 510 HIV-uninfected women of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Levels of gray scale median (GSM, a measure of echogenicity) did not vary between HIV infection groups. In both groups, smokers had increased GSM, whereas age, diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and high BMI were associated with lower (rather than higher) GSM. Each of these non-lipid CVD risk factors, especially age and blood pressure, was also associated with higher levels of carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT). Higher serum triglyceride levels were associated with lower GSM in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected groups. Additional lipid risk factors for low GSM including high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol levels were identified in HIV uninfected but not in HIV infected women. In contrast to findings for GSM, among the lipid parameters only LDL cholesterol level had an association with cIMT, which was observed only in the HIV uninfected group. Lipid and non-lipid risk factor associations with echolucency of the carotid artery and the thickness of the common carotid artery intima-media layer suggest that these measures capture different aspects of atherosclerosis. © 2015 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  6. Diarrhoea-associated parasites in HIV-1 seropositive and sero-negative patients in a teaching hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andualem, Berhanu; Kassu, Afework; Moges, Feleke; Gedefaw, Molla; Diro, Ermias; Mengistu, Getahun; Andargie, Gashaw

    2007-04-01

    to determine the prevalence and type of intestinal parasites in HIV infected and uninfected patients with diarrhea. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Gondar University hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, between March 2003 and October 2004. A total 312 consecutive diarrheic patients were included in the study. Stool specimens were collected and examined for intestinal parasites following direct, formol-ether concentration and modified acid fast staining methods. Among the patients, 63.8% were found to be HIV seropositive. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in HIV seropositive and seronegative diarrheic patients was 30.6% and 33.6%, respectively. The most prevalent parasites were Strongyoides stercoralis (9.0%) and Entamoeba histolytica (8.3%) followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (5.4%) and Cryptosporidium species (5. 1%). The prevalence of intestinal parasites in diarrheic patients was very high. Institution of appropriate intervention measures are needed to reduce morbidity in such patients.

  7. In vivo mitochondrial function in HIV-infected persons treated with contemporary anti-retroviral therapy: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brendan A I Payne

    Full Text Available Modern anti-retroviral therapy is highly effective at suppressing viral replication and restoring immune function in HIV-infected persons. However, such individuals show reduced physiological performance and increased frailty compared with age-matched uninfected persons. Contemporary anti-retroviral therapy is thought to be largely free from neuromuscular complications, whereas several anti-retroviral drugs previously in common usage have been associated with mitochondrial toxicity. It has recently been established that patients with prior exposure to such drugs exhibit irreversible cellular and molecular mitochondrial defects. However the functional significance of such damage remains unknown. Here we use phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31P-MRS to measure in vivo muscle mitochondrial oxidative function, in patients treated with contemporary anti-retroviral therapy, and compare with biopsy findings (cytochrome c oxidase (COX histochemistry. We show that dynamic oxidative function (post-exertional ATP (adenosine triphosphate resynthesis was largely maintained in the face of mild to moderate COX defects (affecting up to ∼10% of fibers: τ½ ADP (half-life of adenosine diphosphate clearance, HIV-infected 22.1±9.9 s, HIV-uninfected 18.8±4.4 s, p = 0.09. In contrast, HIV-infected patients had a significant derangement of resting state ATP metabolism compared with controls: ADP/ATP ratio, HIV-infected 1.24±0.08×10(-3, HIV-uninfected 1.16±0.05×10(-3, p = 0.001. These observations are broadly reassuring in that they suggest that in vivo mitochondrial function in patients on contemporary anti-retroviral therapy is largely maintained at the whole organ level, despite histochemical (COX defects within individual cells. Basal energy requirements may nevertheless be increased.

  8. Lack of Evidence for Molecular Mimicry in HIV-Infected Subjects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter D Burbelo

    Full Text Available Previous studies in HIV patients have reported autoantibodies to several human proteins, including erythropoietin (EPO, interferon-α (IFN-α, interleukin-2 (IL-2, and HLA-DR, as potential mediators of anemia or immunosuppression. The etiology of these autoantibodies has been attributed to molecular mimicry between HIV epitopes and self-proteins. Here, the Luciferase Immunoprecipitation System (LIPS was used to investigate the presence of such autoantibodies in HIV-infected adults. High levels of antibodies to HIV proteins such as capsid (p24, matrix (p17, envelope (gp41, and reverse transcriptase (RT were detected using LIPS in both untreated and anti-retroviral-treated HIV-infected individuals but not in uninfected controls. LIPS readily detected anti-EPO autoantibodies in serum samples from subjects with presumptive pure red cell aplasia but not in any of the samples from HIV-infected or uninfected individuals. Similarly, subjects with HIV lacked autoantibodies to IFN-α, IL-2, HLA-DR and the immunoglobulin lambda light chain; all purported targets of molecular mimicry. While molecular mimicry between pathogen proteins and self-proteins is a commonly proposed mechanism for autoantibody production, the findings presented here indicate such a process is not common in HIV disease.

  9. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... can be transferred between people if an infected person's blood or other bodily fluid comes in contact ... broken skin, or mucous membranes of an uninfected person. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV ...

  10. HMGB1-dependent triggering of HIV-1 replication and persistence in dendritic cells as a consequence of NK-DC cross-talk.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héla Saïdi

    Full Text Available HIV-1 has evolved ways to exploit DCs, thereby facilitating viral dissemination and allowing evasion of antiviral immunity. Recently, the fate of DCs has been found to be extremely dependent on the interaction with autologous NK cells, but the mechanisms by which NK-DC interaction controls viral infections remain unclear. Here, we investigate the impact of NK-DC cross-talk on maturation and functions of HIV-infected immature DCs.Immature DCs were derived from primary monocytes, cultured in the presence of IL-4 and GM-CSF. In some experiments, DCs were infected with R5-HIV-1(BaL or X4-HIV-1(NDK, and viral replication, proviral HIV-DNA and the frequency of infected DCs were measured. Autologous NK cells were sorted and either kept unstimulated in the presence of suboptimal concentration of IL-2, or activated by a combination of PHA and IL-2. The impact of 24 h NK-DC cross-talk on the fate of HIV-1-infected DCs was analyzed. We report that activated NK cells were required for the induction of maturation of DCs, whether uninfected or HIV-1-infected, and this process involved HMGB1. However, the cross-talk between HIV-1-infected DCs and activated NK cells was functionally defective, as demonstrated by the strong impairment of DCs to induce Th1 polarization of naïve CD4 T cells. This was associated with the defective production of IL-12 and IL-18 by infected DCs. Moreover, the crosstalk between activated NK cells and HIV-infected DCs resulted in a dramatic increase in viral replication and proviral DNA expression in DCs. HMGB1, produced both by NK cells and DCs, was found to play a pivotal role in this process, and inhibition of HMGB1 activity by glycyrrhizin, known to bind specifically to HMGB1, or blocking anti-HMGB1 antibodies, abrogated NK-dependent HIV-1 replication in DCs.These observations provide evidence for the crucial role of NK-DC cross-talk in promoting viral dissemination, and challenge the question of the in vivo involvement of HMGB1

  11. Inefficient HIV-1 trans infection of CD4+ T cells by macrophages from HIV-1 nonprogressors is associated with altered membrane cholesterol and DC-SIGN.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLucia, Diana C; Rinaldo, Charles R; Rappocciolo, Giovanna

    2018-04-11

    Professional antigen presenting cells (APC: myeloid dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages (MΦ); B lymphocytes) mediate highly efficient HIV-1 infection of CD4 + T cells, termed trans infection, that could contribute to HIV-1 pathogenesis. We have previously shown that lower cholesterol content in DC and B lymphocytes is associated with a lack of HIV-1 trans infection in HIV-1 infected nonprogressors (NP). Here we assessed whether HIV-1 trans infection mediated by another major APC, MΦ, is deficient in NP due to altered cholesterol metabolism. When comparing healthy HIV-1 seronegatives (SN), rapid progressors (PR), and NP, we found that monocyte-derived MΦ from NP did not mediate HIV-1 trans infection of autologous CD4 + T cells, in contrast to efficient trans infection mediated by SN and PR MΦ. MΦ trans infection efficiency was directly associated with the number of DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN)-expressing MΦ. Significantly fewer NP MΦ expressed DC-SIGN. Unesterified (free) cholesterol in MΦ cell membranes and lipid rafting was significantly lower in NP than PR, as well as virus internalization in early endosomes. Furthermore, simvastatin (SIMV), decreased the subpopulation of DC-SIGN + MΦ, as well as MΦ cis and trans infection. Notably, SIMV decreased cell membrane cholesterol and led to lipid raft dissociation, effectively mimicking the incompetent APC trans infection environment characteristic of NP. Our data support that DC-SIGN and membrane cholesterol are central to MΦ trans infection, and a lack of these limits HIV-1 disease progression. Targeting the ability of MΦ to drive HIV-1 dissemination in trans could enhance HIV-1 therapeutic strategies. IMPORTANCE Despite the success of combination anti-retroviral therapy, neither a vaccine nor a cure for HIV infection has been developed, demonstrating a need for novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. Here we show that efficiency of macrophage (M

  12. Prevalence and management of intestinal helminthiasis among HIV-infected patients at Muhimbili National Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwambete, Kennedy D; Justin-Temu, Mary; Peter, Sharon

    2010-01-01

    A cross-sectional study was conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital (Tanzania) to determine prevalence of helminthiasis among in-patients with HIV/AIDS. After signing an informed consent form, participants answered a sociodemographic and risk factor questionnaire. Fecal specimens from patients with HIV-infected and uninfected patients were screened for intestinal helminthiasis (IHLs) using coprological methods. A total of 146 patients were recruited, of those 66 were HIV-negative while 80 were HIV-negative patients. Thirty-five patients (12 HIV/AIDS and 23 non-HIV/AIDS) had helminthic infections. Hookworms were the most frequently detected helminths among patients living with HIV/AIDS (13.6%) and HIV-negative patients (17.5%), followed by schistosomiasis (9%) detected among HIV-negative individuals only. Prevalence of helminthiases (HLs) was observed to be relatively lower among HIV-infected than uninfected patients, which is ascribable to prophylactic measures adopted for patients with HIV/AIDS. Thus, it is recommended that routine screening for HLs and prophylactic measures should be adopted for the improvement of patients' health status.

  13. Morphine Tolerance and Physical Dependence Are Altered in Conditional HIV-1 Tat Transgenic Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitting, Sylvia; Stevens, David L; Khan, Fayez A; Scoggins, Krista L; Enga, Rachel M; Beardsley, Patrick M; Knapp, Pamela E; Dewey, William L; Hauser, Kurt F

    2016-01-01

    Despite considerable evidence that chronic opiate use selectively affects the pathophysiologic consequences of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in the nervous system, few studies have examined whether neuro-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (neuroAIDS) might intrinsically alter the pharmacologic responses to chronic opiate exposure. This is an important matter because HIV-1 and opiate abuse are interrelated epidemics, and HIV-1 patients are often prescribed opiates as a treatment of HIV-1-related neuropathic pain. Tolerance and physical dependence are inevitable consequences of frequent and repeated administration of morphine. In the present study, mice expressing HIV-1 Tat in a doxycycline (DOX)-inducible manner [Tat(+)], their Tat(-) controls, and control C57BL/6 mice were chronically exposed to placebo or 75-mg morphine pellets to explore the effects of Tat induction on morphine tolerance and dependence. Antinociceptive tolerance and locomotor activity tolerance were assessed using tail-flick and locomotor activity assays, respectively, and physical dependence was measured with the platform-jumping assay and recording of other withdrawal signs. We found that Tat(+) mice treated with DOX [Tat(+)/DOX] developed an increased tolerance in the tail-flick assay compared with control Tat(-)/DOX and/or C57/DOX mice. Equivalent tolerance was developed in all mice when assessed by locomotor activity. Further, Tat(+)/DOX mice expressed reduced levels of physical dependence to chronic morphine exposure after a 1-mg/kg naloxone challenge compared with control Tat(-)/DOX and/or C57/DOX mice. Assuming the results seen in Tat transgenic mice can be generalized to neuroAIDS, our findings suggest that HIV-1-infected individuals may display heightened analgesic tolerance to similar doses of opiates compared with uninfected individuals and show fewer symptoms of physical dependence. Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental

  14. Label-free detection of HIV-1 infected cells via integration of optical tweezers and photoluminescence spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lugongolo, Masixole Yvonne; Ombinda-Lemboumba, Saturnin; Noto, Luyanda Lunga; Maaza, Malik; Mthunzi-Kufa, Patience

    2018-02-01

    The human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is currently detected using conventional qualitative and quantitative tests to determine the presence or absence of HIV in blood samples. However, the approach of these tests detects the presence of either viral antibodies or viral RNA that require labelling which may be costly, sophisticated and time consuming. A label-free approach of detecting the presence of HIV is therefore desirable. Of note optical tweezers can be coupled with other technologies including spectroscopy, which also investigates light-matter interactions. For example, coupling of optical tweezers with luminescence spectroscopy techniques has emerged as a powerful tool in biology for micro-manipulation, detection and analysis of individual cells. Integration of optical techniques has enabled studying biological particles in a label-free manner, whilst detecting functional groups and other essential molecules within mixed populations of cells. In the current study, an optical trapping system coupled to luminescence spectroscopy was utilised to detect the presence of HIV infection in TZM-bl cells in vitro. This was performed by infecting TZM-bl cells with the ZM53 HIV-1 pseudovirus, and incubating them for 48 hours prior analysis. The differences between infected and uninfected cells were thereafter displayed as shown by the spectrographs obtained. Combination of these two techniques has a potential in the field of infectious disease diagnostics.

  15. Incidence and risk factors for invasive pneumococcal disease in HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected individuals before and after the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harboe, Zitta Barrella; Larsen, Mette; Ladelund, Steen

    2014-01-01

    with an increased risk of IPD. Detectable viral loads (RR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.79-1.98]) and a relative fall in CD4 T-cell counts were also associated with an increased risk (≥500 to 350-500 CD4 T cells/µL: RR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.21-1.37] and risk of IPD declined over time......BACKGROUND: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is an important cause of morbidity among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We described incidence and risk factors for IPD in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. METHODS: Nationwide population-based cohort study of HIV......-infected adults treated at all Danish HIV treatment centers during 1995-2012. Nineteen population-matched controls per HIV-infected individual were retrieved. The risk of IPD was assessed using Poisson regression. RESULTS: The incidence of IPD was 304.7 cases per 100 000 person-years of follow-up (PYFU) in HIV...

  16. Sexual Behavior and Vaginal Practices During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Implications for HIV Prevention Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinuthia, John; Richardson, Barbra A; Drake, Alison L; Matemo, Daniel; Unger, Jennifer A; McClelland, Raymond S; John-Stewart, Grace

    2017-02-01

    Understanding sexual behaviors and vaginal practices of pregnant and breastfeeding women in sub-Saharan Africa is critical to inform HIV prevention strategies during these periods. HIV-uninfected women presenting for antenatal care in western Kenya were enrolled and followed through 36 weeks postpartum. Sexual behavior and vaginal practices were ascertained by structured questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to assess correlates of unprotected sex, vaginal washing, and vaginal drying. Among 1252 women enrolled, 78.4% were married (of whom 15.1% were in polygamous unions), 1.4% had a known HIV-infected partner, and 33.6% had a partner of unknown HIV status. At enrollment, 58.5% reported sex in the past month (94.3% unprotected) and 4.5% reported forced sex. Odds of unprotected sex at enrollment was >11-fold higher in married than in unmarried women (P < 0.001) and lower among women who reported partners of unknown HIV status or HIV-infected compared with HIV-uninfected partners. Median time to postpartum resumption of sex was 7 weeks (interquartile range 4-12). Prevalence of unprotected sex in the past week increased from 6.6% to 60.0% between 2 and 36 weeks postpartum (P < 0.001). Vaginal washing was reported by 60.1% of women at enrollment and prevalence remained stable postpartum; vaginal drying was reported by 17.9% at enrollment and decreased to 6.1% at 36 weeks postpartum (P < 0.001). Vaginal washing and drying were associated with forced sex. High rates of unknown partner HIV status, polygamy, and less frequent condom use among pregnant/postpartum women underscore the need for female-controlled HIV prevention interventions. Vaginal washing and drying may present challenges to microbicide use.

  17. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... and SUDs in LGBT Populations Treatment Trends & Statistics Women and Drugs Publications Search Publications Orderable DrugFacts Research ... of an uninfected person. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy, ...

  18. Intimate partner violence among HIV infected and uninfected ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    women and vulnerable groups such as HIV-infected women. .... 12.00 hr to 13.00 hr with an intention of assuring privacy and freedom of participants to open up ... Single. 29. 32.6. 60. 67.4. 89. 23.9. Married. 43. 19.3. 180. 80.7. 223. 60.0.

  19. Distribution of HIV-1 resistance-conferring polymorphic alleles SDF ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    involved with delay in disease progression. ... proteins in 525 healthy individuals without any history of HIV-1 infection from 11 diverse populations of ... in three populations (Yamani, Pathan and Kamma), all in low frequencies (i.e. 1% to 3%).

  20. A primary cell model of HIV-1 latency that uses activation through the T cell receptor and return to quiescence to establish latent infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Michelle; Hosmane, Nina N.; Bullen, C. Korin; Capoferri, Adam; Yang, Hung-Chih; Siliciano, Janet D.; Siliciano, Robert F.

    2015-01-01

    A mechanistic understanding of HIV-1 latency depends upon a model system that recapitulates the in vivo condition of latently infected, resting CD4+ T lymphocytes. Latency appears to be established after activated CD4+ T cells, the principal targets of HIV-1 infection, become productively infected and survive long enough to return to a resting memory state in which viral expression is inhibited by changes in the cellular environment. This protocol describes an ex vivo primary cell system that is generated under conditions that reflect the in vivo establishment of latency. Creation of these latency model cells takes 12 weeks and, once established, the cells can be maintained and used for several months. The resulting cell population contains both uninfected and latently infected cells. This primary cell model can be used to perform drug screens, study CTL responses to HIV-1, compare viral alleles, or to expand the ex vivo lifespan of cells from HIV-1 infected individuals for extended study. PMID:25375990

  1. Alemtuzumab-induced elimination of HIV-1-infected immune cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Sirivichayakul, Sunee; Buranapraditkun, Supranee; Krause, Werner

    2016-01-01

    Currently, there is no drug known that is able to eradicate either HIV or HIV-infected host cells. The effectiveness of all available treatments is based on the prevention of viral replication. We investigated whether the monoclonal, CD52 receptor-targeting antibody, alemtuzumab, which is currently approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, is able to eliminate HIV-infected immune cells. In blood samples from healthy donors and from HIV-1-infected subjects who were either treatment-naïve or resistant to HAART, we studied whether the CD52 expression on T cells and their subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8), B cells (CD19), dendritic cells (CD123) and monocytes (CD11c) is retained in HIV-1 infection and whether alemtuzumab is able to eradicate infected cells, using four-colour flow cytometry. We found that CD52 expression on immune cells is retained in HIV-1 infection regardless of CD4 cell count, viral load and treatment status, and is amenable to alemtuzumab-induced depletion. For the first time it could be shown in vitro that HIV-1-infected immune cells can be eliminated by using the monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab.

  2. Association between invasive cancer of the cervix and HIV-1 infection in Tanzania: the need for dual screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ngoma Twalib

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer of the cervix is the second commonest malignancy in females worldwide and is the leading malignancy among women in Tanzania. Cancer of the cervix has been strongly associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV which is a sexually transmitted disease. However, the role of HIV-1 in the aetiology of cancer of the cervix is less clear. Studies suggest that HPV and HIV-1 infection are synergistic and therefore their dual occurrence may fuel increased incidence of cancer of the cervix and AIDS. We therefore conducted a study to determine the association between cancer of the cervix and HIV-1. Methods The study was carried out in Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania between January and March 2007. A hospital-based case control design was used to study 138 cases and 138 controls. The cases were consenting women 18 years and above with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, while the controls were consenting non-cancer adult women attendants or visitors. The participants were counselled and tested for HIV-1 and interviewed to assess risk factors for cancer of the cervix and HIV-1. Estimation of risk was done by computing odds ratios and confidence intervals. Confounding and interaction between the factors were assessed using logistic regression. Results HIV-1 prevalence was much higher among the cases (21.0% than among the controls (11.6%. In logistic regression, HIV-1 was associated with cancer of the cervix (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.4–5.9. Among the cases the mean age was lower for HIV-1 infected (44.3 years than HIV-1 uninfected women (54 years, p = 0.0001. Conclusion HIV-1 infection is associated with invasive cancer of the cervix. Resource-constrained countries with a high burden of HIV-1 and cervical cancer should adopt a high-risk approach that targets HIV-1 positive women for screening of cervical cancer initially by utilizing HIV/AIDS resources.

  3. The semen microbiome and its relationship with local immunology and viral load in HIV infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cindy M Liu

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Semen is a major vector for HIV transmission, but the semen HIV RNA viral load (VL only correlates moderately with the blood VL. Viral shedding can be enhanced by genital infections and associated inflammation, but it can also occur in the absence of classical pathogens. Thus, we hypothesized that a dysregulated semen microbiome correlates with local HIV shedding. We analyzed semen samples from 49 men who have sex with men (MSM, including 22 HIV-uninfected and 27 HIV-infected men, at baseline and after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART using 16S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR. We studied the relationship of semen bacteria with HIV infection, semen cytokine levels, and semen VL by linear regression, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and goodness-of-fit test. Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and Staphylococcus were common semen bacteria, irrespective of HIV status. While Ureaplasma was the more abundant Mollicutes in HIV-uninfected men, Mycoplasma dominated after HIV infection. HIV infection was associated with decreased semen microbiome diversity and richness, which were restored after six months of ART. In HIV-infected men, semen bacterial load correlated with seven pro-inflammatory semen cytokines, including IL-6 (p = 0.024, TNF-α (p = 0.009, and IL-1b (p = 0.002. IL-1b in particular was associated with semen VL (r(2  = 0.18, p = 0.02. Semen bacterial load was also directly linked to the semen HIV VL (r(2 = 0.15, p = 0.02. HIV infection reshapes the relationship between semen bacteria and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and both are linked to semen VL, which supports a role of the semen microbiome in HIV sexual transmission.

  4. Child Mortality Levels and Trends by HIV Status in Blantyre, Malawi: 1989-2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taha, Taha E.; Dadabhai, Sufia S.; Sun, Jin; Rahman, M. Hafizur; Kumwenda, Johnstone; Kumwenda, Newton

    2012-01-01

    Introduction Continuous evaluation of child survival is needed in sub-Saharan Africa where HIV prevalence among women of reproductive age continues to be high. We examined mortality levels and trends over a period of ~20 years among HIV-unexposed and exposed children in Blantyre, Malawi. Methods Data from five prospective cohort studies conducted at a single research site from 1989-2009 were analyzed. In these studies, children born to HIV-infected and uninfected mothers were enrolled at birth and followed longitudinally for at least two years. Information on socio-demographic, HIV infection status, survival and associated risk factors was collected in all studies. Mortality rates were estimated using birth-cohort analyses stratified by maternal and infant HIV status. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine risk factors associated with mortality. Results The analysis included 8,286 children. From 1989-1995, overall mortality rates (per 100 person-years) in these clinic-based cohorts remained comparable among HIV-uninfected children born to HIV-uninfected mothers (range 3.3-6.9) or to HIV-infected mothers (range 2.5-7.5). From 1989-2009, overall mortality remained high among all children born to HIV-infected mothers (range 6.3-19.3), and among children who themselves became infected (range 15.6-57.4, 1994-2009). Only lower birth weight was consistently and significantly (P<0.05) associated with higher child mortality. Conclusions HIV infection among mothers and children contributed to high levels of child mortality in the African setting in the pre-treatment era. In addition to services that prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, other programs are needed to improve child survival by lowering HIV-unrelated mortality through innovative interventions that strengthen health infrastructure. PMID:22692091

  5. A European multicientre study on the comparison of HIV-1 viral loads between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and Roche COBAS® TAQMAN® HIV-1 test, Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and Siemens VERSANT HIV-1 Assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Patrick; Delgado, Rafael; Drago, Monica; Fanti, Diana; Fleury, Hervé; Hofmann, Jörg; Izopet, Jacques; Kühn, Sebastian; Lombardi, Alessandra; Mancon, Alessandro; Marcos, Mª Angeles; Mileto, Davide; Sauné, Karine; O'Shea, Siobhan; Pérez-Rivilla, Alfredo; Ramble, John; Trimoulet, Pascale; Vila, Jordi; Whittaker, Duncan; Artus, Alain; Rhodes, Daniel

    2017-07-01

    Viral load monitoring is essential for patients under treatment for HIV. Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the novel, automated DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System. ¥ OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the clinical performance of the new quantitative VERIS HIV-1 Assay at multiple EU laboratories. Method comparison with the VERIS HIV-1 Assay was performed with 415 specimens at 5 sites tested with COBAS ® AmpliPrep/COBAS ® TaqMan ® HIV-1 Test, v2.0, 169 specimens at 3 sites tested with RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and 202 specimens from 2 sites tested with VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Patient monitoring sample results from 4 sites were also compared. Bland-Altman analysis showed the average bias between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay to be 0.28, 0.39, and 0.61 log 10 cp/mL, respectively. Bias at low end levels below 1000cp/mL showed predicted bias to be <0.3 log 10 cp/mL for VERIS HIV-1 Assay versus COBAS HIV-1 Test and RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and <0.5 log 10 cp/mL versus VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Analysis on 174 specimens tested with the 0.175mL volume VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test showed average bias of 0.39 log 10 cp/mL. Patient monitoring results using VERIS HIV-1 Assay demonstrated similar viral load trends over time to all comparators. The VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the DxN VERIS System demonstrated comparable clinical performance to COBAS ® HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. An advanced BLT-humanized mouse model for extended HIV-1 cure studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavender, Kerry J; Pace, Craig; Sutter, Kathrin; Messer, Ronald J; Pouncey, Dakota L; Cummins, Nathan W; Natesampillai, Sekar; Zheng, Jim; Goldsmith, Joshua; Widera, Marek; Van Dis, Erik S; Phillips, Katie; Race, Brent; Dittmer, Ulf; Kukolj, George; Hasenkrug, Kim J

    2018-01-02

    Although bone marrow, liver, thymus (BLT)-humanized mice provide a robust model for HIV-1 infection and enable evaluation of cure strategies dependent on endogenous immune responses, most mice develop graft versus host disease (GVHD), limiting their utility for extended HIV cure studies. This study aimed to: evaluate the GVHD-resistant C57 black 6 (C57BL/6) recombination activating gene 2 (Rag2)γcCD47 triple knockout (TKO)-BLT mouse as a model to establish HIV-1 latency. Determine whether TKO-BLT mice could be maintained on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for extended periods of time. Assess the rapidity of viral rebound following therapy interruption. TKO-BLT mice were HIV-1 infected, treated with various ART regimens over extended periods of time and assayed for viral rebound following therapy interruption. Daily subcutaneous injection and oral ART-mediated suppression of HIV-1 infection was tested at various doses in TKO-BLT mice. Mice were monitored for suppression of viremia and cellular HIV-1 RNA and DNA prior to and following therapy interruption. Mice remained healthy for 45 weeks posthumanization and could be treated with ART for up to 18 weeks. Viremia was suppressed to less than 200 copies/ml in the majority of mice with significant reductions in cellular HIV-1 RNA and DNA. Treatment interruption resulted in rapid viral recrudescence. HIV-1 latency can be maintained in TKO-BLT mice over extended periods on ART and rapid viral rebound occurs following therapy removal. The additional 15-18 weeks of healthy longevity compared with other BLT models provides sufficient time to examine the decay kinetics of the latent reservoir as well as observe delays in recrudescence in HIV-1 cure studies.

  7. Evidence of an increased pathogenic footprint in the lingual microbiome of untreated HIV infected patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dang Angeline T

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Opportunistic oral infections can be found in over 80% of HIV + patients, often causing debilitating lesions that also contribute to deterioration in nutritional health. Although appreciation for the role that the microbiota is likely to play in the initiation and/or enhancement of oral infections has grown considerably in recent years, little is known about the impact of HIV infection on host-microbe interactions within the oral cavity. In the current study, we characterize modulations in the bacterial composition of the lingual microbiome in patients with treated and untreated HIV infection. Bacterial species profiles were elucidated by microarray assay and compared between untreated HIV infected patients, HIV infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy, and healthy HIV negative controls. The relationship between clinical parameters (viral burden and CD4+ T cell depletion and the loss or gain of bacterial species was evaluated in each HIV patient group. Results In untreated HIV infection, elevated viremia was associated with significantly higher proportions of potentially pathogenic Veillonella, Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Campylobacter species in the lingual microbiome than observed in healthy controls. The upsurge in the prevalence of potential pathogens was juxtaposed by diminished representation of commensal Streptococcus and Veillonella species. Colonization of Neisseria flavescens was lower in the lingual microbiome of HIV infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy than in uninfected controls. Conclusions Our findings provide novel insights into the potential impact of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy on the community structure of the oral microbiome, and implicate potential mechanisms that may increase the capacity of non-commensal species to gain a stronger foothold.

  8. Volunteer motivators for participating in HIV vaccine clinical trials in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyaoke, Borna A; Mutua, Gaudensia N; Sajabi, Rose; Nyasani, Delvin; Mureithi, Marianne W; Anzala, Omu A

    2017-01-01

    1.5 million Kenyans are living with HIV/AIDS as per 2015 estimates. Though there is a notable decline in new HIV infections, continued effort is still needed to develop an efficacious, accessible and affordable HIV vaccine. HIV vaccine clinical trials bear risks, hence a need to understand volunteer motivators for enrolment, retention and follow-up. Understanding the factors that motivate volunteers to participate in a clinical trial can help to strategize, refine targeting and thus increase enrolment of volunteers in future HIV vaccine clinical trials. The health belief model classifies motivators into social benefits such as 'advancing research' and collaboration with science, and personal benefits such as health benefits and financial interests. A thematic analysis was carried out on data obtained from four HIV clinical trials conducted at KAVI-Institute of Clinical Research in Nairobi Kenya from 2009 to 2015. Responses were obtained from a Questionnaire administered to the volunteers during their screening visit at the research site. Of the 281 healthy, HIV-uninfected volunteers participating in this study; 38% were motivated by personal benefits including, 31% motivated by health benefits and 7% motivated by possible financial gains. In addition, 62% of the volunteers were motivated by social benefits with 20% of who were seeking to help their family/society/world while 42% were interested in advancing research. The majority of volunteers in the HIV vaccine trials at our site were motivated by social benefits, suggesting that altruism can be a major contributor to participation in HIV vaccine studies. Personal benefits were a secondary motivator for the volunteers. The motivators to volunteer in HIV clinical trials were similar across ages, education level and gender. Education on what is needed (including volunteer participation) to develop an efficacious vaccine could be the key to greater volunteer motivation to participate in HIV vaccine clinical trials.

  9. Volunteer motivators for participating in HIV vaccine clinical trials in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borna A Nyaoke

    Full Text Available 1.5 million Kenyans are living with HIV/AIDS as per 2015 estimates. Though there is a notable decline in new HIV infections, continued effort is still needed to develop an efficacious, accessible and affordable HIV vaccine. HIV vaccine clinical trials bear risks, hence a need to understand volunteer motivators for enrolment, retention and follow-up. Understanding the factors that motivate volunteers to participate in a clinical trial can help to strategize, refine targeting and thus increase enrolment of volunteers in future HIV vaccine clinical trials. The health belief model classifies motivators into social benefits such as 'advancing research' and collaboration with science, and personal benefits such as health benefits and financial interests.A thematic analysis was carried out on data obtained from four HIV clinical trials conducted at KAVI-Institute of Clinical Research in Nairobi Kenya from 2009 to 2015. Responses were obtained from a Questionnaire administered to the volunteers during their screening visit at the research site.Of the 281 healthy, HIV-uninfected volunteers participating in this study; 38% were motivated by personal benefits including, 31% motivated by health benefits and 7% motivated by possible financial gains. In addition, 62% of the volunteers were motivated by social benefits with 20% of who were seeking to help their family/society/world while 42% were interested in advancing research.The majority of volunteers in the HIV vaccine trials at our site were motivated by social benefits, suggesting that altruism can be a major contributor to participation in HIV vaccine studies. Personal benefits were a secondary motivator for the volunteers. The motivators to volunteer in HIV clinical trials were similar across ages, education level and gender. Education on what is needed (including volunteer participation to develop an efficacious vaccine could be the key to greater volunteer motivation to participate in HIV vaccine

  10. Detection of HIV-1 p24 Gag in plasma by a nanoparticle-based bio-barcode-amplification method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eun-Young; Stanton, Jennifer; Korber, Bette T M; Krebs, Kendall; Bogdan, Derek; Kunstman, Kevin; Wu, Samuel; Phair, John P; Mirkin, Chad A; Wolinsky, Steven M

    2008-06-01

    Detection of HIV-1 in patients is limited by the sensitivity and selectivity of available tests. The nanotechnology-based bio-barcode-amplification method offers an innovative approach to detect specific HIV-1 antigens from diverse HIV-1 subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of this protein-detection method in detecting HIV-1 in men enrolled in the Chicago component of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). The method relies on magnetic microparticles with antibodies that specifically bind the HIV-1 p24 Gag protein and nanoparticles that are encoded with DNA and antibodies that can sandwich the target protein captured by the microparticle-bound antibodies. The aggregate sandwich structures are magnetically separated from solution, and treated to remove the conjugated barcode DNA. The DNA barcodes (hundreds per target) were identified by a nanoparticle-based detection method that does not rely on PCR. Of 112 plasma samples from HIV-1-infected subjects, 111 were positive for HIV-1 p24 Gag protein (range: 0.11-71.5 ng/ml of plasma) by the bio-barcode-amplification method. HIV-1 p24 Gag protein was detected in only 23 out of 112 men by the conventional ELISA. A total of 34 uninfected subjects were negative by both tests. Thus, the specificity of the bio-barcode-amplification method was 100% and the sensitivity 99%. The bio-barcode-amplification method detected HIV-1 p24 Gag protein in plasma from all study subjects with less than 200 CD4(+) T cells/microl of plasma (100%) and 19 out of 20 (95%) HIV-1-infected men who had less than 50 copies/ml of plasma of HIV-1 RNA. In a separate group of 60 diverse international isolates, representative of clades A, B, C and D and circulating recombinant forms CRF01_AE and CRF02_AG, the bio-barcode-amplification method identified the presence of virus correctly. The bio-barcode-amplification method was superior to the conventional ELISA assay for the detection of HIV-1 p24 Gag protein in plasma with a breadth of coverage for diverse

  11. HIV-1 isolation from infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dispinseri, Stefania; Saba, Elisa; Vicenzi, Elisa; Kootstra, Neeltje A; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Scarlatti, Gabriella

    2014-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) isolation from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) allows retrieval of replication-competent viral variants. In order to impose the smallest possible selective pressure on the viral isolates, isolation must be carried out in primary cultures of cells and not in tumor derived cell lines. The procedure involves culture of PBMCs from an infected patient with phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated PBMC from seronegative donors, which provide susceptible target cells for HIV replication. HIV can be isolated from the bulk population of PBMCs or after cloning of the cells to obtain viral biological clones. Viral production is determined with p24 antigen (Ag) detection assays or with reverse transcriptase (RT) activity assay. Once isolated, HIV-1 can be propagated by infecting PHA-stimulated PBMCs from healthy donors. Aliquots from culture with a high production of virus are stored for later use.

  12. Safety of oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis use in lactating HIV-uninfected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mugwanya, Kenneth K; John-Stewart, Grace; Baeten, Jared

    2017-07-01

    In settings where HIV is prevalent in heterosexual populations, pregnancy and postpartum breastfeeding periods can be associated with substantial HIV acquisition risk. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine is an attractive HIV prevention option for women who are lactating but data are limited on its safety during the lactation period. Areas covered: We provide a concise synthesis and summary of current evidence on the safety of TDF-based PrEP during breastfeeding. We conducted a review, searching Pubmed database and major PrEP conferences for primary studies with TDF-based PrEP exposure during postpartum breastfeeding. Expert opinion: TDF-based oral PrEP is an effective female-controlled HIV prevention option. There is evidence supporting the safety of TDF use for infant outcomes during breastfeeding in antiretroviral treatment regimens for HIV and hepatitis B virus, and more limited, but consistently safe, data from use of TDF as PrEP. The potential for risk is arguably outweighed for at-risk individuals by HIV prevention benefits, including indirect protection to the infant as a result of preventing HIV in the breastfeeding mother. As PrEP delivery is scaled up in heterosexual populations in high HIV prevalence settings and for at-risk persons in other settings, implementation science studies can provide a framework to increase the accrual of safety, acceptability, and use data related to PrEP during lactation.

  13. Effect of co-trimoxazole on mortality in HIV-exposed but uninfected children in Botswana (the Mpepu Study: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahin Lockman, MD

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Background: Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis reduces mortality among HIV-infected children, but efficacy in HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU children in a non-malarial, low-breastfeeding setting with a low risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is unclear. Methods: HEU children in Botswana were randomly assigned to receive co-trimoxazole (100 mg/20 mg once daily until age 6 months and 200 mg/40 mg once daily thereafter or placebo from age 14–34 days to age 15 months. Mothers chose whether to breastfeed or formula feed their children. Breastfed children were randomly assigned to breastfeeding for 6 months (Botswana guidelines or 12 months (WHO guidelines. The primary outcome, analysed by a modified intention-to-treat approach, was cumulative child mortality from treatment assignment to age 18 months. We also assessed HIV-free survival by duration of breastfeeding. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01229761. Findings: From June 7, 2011, to April 2, 2015, 2848 HEU children were randomly assigned to receive co-trimoxazole (n=1423 or placebo (n=1425. The data and safety monitoring board stopped the study early because of a low likelihood of benefit with co-trimoxazole. Only 153 (5% children were lost to follow-up (76 in the co-trimoxazole group and 77 in the placebo group, and 2053 (72% received treatment continuously to age 15 months, death, or study closure. Mortality after the start of study treatment was similar in the two study groups: 30 children died in the co-trimoxazole group, compared with 34 in the placebo group (estimated mortality at 18 months 2·4% vs 2·6%; difference −0·2%, 95% CI −1·5 to 1·0, p=0·70. We saw no difference in hospital admissions between groups (12·5% in the co-trimoxazole group vs 17·4% in the placebo group, p=0·19 or grade 3–4 clinical adverse events (16·5% vs 18·4%, p=0·18. Grade 3–4 anaemia did not differ between groups (8·1% vs 8·3%, p=0·93, but grade 3–4

  14. Lower Self-Reported Quality of Life in HIV-Infected Patients on cART and With Low Comorbidity Compared With Healthy Controls

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Karin K; Eiersted, Morten R; Gaardbo, Julie C

    2015-01-01

    replication and with low comorbidity, compared with healthy controls. We furthermore aimed to identify factors associated with QoL. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 52 HIV-infected patients and 23 healthy controls matched on age, gender, education, and comorbidity. HIV-infected patients...... and healthy controls had previously been examined regarding cognitive, physical, metabolic, and immunological parameters. QoL was investigated using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV). Linear multiple regression models were created to find factors associated with mental health summary......BACKGROUND: Self-reported quality of life (QoL) has previously been found to be impaired in patients living with HIV and associated with viral replication, degree of immunodeficiency, and comorbidity. We aimed at investigating QoL in a group of HIV-infected patients with suppressed viral...

  15. Merkel cell polyomavirus IgG antibody levels are associated with progression to AIDS among HIV-infected individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vahabpour, Rouhollah; Nasimi, Maryam; Naderi, Niloofar; Salehi-Vaziri, Mostafa; Mohajel, Nasir; Sadeghi, Farzin; Keyvani, Hossein; Monavari, Seyed Hamidreza

    2017-04-01

    The association of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCP y V) with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) in immunocompromised individuals has been revealed in a number of surveys. The study of MCP y V specific antibody titers and viral loads in such patients has a great attraction for research groups interested in viral reactivation. In this cross-sectional study to evaluate MCP y V antibody titer, DNA prevalence and viral load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), we examined 205 HIV-1 infected patients and 100 un-infected controls. The HIV-1 infected patients divided into two groups (HIV/AIDS and non-AIDS) according to their CD4 status. Total IgG antibody titer against MCP y V was analyzed by virus like particle (VLP)-based enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Presence of MCP y V-DNA in subject's PBMCs was examined by quantitative real-time PCR assay. Levels of anti-MCP y V IgG in HIV/AIDS patients were significantly higher than those in non-AIDS HIV-infected and control subjects (p value = <0.001). The prevalence rate of MCP y V-DNA in PBMCs of HIV/AIDS, non-AIDS HIV-infected and un-infected controls were 17%, 16%, and 14% respectively. The MCP y V viral load among the groups ranged between 0.15 to 2.9 copies/10 3 cells (median, 1.9 copies/10 3 cells), with no significant difference between the studied populations (p value = 0.3).

  16. The Semen Microbiome and Its Relationship with Local Immunology and Viral Load in HIV Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Cindy M.; Osborne, Brendan J. W.; Hungate, Bruce A.; Shahabi, Kamnoosh; Huibner, Sanja; Lester, Richard; Dwan, Michael G.; Kovacs, Colin; Contente-Cuomo, Tania L.; Benko, Erika; Aziz, Maliha

    2014-01-01

    Semen is a major vector for HIV transmission, but the semen HIV RNA viral load (VL) only correlates moderately with the blood VL. Viral shedding can be enhanced by genital infections and associated inflammation, but it can also occur in the absence of classical pathogens. Thus, we hypothesized that a dysregulated semen microbiome correlates with local HIV shedding. We analyzed semen samples from 49 men who have sex with men (MSM), including 22 HIV-uninfected and 27 HIV-infected men, at baseline and after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) using 16S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR. We studied the relationship of semen bacteria with HIV infection, semen cytokine levels, and semen VL by linear regression, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and goodness-of-fit test. Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and Staphylococcus were common semen bacteria, irrespective of HIV status. While Ureaplasma was the more abundant Mollicutes in HIV-uninfected men, Mycoplasma dominated after HIV infection. HIV infection was associated with decreased semen microbiome diversity and richness, which were restored after six months of ART. In HIV-infected men, semen bacterial load correlated with seven pro-inflammatory semen cytokines, including IL-6 (p = 0.024), TNF-α (p = 0.009), and IL-1b (p = 0.002). IL-1b in particular was associated with semen VL (r2 = 0.18, p = 0.02). Semen bacterial load was also directly linked to the semen HIV VL (r2 = 0.15, p = 0.02). HIV infection reshapes the relationship between semen bacteria and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and both are linked to semen VL, which supports a role of the semen microbiome in HIV sexual transmission. PMID:25058515

  17. Disentangling Contributions of Reproductive Tract Infections to HIV Acquisition in African Women

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Wijgert, Janneke H. H. M.; Morrison, Charles S.; Brown, Joelle; Kwok, Cynthia; van der Pol, Barbara; Chipato, Tsungai; Byamugisha, Josaphat K.; Padian, Nancy; Salata, Robert A.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To estimate the effects of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) on HIV acquisition among Zimbabwean and Ugandan women. Methods: A multicenter prospective observational cohort study enrolled 4439 HIV-uninfected women aged 18 to 35 attending family planning clinics in Zimbabwe and Uganda.

  18. Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV-1 prevention does not diminish the pregnancy prevention effectiveness of hormonal contraception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murnane, Pamela M; Heffron, Renee; Ronald, Allan; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Donnell, Deborah; Mugo, Nelly R; Were, Edwin; Mujugira, Andrew; Kiarie, James; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

    2014-07-31

    For women at risk of HIV-1, effective contraception and effective HIV-1 prevention are global priorities. In a clinical trial of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-1 prevention in HIV-1-serodiscordant couples, we estimated the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives (oral contraceptive pills, injectable depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, and hormonal implants) for pregnancy prevention relative to no contraception among 1785 HIV-1-uninfected women followed up to 36 months. We compared the effectiveness of each method among women assigned PrEP versus placebo. Contraception was not required for participation, but was offered on-site and was recorded monthly; incident pregnancy was determined by monthly urine testing. For women using no contraception, overall pregnancy incidence was 15.4% per year. Women reporting oral contraceptive use had comparable pregnancy incidence to women using no contraception, and this lack of contraceptive effectiveness was similar for those assigned PrEP and placebo (17.7 and 10.0% incidence per year, respectively; P-value for difference in effect by PrEP use = 0.24). Women reporting injectable contraception had reduced pregnancy incidence compared to those reporting no contraception, which did not differ by arm (PrEP 5.1%, placebo 5.3% per year; P-value for difference = 0.47). Contraceptive effectiveness was highest among women using implants (pregnancy incidence <1% per year in both arms). PrEP had no adverse impact on hormonal contraceptive effectiveness for pregnancy prevention. As seen previously in similar populations, women reporting contraceptive pill use had little protection from pregnancy, possibly due to poor adherence. Injectable or implantable hormonal contraception and PrEP provide effective prevention for pregnancy and HIV-1.

  19. Children who acquire HIV infection perinatally are at higher risk of early death than those acquiring infection through breastmilk: a meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renaud Becquet

    Full Text Available Assumptions about survival of HIV-infected children in Africa without antiretroviral therapy need to be updated to inform ongoing UNAIDS modelling of paediatric HIV epidemics among children. Improved estimates of infant survival by timing of HIV-infection (perinatally or postnatally are thus needed.A pooled analysis was conducted of individual data of all available intervention cohorts and randomized trials on prevention of HIV mother-to-child transmission in Africa. Studies were right-censored at the time of infant antiretroviral initiation. Overall mortality rate per 1000 child-years of follow-up was calculated by selected maternal and infant characteristics. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival curves by child's HIV infection status and timing of HIV infection. Individual data from 12 studies were pooled, with 12,112 children of HIV-infected women. Mortality rates per 1,000 child-years follow-up were 39.3 and 381.6 for HIV-uninfected and infected children respectively. One year after acquisition of HIV infection, an estimated 26% postnatally and 52% perinatally infected children would have died; and 4% uninfected children by age 1 year. Mortality was independently associated with maternal death (adjusted hazard ratio 2.2, 95%CI 1.6-3.0, maternal CD4<350 cells/ml (1.4, 1.1-1.7, postnatal (3.1, 2.1-4.1 or peri-partum HIV-infection (12.4, 10.1-15.3.These results update previous work and inform future UNAIDS modelling by providing survival estimates for HIV-infected untreated African children by timing of infection. We highlight the urgent need for the prevention of peri-partum and postnatal transmission and timely assessment of HIV infection in infants to initiate antiretroviral care and support for HIV-infected children.

  20. Associations of the vaginal microbiota with HIV infection, bacterial vaginosis, and demographic factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chehoud, Christel; Stieh, Daniel J; Bailey, Aubrey G; Laughlin, Alice L; Allen, Shannon A; McCotter, Kerrie L; Sherrill-Mix, Scott A; Hope, Thomas J; Bushman, Frederic D

    2017-04-24

    We sought to investigate the effects of HIV infection on the vaginal microbiota and associations with treatment and demographic factors. We thus compared vaginal microbiome samples from HIV-infected (HIV+) and HIV-uninfected (HIV-) women collected at two Chicago area hospitals. We studied vaginal microbiome samples from 178 women analyzed longitudinally (n = 324 samples) and collected extensive data on clinical status and demographic factors. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the bacterial lineages present, then UniFrac, Shannon diversity, and other measures to compare community structure with sample metadata. Differences in microbiota measures were modest in the comparison of HIV+ and HIV- samples, in contrast to several previous studies, consistent with effective antiretroviral therapy. Proportions of healthy Lactobacillus species were not higher in HIV- patients overall, but were significantly higher when analyzed within each hospital in isolation. Rates of bacterial vaginosis were higher among African-American women and HIV+ women. Bacterial vaginosis was associated with higher frequency of HIV+. Unexpectedly, African-American women were more likely to switch bacterial vaginosis status between sampling times; switching was not associated with HIV+ status. The influence of HIV infection on the vaginal microbiome was modest for this cohort of well suppressed urban American women, consistent with effective antiretroviral therapy. HIV+ was found to be associated with bacterial vaginosis. Although bacterial vaginosis has previously been associated with HIV transmission, most of the women studied here became HIV+ many years before our test for bacterial vaginosis, thus implicating additional mechanisms linking HIV infection and bacterial vaginosis.

  1. Breastfeeding Behaviors and the Innate Immune System of Human Milk: Working Together to Protect Infants against Inflammation, HIV-1, and Other Infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henrick, Bethany M; Yao, Xiao-Dan; Nasser, Laila; Roozrogousheh, Ava; Rosenthal, Kenneth L

    2017-01-01

    The majority of infants' breastfeeding from their HIV-infected mothers do not acquire HIV-1 infection despite exposure to cell-free virus and cell-associated virus in HIV-infected breast milk. Paradoxically, exclusive breastfeeding regardless of the HIV status of the mother has led to a significant decrease in mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) compared with non-exclusive breastfeeding. Although it remains unclear how these HIV-exposed infants remain uninfected despite repeated and prolonged exposure to HIV-1, the low rate of transmission is suggestive of a multitude of protective, short-lived bioactive innate immune factors in breast milk. Indeed, recent studies of soluble factors in breast milk shed new light on mechanisms of neonatal HIV-1 protection. This review highlights the role and significance of innate immune factors in HIV-1 susceptibility and infection. Prevention of MTCT of HIV-1 is likely due to multiple factors, including innate immune factors such as lactoferrin and elafin among many others. In pursuing this field, our lab was the first to show that soluble toll-like receptor 2 (sTLR2) directly inhibits HIV infection, integration, and inflammation. More recently, we demonstrated that sTLR2 directly binds to selective HIV-1 proteins, including p17, gp41, and p24, leading to significantly reduced NFκB activation, interleukin-8 production, CCR5 expression, and HIV infection in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, a clearer understanding of soluble milk-derived innate factors with known antiviral functions may provide new therapeutic insights to reduce vertical HIV-1 transmission and will have important implications for protection against HIV-1 infection at other mucosal sites. Furthermore, innate bioactive factors identified in human milk may serve not only in protecting infants against infections and inflammation but also the elderly; thus, opening the door for novel innate immune therapeutics to protect newborns, infants, adults, and the elderly.

  2. Soil transmitted helminth infections are not associated with compromised antibody responses to previously administered measles and tetanus vaccines among HIV-1 infected, ART naïve Kenyan adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen L. Storey

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available In many regions of sub-Saharan Africa, both HIV and helminth infections are prevalent. HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and helminth infections can both compromise immune responses in humans. To determine whether the presence of helminth infection or the treatment of helminth infection alters unstimulated vaccine responses among HIV-1 infected individuals, we conducted two nested serologic studies. Blood samples were collected for HIV disease monitoring and vaccine-specific serologic assays, while stool was evaluated by direct microscopy methods. We compared antibody responses to measles and tetanus vaccines in helminth-infected (Ascaris, Trichuris, hookworm and/or Schistosoma mansoni and uninfected adults 18 years and older (n = 100. We also compared measles and tetanus antibody responses in Ascaris only-infected adults receiving 400 mg albendazole daily for 3 days (n = 16 vs. placebo (n = 19 in a separate study. In both cohorts, over 70% of participants had measles and tetanus responses above the protective threshold. Prevalence of measles responses were similar between helminth-infected and uninfected individuals (82%, 95% CI: 71–93% vs 72%, 95% CI: 59–85%, as well as log10 tetanus antibody levels (−0.133 IU/mL vs −0.190 IU/mL, p > 0.05, and did not differ by helminth species. In the Ascaris-infected cohort, changes in measles responses and tetanus responses did not differ between those who received anthelminthic vs. placebo (p > 0.05 for both. In these studies, neither helminth infection, nor deworming, appeared to affect previously administered vaccine responsiveness in HIV-1 infected, ART naïve, adults in Kenya.

  3. HIV Infection and Older Americans: The Public Health Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchacz, Kate; Gebo, Kelly A.; Mermin, Jonathan

    2012-01-01

    HIV disease is often perceived as a condition affecting young adults. However, approximately 11% of new infections occur in adults aged 50 years or older. Among persons living with HIV disease, it is estimated that more than half will be aged 50 years or older in the near future. In this review, we highlight issues related to HIV prevention and treatment for HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected older Americans, and outline unique considerations and emerging challenges for public health and patient management in these 2 populations. PMID:22698038

  4. Household food security and HIV status in rural and urban communities in the Free State province, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pienaar, Michélle; van Rooyen, Francois C; Walsh, Corinna M

    2017-12-01

    Higher socioeconomic status impacts profoundly on quality of life. Life-event stressors, such as loss of employment, marital separation/divorce, death of a spouse and food insecurity, have been found to accelerate disease progression among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The objective of this study was to determine significant independent sociodemographic and food security factors associated with HIV status in people from rural and urban communities in the Assuring Health for All study, which was undertaken in rural Trompsburg, Philippolis and Springfontein and urban Mangaung, in the Free State Province of South Africa. Sociodemographic and food security factors associated with HIV status were determined in 886 households. Logistic regression with forward selection (p rural participants, 97 (17.1%) were HIV-infected, and 172 (40.6%) of the 424 urban participants. A relatively high percentage of respondents had never attended school, while very few participants in all areas had a tertiary education. The unemployment rate of HIV-infected adults was higher than that of HIV-uninfected adults. A high percentage of respondents in all areas reported running out of money to buy food, with this tendency occurring significantly more among urban HIV-infected than HIV-uninfected respondents. In all areas, a high percentage of HIV-infected respondents relied on a limited number of foods to feed their children, with significantly more HIV-infected urban respondents compared to their uninfected counterparts reporting this. Most participants in all areas had to cut the size of meals, or ate less because there was not enough food in the house or not enough money to buy food. During periods of food shortage, more than 50% of respondents in all areas asked family, relatives or neighbours for assistance with money and/or food, which occurred at a higher percentage of HIV-infected rural participants compared to HIV-uninfected rural participants. More than half of all

  5. Polymorphisms in the IFNγ, IL-10, and TGFβ Genes May Be Associated with HIV-1 Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felipe Bonfim Freitas

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. This study investigated possible associations between the TNFα-308G/A, IFN+874A/T, IL-6-174C/G, IL-10-1082A/G, and TGFβ-509C/T polymorphisms with HIV-1 infection, in addition to correlation of the polymorphisms with clinical markers of AIDS progression, such as levels of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes and plasma viral load. Methods. A total of 216 individuals who were infected with HIV-1 and on antiretroviral therapy (ART and 294 individuals from the uninfected control group were analyzed. Results. All individuals evaluated were negative for total anti-HBc, anti-HCV, anti-T. pallidum, and anti-HTLV-1/2. The polymorphisms were identified by PCR-RFLP. Individuals presenting the IFN+874A allele as well as the AA genotype were more frequent in the HIV-1 infected group compared to the control group (P<0.05, in addition to having lower levels of CD4+ T lymphocytes. The CD8+ T lymphocytes count was significantly lower in individuals with the IL-10-1082 GG genotype. The TGFβ-509TT genotype was associated with higher plasma viral load. Conclusions. The results suggest that the presence of the IFN+874A allele confers susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and a decrease in the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes. In addition, the genotype associated with high serum levels of TGFβ may be associated with an increase in plasma viral load.

  6. Nucleocapsid promotes localization of HIV-1 gag to uropods that participate in virological synapses between T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llewellyn, G Nicholas; Hogue, Ian B; Grover, Jonathan R; Ono, Akira

    2010-10-28

    T cells adopt a polarized morphology in lymphoid organs, where cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 is likely frequent. However, despite the importance of understanding virus spread in vivo, little is known about the HIV-1 life cycle, particularly its late phase, in polarized T cells. Polarized T cells form two ends, the leading edge at the front and a protrusion called a uropod at the rear. Using multiple uropod markers, we observed that HIV-1 Gag localizes to the uropod in polarized T cells. Infected T cells formed contacts with uninfected target T cells preferentially via HIV-1 Gag-containing uropods compared to leading edges that lack plasma-membrane-associated Gag. Cell contacts enriched in Gag and CD4, which define the virological synapse (VS), are also enriched in uropod markers. These results indicate that Gag-laden uropods participate in the formation and/or structure of the VS, which likely plays a key role in cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1. Consistent with this notion, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, which disrupts uropods, reduced virus particle transfer from infected T cells to target T cells. Mechanistically, we observed that Gag copatches with antibody-crosslinked uropod markers even in non-polarized cells, suggesting an association of Gag with uropod-specific microdomains that carry Gag to uropods. Finally, we determined that localization of Gag to the uropod depends on higher-order clustering driven by its NC domain. Taken together, these results support a model in which NC-dependent Gag accumulation to uropods establishes a preformed platform that later constitutes T-cell-T-cell contacts at which HIV-1 virus transfer occurs.

  7. Nucleocapsid promotes localization of HIV-1 gag to uropods that participate in virological synapses between T cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Nicholas Llewellyn

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available T cells adopt a polarized morphology in lymphoid organs, where cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 is likely frequent. However, despite the importance of understanding virus spread in vivo, little is known about the HIV-1 life cycle, particularly its late phase, in polarized T cells. Polarized T cells form two ends, the leading edge at the front and a protrusion called a uropod at the rear. Using multiple uropod markers, we observed that HIV-1 Gag localizes to the uropod in polarized T cells. Infected T cells formed contacts with uninfected target T cells preferentially via HIV-1 Gag-containing uropods compared to leading edges that lack plasma-membrane-associated Gag. Cell contacts enriched in Gag and CD4, which define the virological synapse (VS, are also enriched in uropod markers. These results indicate that Gag-laden uropods participate in the formation and/or structure of the VS, which likely plays a key role in cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1. Consistent with this notion, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, which disrupts uropods, reduced virus particle transfer from infected T cells to target T cells. Mechanistically, we observed that Gag copatches with antibody-crosslinked uropod markers even in non-polarized cells, suggesting an association of Gag with uropod-specific microdomains that carry Gag to uropods. Finally, we determined that localization of Gag to the uropod depends on higher-order clustering driven by its NC domain. Taken together, these results support a model in which NC-dependent Gag accumulation to uropods establishes a preformed platform that later constitutes T-cell-T-cell contacts at which HIV-1 virus transfer occurs.

  8. Genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in humanized HIV-transgenic mice triggers HIV shedding and is associated with greater neurological disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nixon, Briana; Fakioglu, Esra; Stefanidou, Martha; Wang, Yanhua; Dutta, Monica; Goldstein, Harris; Herold, Betsy C

    2014-02-15

    Epidemiological studies consistently demonstrate synergy between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Higher HIV-1 loads are observed in coinfected individuals, and conversely, HIV-1 is associated with more-severe herpetic disease. A small animal model of coinfection would facilitate identification of the biological mechanisms underlying this synergy and provide the opportunity to evaluate interventions. Mice transgenic for HIV-1 provirus and human cyclin T1 under the control of a CD4 promoter (JR-CSF/hu-cycT1) were intravaginally infected with HSV-2 and evaluated for disease progression, HIV shedding, and mucosal immune responses. HSV-2 infection resulted in higher vaginal HIV loads and genital tissue expression of HIV RNA, compared with HSV-uninfected JR-CSF/hu-cycT1 mice. There was an increase in genital tract inflammatory cells, cytokines, chemokines, and interferons in response to HSV-2, although the kinetics of the response were delayed in HIV-transgenic, compared with control mice. Moreover, the JR-CSF/hu-cycT1 mice exhibited earlier and more-severe neurological disease. The latter was associated with downregulation of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor expression in neuronal tissue, a molecule with antiinflammatory, antiviral, and neuroprotective properties. JR-CSF/hu-cycT1 mice provide a valuable model to study HIV/HSV-2 coinfection and identify potential mechanisms by which HSV-2 facilitates HIV-1 transmission and HIV modulates HSV-2-mediated disease.

  9. Breast cancer and HIV

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Intuition might dictate that the outcome of both surgical and adjuvant treatment of breast cancer in these patients would be poor because of the effect on immunity. We recently published a prospective cohort study which compared the treatment outcomes of breast cancer in HIV- infected and -uninfected patients.3 This was ...

  10. The Role of Natural Antibodies to CC Chemokine Receptor 5 in HIV Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Assunta Venuti

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5 is responsible for immune and inflammatory responses by mediation of chemotactic activity in leukocytes, although it is expressed on different cell types. It has been shown to act as co-receptor for the human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV. Natural reactive antibodies (Abs recognizing first loop (ECL1 of CCR5 have been detected in several pools of immunoglobulins from healthy donors and from several cohorts of either HIV-exposed but uninfected subjects (ESN or HIV-infected individuals who control disease progression (LTNP as well. The reason of development of anti-CCR5 Abs in the absence of autoimmune disease is still unknown; however, the presence of these Abs specific for CCR5 or for other immune receptors and mediators probably is related to homeostasis maintenance. The majority of anti-CCR5 Abs is directed to HIV binding site (N-terminus and ECL2 of the receptor. Conversely, it is well known that ECL1 of CCR5 does not bind HIV; thus, the anti-CCR5 Abs directed to ECL1 elicit a long-lasting internalization of CCR5 but not interfere with HIV binding directly; these Abs block HIV infection in either epithelial cells or CD4+ T lymphocytes and the mechanism differs from those ones described for all other CCR5-specific ligands. The Ab-mediated CCR5 internalization allows the formation of a stable signalosome by interaction of CCR5, β-arrestin2 and ERK1 proteins. The signalosome degradation and the subsequent de novo proteins synthesis determine the CCR5 reappearance on the cell membrane with a very long-lasting kinetics (8 days. The use of monoclonal Abs to CCR5 with particular characteristics and mode of action may represent a novel mode to fight viral infection in either vaccinal or therapeutic strategies.

  11. Effect of multivitamin supplementation on measles vaccine response among HIV-infected and HIV-exposed Tanzanian infants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Immunization and nutritional interventions are mainstays of child health programs in sub-Saharan Africa, yet few published data on their interaction exist. HIV-exposed infants (uninfected) enrolled in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of multivitamins (vitamin B-complex, C and E) conducted in Ta...

  12. Aggregate complexes of HIV-1 induced by multimeric antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stieh, Daniel J; King, Deborah F; Klein, Katja; Liu, Pinghuang; Shen, Xiaoying; Hwang, Kwan Ki; Ferrari, Guido; Montefiori, David C; Haynes, Barton; Pitisuttithum, Punnee; Kaewkungwal, Jaranit; Nitayaphan, Sorachai; Rerks-Ngarm, Supachai; Michael, Nelson L; Robb, Merlin L; Kim, Jerome H; Denny, Thomas N; Tomaras, Georgia D; Shattock, Robin J

    2014-10-02

    Antibody mediated viral aggregation may impede viral transfer across mucosal surfaces by hindering viral movement in mucus, preventing transcytosis, or reducing inter-cellular penetration of epithelia thereby limiting access to susceptible mucosal CD4 T cells and dendritic cells. These functions may work together to provide effective immune exclusion of virus from mucosal tissue; however little is known about the antibody characteristics required to induce HIV aggregation. Such knowledge may be critical to the design of successful immunization strategies to facilitate viral immune exclusion at the mucosal portals of entry. The potential of neutralizing and non-neutralizing IgG and IgA monoclonals (mAbs) to induce HIV-1 aggregation was assessed by Dynamic light scattering (DLS). Although neutralizing and non-neutralizing IgG mAbs and polyclonal HIV-Ig efficiently aggregated soluble Env trimers, they were not capable of forming viral aggregates. In contrast, dimeric (but not monomeric) IgA mAbs induced stable viral aggregate populations that could be separated from uncomplexed virions. Epitope specificity influenced both the degree of aggregation and formation of higher order complexes by dIgA. IgA purified from serum of uninfected RV144 vaccine trial responders were able to efficiently opsonize viral particles in the absence of significant aggregation, reflective of monomeric IgA. These results collectively demonstrate that dIgA is capable of forming stable viral aggregates providing a plausible basis for testing the effectiveness of aggregation as a potential protection mechanism at the mucosal portals of viral entry.

  13. Epstein-Barr virus DNA loads in adult human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, Paul D.; Vilchez, Regis A.; Keitel, Wendy A.; Poston, David G.; Peng, Rong Sheng; White, Zoe S.; Visnegarwala, Fehmida; Lewis, Dorothy E.; Butel, Janet S.

    2003-01-01

    Patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are at high risk of developing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphoma. However, little is known of the EBV DNA loads in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Using a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, we demonstrated that significantly more HIV-1-infected patients receiving HAART than HIV-1-uninfected volunteers had detectable EBV DNA in blood (57 [81%] of 70 vs. 11 [16%] of 68 patients; P=.001) and saliva (55 [79%] of 68 vs. 37 [54%] of 68 patients; P=.002). The mean EBV loads in blood and saliva samples were also higher in HIV-1-infected patients than in HIV-1-uninfected volunteers (P=.001). The frequency of EBV detection in blood was associated with lower CD4+ cell counts (P=.03) among HIV-1-infected individuals, although no differences were observed in the EBV DNA loads in blood or saliva samples in the HIV-1-infected group. Additional studies are needed to determine whether EBV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ cells play a role in the pathogenesis of EBV in HIV-1-infected patients receiving HAART.

  14. High Rates of All-cause and Gastroenteritis-related Hospitalization Morbidity and Mortality among HIV-exposed Indian Infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tripathy Srikanth

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV-infected and HIV-exposed, uninfected infants experience a high burden of infectious morbidity and mortality. Hospitalization is an important metric for morbidity and is associated with high mortality, yet, little is known about rates and causes of hospitalization among these infants in the first 12 months of life. Methods Using data from a prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT trial (India SWEN, where HIV-exposed breastfed infants were given extended nevirapine, we measured 12-month infant all-cause and cause-specific hospitalization rates and hospitalization risk factors. Results Among 737 HIV-exposed Indian infants, 93 (13% were HIV-infected, 15 (16% were on HAART, and 260 (35% were hospitalized 381 times by 12 months of life. Fifty-six percent of the hospitalizations were attributed to infections; gastroenteritis was most common accounting for 31% of infectious hospitalizations. Gastrointestinal-related hospitalizations steadily increased over time, peaking around 9 months. The 12-month all-cause hospitalization, gastroenteritis-related hospitalization, and in-hospital mortality rates were 906/1000 PY, 229/1000 PY, and 35/1000 PY respectively among HIV-infected infants and 497/1000 PY, 107/1000 PY, and 3/1000 PY respectively among HIV-exposed, uninfected infants. Advanced maternal age, infant HIV infection, gestational age, and male sex were associated with higher all-cause hospitalization risk while shorter duration of breastfeeding and abrupt weaning were associated with gastroenteritis-related hospitalization. Conclusions HIV-exposed Indian infants experience high rates of all-cause and infectious hospitalization (particularly gastroenteritis and in-hospital mortality. HIV-infected infants are nearly 2-fold more likely to experience hospitalization and 10-fold more likely to die compared to HIV-exposed, uninfected infants. The combination of scaling up HIV PMTCT programs and implementing proven health

  15. HIV-1 transmission linkage in an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leitner, Thomas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Campbell, Mary S [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Mullins, James I [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Hughes, James P [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Wong, Kim G [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Raugi, Dana N [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Scrensen, Stefanie [UNIV OF WASHINGTON

    2009-01-01

    HIV-1 sequencing has been used extensively in epidemiologic and forensic studies to investigate patterns of HIV-1 transmission. However, the criteria for establishing genetic linkage between HIV-1 strains in HIV-1 prevention trials have not been formalized. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (ClinicaITrials.gov NCT00194519) enrolled 3408 HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual African couples to determine the efficacy of genital herpes suppression with acyclovir in reducing HIV-1 transmission. The trial analysis required laboratory confirmation of HIV-1 linkage between enrolled partners in couples in which seroconversion occurred. Here we describe the process and results from HIV-1 sequencing studies used to perform transmission linkage determination in this clinical trial. Consensus Sanger sequencing of env (C2-V3-C3) and gag (p17-p24) genes was performed on plasma HIV-1 RNA from both partners within 3 months of seroconversion; env single molecule or pyrosequencing was also performed in some cases. For linkage, we required monophyletic clustering between HIV-1 sequences in the transmitting and seroconverting partners, and developed a Bayesian algorithm using genetic distances to evaluate the posterior probability of linkage of participants sequences. Adjudicators classified transmissions as linked, unlinked, or indeterminate. Among 151 seroconversion events, we found 108 (71.5%) linked, 40 (26.5%) unlinked, and 3 (2.0%) to have indeterminate transmissions. Nine (8.3%) were linked by consensus gag sequencing only and 8 (7.4%) required deep sequencing of env. In this first use of HIV-1 sequencing to establish endpoints in a large clinical trial, more than one-fourth of transmissions were unlinked to the enrolled partner, illustrating the relevance of these methods in the design of future HIV-1 prevention trials in serodiscordant couples. A hierarchy of sequencing techniques, analysis methods, and expert adjudication contributed to the linkage

  16. Induction of Apoptosis by Targeting the Microtubule Network: Using HIV Tat as a Model System

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chen, Dan

    2003-01-01

    Depletion of CD4+ T cells is the hallmark of HIV Infection and AIDS progression. In addition to the direct killing of the viral-infected cells, HIV infection also leads to increased apoptosis of predominantly uninfected bystander cells...

  17. South African Breast Cancer and HIV Outcomes Study: Methods and Baseline Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herbert Cubasch

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: In low- and middle-income, HIV-endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa, morbidity and mortality from the common epithelial cancers of the developed world are rising. Even among HIV-infected individuals, access to antiretroviral therapy has enhanced life expectancy, shifting the distribution of cancer diagnoses toward non–AIDS-defining malignancies, including breast cancer. Building on our prior research, we recently initiated the South African Breast Cancer and HIV Outcomes study. Methods: We will recruit a cohort of 3,000 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer at hospitals in high (average, 20% HIV prevalence areas, in Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Empangeni. At baseline, we will collect information on demographic, behavioral, clinical, and other factors related to access to health care. Every 3 months in year 1 and every 6 months thereafter, we will collect interview and chart data on treatment, symptoms, cancer progression, comorbidities, and other factors. We will compare survival rates of HIV-infected and uninfected women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and their likelihood of receiving suboptimal anticancer therapy. We will identify determinants of suboptimal therapy and context-specific modifiable factors that future interventions can target to improve outcomes. We will explore molecular mechanisms underlying potentially aggressive breast cancer in both HIV-infected and uninfected patients, as well as the roles of pathogens, states of immune activation, and inflammation in disease progression. Conclusion: Our goals are to contribute to development of evidence-based guidelines for the management of breast cancer in HIV-positive women and to improve outcomes for all patients with breast cancer in resource-constrained settings.

  18. Global Dynamics of HIV Infection of CD4+ T Cells and Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. M. Elaiw

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We study the global dynamics of an HIV infection model describing the interaction of the HIV with CD4+ T cells and macrophages. The incidence rate of virus infection and the growth rate of the uninfected CD4+ T cells and macrophages are given by general functions. We have incorporated two types of distributed delays into the model to account for the time delay between the time the uninfected cells are contacted by the virus particle and the time for the emission of infectious (matures virus particles. We have established a set of conditions which are sufficient for the global stability of the steady states of the model. Using Lyapunov functionals and LaSalle's invariant principle, we have proven that if the basic reproduction number R0 is less than or equal to unity, then the uninfected steady state is globally asymptotically stable (GAS, and if the infected steady state exists, then it is GAS.

  19. Prevalence of psychological trauma and association with current health and functioning in a sample of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Tanzanian adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian W Pence

    Full Text Available In high income nations, traumatic life experiences such as childhood sexual abuse are much more common in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA than the general population, and trauma is associated with worse current health and functioning. Virtually no data exist on the prevalence or consequences of trauma for PLWHA in low income nations.We recruited four cohorts of Tanzanian patients in established medical care for HIV infection (n = 228, individuals newly testing positive for HIV (n = 267, individuals testing negative for HIV at the same sites (n = 182, and a random sample of community-dwelling adults (n = 249. We assessed lifetime prevalence of traumatic experiences, recent stressful life events, and current mental health and health-related physical functioning. Those with established HIV infection reported a greater number of childhood and lifetime traumatic experiences (2.1 and 3.0 respectively than the community cohort (1.8 and 2.3. Those with established HIV infection reported greater post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD symptomatology and worse current health-related physical functioning. Each additional lifetime traumatic experience was associated with increased PTSD symptomatology and worse functioning.This study is the first to our knowledge in an HIV population from a low income nation to report the prevalence of a range of potentially traumatic life experiences compared to a matched community sample and to show that trauma history is associated with poorer health-related physical functioning. Our findings underscore the importance of considering psychosocial characteristics when planning to meet the health needs of PLWHA in low income countries.

  20. Prevalence of psychological trauma and association with current health and functioning in a sample of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Tanzanian adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pence, Brian W; Shirey, Kristen; Whetten, Kathryn; Agala, Bernard; Itemba, Dafrosa; Adams, Julie; Whetten, Rachel; Yao, Jia; Shao, John

    2012-01-01

    In high income nations, traumatic life experiences such as childhood sexual abuse are much more common in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than the general population, and trauma is associated with worse current health and functioning. Virtually no data exist on the prevalence or consequences of trauma for PLWHA in low income nations. We recruited four cohorts of Tanzanian patients in established medical care for HIV infection (n = 228), individuals newly testing positive for HIV (n = 267), individuals testing negative for HIV at the same sites (n = 182), and a random sample of community-dwelling adults (n = 249). We assessed lifetime prevalence of traumatic experiences, recent stressful life events, and current mental health and health-related physical functioning. Those with established HIV infection reported a greater number of childhood and lifetime traumatic experiences (2.1 and 3.0 respectively) than the community cohort (1.8 and 2.3). Those with established HIV infection reported greater post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and worse current health-related physical functioning. Each additional lifetime traumatic experience was associated with increased PTSD symptomatology and worse functioning. This study is the first to our knowledge in an HIV population from a low income nation to report the prevalence of a range of potentially traumatic life experiences compared to a matched community sample and to show that trauma history is associated with poorer health-related physical functioning. Our findings underscore the importance of considering psychosocial characteristics when planning to meet the health needs of PLWHA in low income countries.

  1. Antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and early neonatal life: consequences for HIV-exposed, uninfected children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia El Beitune

    Full Text Available Women have emerged as the fastest growing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infected population worldwide, mainly because of the increasing occurrence of heterosexual transmission. Most infected women are of reproductive age and one of the greatest concerns for both women and their physicians is that more than 1,600 infants become infected with HIV each day. Almost all infections are a result of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. With the advent of combination antiretroviral therapies, transmission rates lower than 2% have been achieved in clinical studies. Antiretroviral compounds differ from most other new pharmaceutical agents in that they have become widely prescribed in pregnancy in the absence of proof of safety. We reviewed antiretroviral agents used in pregnant women infected with human immunodeficiency virus, mother-to-child transmission, and their consequences for infants.

  2. Natural Immunity to HIV: A Template for Vaccine Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fourcade, Lyvia; Poudrier, Johanne; Roger, Michel

    2018-04-23

    Africa accounts for the majority of global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, most of which affect women through heterosexual intercourse. Currently, there is no cure for HIV and the development of vaccines and microbicides remains the best solution to eradicate the pandemic. We and others have identified HIV highly-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals among African female commercial sex workers (CSWs). Analyses of genital samples from HESNs have demonstrated potent innate and anti-inflammatory conditions, HIV-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cells as well as immunoglobulins (Igs), and increased regulatory cell populations, all of which support a delicate balance between strength and control against HIV intrusion. Moreover, we have recently shown that frequencies of innate marginal zone (MZ) B-cells are decreased in the blood of HESNs when compared to HIV-uninfected non-CSW women, suggesting their recruitment to peripheral sites. This coincides with the fact that levels of B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS/BAFF), known to shape the MZ pool and whose overexpression leads to MZ deregulation in HIV-infected progressors, are significantly lower in the blood of HESNs when compared to both HIV-infected CSWs and HIV-uninfected non-CSW women. Interestingly, MZ B-cells can bind HIV gp120 and produce specific IgG and IgA, and have a propensity for B regulatory potential, which could help both the fight against HIV and maintenance of low inflammatory conditions in HESNs. HESN individuals provide an exceptional opportunity to identify important clues for the development of protective devices, and efforts should aim at soliciting immune responses observed in the context of their natural immunity to HIV.

  3. Natural Immunity to HIV: A Template for Vaccine Strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lyvia Fourcade

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Africa accounts for the majority of global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infections, most of which affect women through heterosexual intercourse. Currently, there is no cure for HIV and the development of vaccines and microbicides remains the best solution to eradicate the pandemic. We and others have identified HIV highly-exposed seronegative (HESN individuals among African female commercial sex workers (CSWs. Analyses of genital samples from HESNs have demonstrated potent innate and anti-inflammatory conditions, HIV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells as well as immunoglobulins (Igs, and increased regulatory cell populations, all of which support a delicate balance between strength and control against HIV intrusion. Moreover, we have recently shown that frequencies of innate marginal zone (MZ B-cells are decreased in the blood of HESNs when compared to HIV-uninfected non-CSW women, suggesting their recruitment to peripheral sites. This coincides with the fact that levels of B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS/BAFF, known to shape the MZ pool and whose overexpression leads to MZ deregulation in HIV-infected progressors, are significantly lower in the blood of HESNs when compared to both HIV-infected CSWs and HIV-uninfected non-CSW women. Interestingly, MZ B-cells can bind HIV gp120 and produce specific IgG and IgA, and have a propensity for B regulatory potential, which could help both the fight against HIV and maintenance of low inflammatory conditions in HESNs. HESN individuals provide an exceptional opportunity to identify important clues for the development of protective devices, and efforts should aim at soliciting immune responses observed in the context of their natural immunity to HIV.

  4. First UK case report of kidney transplantation from an HIV-infected deceased donor to two HIV-infected recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nolan, Eileen; Karydis, Nikolaos; Drage, Martin; Hilton, Rachel

    2018-04-01

    Kidney transplantation is now considered the treatment of choice for many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Graft survival rates using HIV-negative donors and carefully selected HIV-positive ESRD patients are similar to those observed in HIV-uninfected kidney transplant recipients. To address the relative shortfall in donated organs it has been proposed that organs from HIV-infected deceased donors might be allocated to HIV-infected patients on the transplant waiting list. Preliminary experience in South Africa reports promising short-term outcomes in a small number of HIV-infected recipients of kidney transplants from HIV-infected donors. We sought to replicate this experience in the UK by accepting kidney offers from HIV infected deceased donors for patients with HIV-infection on the kidney transplant waiting list. Here we report the UK's first cases of kidney transplantation between HIV-positive donors and recipients.

  5. HBV/HIV co-infection and APOBEC3G polymorphisms in a population from Burkina Faso.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Compaore, Tegwinde Rebeca; Diarra, Birama; Assih, Maleki; Obiri-Yeboah, Dorcas; Soubeiga, Serge Theophile; Ouattara, Abdoul Karim; Tchelougou, Damehan; Bisseye, Cyrille; Bakouan, Didier Romuald; Compaore, Issaka Pierre; Dembele, Augustine; Djigma, Wendkuuni Florencia; Simpore, Jacques

    2016-07-22

    Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G) is a potent host defense factor, which interferes with HIV-1 and HBV. Our study had three objectives, to screen a population of HIV-1 infected and uninfected patients in Burkina Faso for HBV, to screen the population for APOBEC3G variants rs6001417, rs8177832, and rs35228531 previously described, and to analyze the effect of these three variants and their haplotypes on HIV-1/HBV co-infection in Burkina Faso. HBV detection was performed on samples from HIV-1 infected and uninfected subjects using rapid detection tests and real-time PCR. APOBEC3 genotyping was done by the TaqMan allelic discrimination method. Fisher Exact test, Odds ratio (OR), confidence intervals (CI) at 95 %, Linkage disequilibrium (LD) summary statistics and haplotype frequencies were calculated. The prevalence of HBV was 56.7 % among HIV-1 positive patients of our study while it was about 12.8 % among HIV-1 seronegative subjects. Genotype E was the genotype of HBV present in our hepatitis B positive samples. Minor allele frequencies of rs6001417, rs8177832, and rs35228531 were higher in seronegative subjects. The T minor allele of variant rs35228531 was protective against HIV-1/HBV co-infection with OR = 0.61, 95 % CI (0.42-0.90), p = 0.013. There was also an association between the GGT haplotype and protection against HIV-1/HBV co-infection, OR = 0.57, 95 % CI (0.33-0.99), p = 0.050. The other haplotypes present in the population were not statistically significant. There minor allele T of the rs35228531 was protective against HIV mono-infection OR = 0.53, 95 % CI (0.3-0.93), P = 0.030. But there was no effect of protection against HBV mono-infection. APOBEC3G through its variants rs6001417, rs8177832, and rs35228531, in this study interferes with HIV-1/HBV co-infection could be due the HIV-1 mono-infection in a population from Burkina Faso.

  6. Identification of episomal human papillomavirus and other DNA viruses in cytological anal samples of HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Gabriella Donà

    Full Text Available To date, there have been only few studies that investigated integration of anal Human Papillomavirus (HPV. Most of them were conducted on HIV-infected individuals and mainly analyzed samples from high-grade lesions and invasive cancer. We aimed to investigate HPV physical status in HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM with a detectable anal HPV infection, irrespective of the presence of lesions. We also sought to explore the presence of other circular DNA viruses in the anal region. Study participants were attendees of an STI screening program, which were also screened for anal HPV infection and cytological abnormalities. HPV physical status was assessed using multiply-primed RCA. HPV16-positive samples were also analyzed using E2/E6 multiplex PCR, qRT-PCR and APOT assay. RCA and virus-specific PCR were employed to investigate the presence of other DNA viruses. Anal HPV infection was detected in 76.9% of the 230 MSM enrolled. The anal cytological reports were: 129 NILM, 37 ASC-US and 28 L-SIL (36 samples were inadequate for interpretation. HPV physical status was evaluated in the 109 anal specimens that harbored one or two different HPV genotypes. Integration was observed only in one HPV16-positive sample (0.9%, in which integrate-derived viral transcripts of type B were detected. Integration occurred in chromosome 14 q. In 22 of the 53 (41.5% mucosal HPV-negative samples, RCA restriction results would seem to indicate the presence of circular DNA viruses. Indeed, cutaneous HPV (4 samples, MCPyV (5 samples and TTV (4 samples were detected. In conclusion, anal HPV integration was rarely evidenced in HIV-uninfected MSM with no or mild anal cytological abnormalities, although the integration rate may have been underestimated because of the limitations of the employed assays. Other DNA viruses were detected in the anal samples of these individuals, although the significance of this occurrence needs to be assessed.

  7. Adherence to antiretroviral prophylaxis for HIV prevention: a substudy cohort within a clinical trial of serodiscordant couples in East Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haberer, Jessica E; Baeten, Jared M; Campbell, James; Wangisi, Jonathan; Katabira, Elly; Ronald, Allan; Tumwesigye, Elioda; Psaros, Christina; Safren, Steven A; Ware, Norma C; Thomas, Katherine K; Donnell, Deborah; Krows, Meighan; Kidoguchi, Lara; Celum, Connie; Bangsberg, David R

    2013-01-01

    Randomized clinical trials of oral antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention have widely divergent efficacy estimates, ranging from 0% to 75%. These discrepancies are likely due to differences in adherence. To our knowledge, no studies to date have examined the impact of improving adherence through monitoring and/or intervention, which may increase PrEP efficacy, or reported on objective behavioral measures of adherence, which can inform PrEP effectiveness and implementation. Within the Partners PrEP Study (a randomized placebo-controlled trial of oral tenofovir and emtricitabine/tenofovir among HIV-uninfected members of serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda), we collected objective measures of PrEP adherence using unannounced home-based pill counts and electronic pill bottle monitoring. Participants received individual and couples-based adherence counseling at PrEP initiation and throughout the study; counseling was intensified if unannounced pill count adherence fell to counseling, and HIV testing. A total of 1,147 HIV-uninfected participants were enrolled: 53% were male, median age was 34 years, and median partnership duration was 8.5 years. Fourteen HIV infections occurred among adherence study participants--all of whom were assigned to placebo (PrEP efficacy = 100%, 95% confidence interval 83.7%-100%, pmarriage were associated with >80% adherence. Study limitations include potential shortcomings of the adherence measures and use of a convenience sample within the substudy cohort. The high PrEP adherence achieved in the setting of active adherence monitoring and counseling support was associated with a high degree of protection from HIV acquisition by the HIV-uninfected partner in heterosexual serodiscordant couples. Low PrEP adherence was associated with sexual behavior, alcohol use, younger age, and length of PrEP use. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

  8. Pregnancy loss and role of infant HIV status on perinatal mortality among HIV-infected women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim Hae-Young

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV-infected women, particularly those with advanced disease, may have higher rates of pregnancy loss (miscarriage and stillbirth and neonatal mortality than uninfected women. Here we examine risk factors for these adverse pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of HIV-infected women in Zambia considering the impact of infant HIV status. Methods A total of 1229 HIV-infected pregnant women were enrolled (2001–2004 in Lusaka, Zambia and followed to pregnancy outcome. Live-born infants were tested for HIV by PCR at birth, 1 week and 5 weeks. Obstetric and neonatal data were collected after delivery and the rates of neonatal ( Results The ratio of miscarriage and stillbirth per 100 live-births were 3.1 and 2.6, respectively. Higher maternal plasma viral load (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for each log10 increase in HIV RNA copies/ml = 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–3.27 and being symptomatic were associated with an increased risk of stillbirth (AOR = 3.19; 95% CI 1.46–6.97, and decreasing maternal CD4 count by 100 cells/mm3 with an increased risk of miscarriage (OR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.02–1.54. The neonatal mortality rate was 4.3 per 100 increasing to 6.3 by 70 days. Intrauterine HIV infection was not associated with neonatal morality but became associated with mortality through 70 days (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.76; 95% CI 1.25–6.08. Low birth weight and cessation of breastfeeding were significant risk factors for both neonatal and early mortality independent of infant HIV infection. Conclusions More advanced maternal HIV disease was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Excess neonatal mortality in HIV-infected women was not primarily explained by infant HIV infection but was strongly associated with low birth weight and prematurity. Intrauterine HIV infection contributed to mortality as early as 70 days of infant age. Interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes for HIV-infected women are needed to

  9. Uridine metabolism in HIV-1-infected patients: effect of infection, of antiretroviral therapy and of HIV-1/ART-associated lipodystrophy syndrome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pere Domingo

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Uridine has been advocated for the treatment of HIV-1/HAART-associated lipodystrophy (HALS, although its metabolism in HIV-1-infected patients is poorly understood. METHODS: Plasma uridine concentrations were measured in 35 controls and 221 HIV-1-infected patients and fat uridine in 15 controls and 19 patients. The diagnosis of HALS was performed following the criteria of the Lipodystrophy Severity Grading Scale. Uridine was measured by a binary gradient-elution HPLC method. Analysis of genes encoding uridine metabolizing enzymes in fat was performed with TaqMan RT-PCR. RESULTS: Median plasma uridine concentrations for HIV-1-infected patients were 3.80 µmol/l (interquartile range: 1.60, and for controls 4.60 µmol/l (IQR: 1.8 (P = 0.0009. In fat, they were of 6.0 (3.67, and 2.8 (4.65 nmol/mg of protein, respectively (P = 0.0118. Patients with a mixed HALS form had a median plasma uridine level of 4.0 (IC95%: 3.40-4.80 whereas in those with isolated lipoatrophy it was 3.25 (2.55-4.15 µmol/l/l (P = 0.0066. The expression of uridine cytidine kinase and uridine phosphorylase genes was significantly decreased in all groups of patients with respect to controls. A higher expression of the mRNAs for concentrative nucleoside transporters was found in HIV-1-infected patients with respect to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-1 infection is associated with a decrease in plasma uridine and a shift of uridine to the adipose tissue compartment. Antiretroviral therapy was not associated with plasma uridine concentrations, but pure lipoatrophic HALS was associated with significantly lower plasma uridine concentrations.

  10. Associations between depressive syndromes and HIV risk behaviors among San Francisco men who have sex with men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yea-Hung; Raymond, Henry Fisher

    2017-12-01

    HIV prevention plans for men who have sex with men (MSM) are often multifaceted. They involve reduction of sexual risk behaviors, such as condomless intercourse, but also often include pharmaceutical approaches, such as early treatment of HIV-infected individuals with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Effectiveness is possibly threatened by individual-level factors, such as depression. In this study of 322 San Francisco MSM (240 HIV-uninfected individuals and 82 HIV-infected individuals, according to self-report), we examine associations between depressive syndromes and HIV risk behaviors (sexual risk behaviors and ART non-adherence). Our study failed to find evidence that depressive syndromes lead to increases in ART non-adherence (risk difference, RD: 27.9; 95% confidence interval, CI: -3.5, 59.3). However, the study does suggest an association between depressive syndromes and concurrence of non-adherence and potentially HIV-discordant condomless receptive anal intercourse (RD: 36.0; 95% CI: 5.2, 66.8). Among HIV-uninfected MSM, our study suggests negative associations between depressive syndromes and sexual risk behaviors. We recommend screening and treatment of depression among HIV-infected MSM.

  11. Enhanced Effector Function of CD8+ T Cells From Healthy Controls and HIV-Infected Patients Occurs Through Thrombin Activation of Protease-Activated Receptor 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurley, Amanda; Smith, Mindy; Karpova, Tatiana; Hasley, Rebecca B.; Belkina, Natalya; Shaw, Stephen; Balenga, Nariman; Druey, Kirk M.; Nickel, Erin; Packard, Beverly; Imamichi, Hiromi; Hu, Zonghui; Follmann, Dean; McNally, James; Higgins, Jeanette; Sneller, Michael; Lane, H. Clifford; Catalfamo, Marta

    2013-01-01

    Disruption of vascular integrity by trauma and other tissue insults leads to inflammation and activation of the coagulation cascade. The serine protease thrombin links these 2 processes. The proinflammatory function of thrombin is mediated by activation of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1). We found that peripheral blood effector memory CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes expressed PAR-1 and that expression was increased in CD8+ T cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected patients. Thrombin enhanced cytokine secretion in CD8+ T cells from healthy controls and HIV-infected patients. In addition, thrombin induced chemokinesis, but not chemotaxis, of CD8+ T cells, which led to structural changes, including cell polarization and formation of a structure rich in F-actin and phosphorylated ezrin-radexin-moesin proteins. These findings suggest that thrombin mediates cross-talk between the coagulation system and the adaptive immune system at sites of vascular injury through increased T-cell motility and production of proinflammatory cytokines. PMID:23204166

  12. Enhanced effector function of CD8(+) T cells from healthy controls and HIV-infected patients occurs through thrombin activation of protease-activated receptor 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurley, Amanda; Smith, Mindy; Karpova, Tatiana; Hasley, Rebecca B; Belkina, Natalya; Shaw, Stephen; Balenga, Nariman; Druey, Kirk M; Nickel, Erin; Packard, Beverly; Imamichi, Hiromi; Hu, Zonghui; Follmann, Dean; McNally, James; Higgins, Jeanette; Sneller, Michael; Lane, H Clifford; Catalfamo, Marta

    2013-02-15

    Disruption of vascular integrity by trauma and other tissue insults leads to inflammation and activation of the coagulation cascade. The serine protease thrombin links these 2 processes. The proinflammatory function of thrombin is mediated by activation of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1). We found that peripheral blood effector memory CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes expressed PAR-1 and that expression was increased in CD8(+) T cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Thrombin enhanced cytokine secretion in CD8(+) T cells from healthy controls and HIV-infected patients. In addition, thrombin induced chemokinesis, but not chemotaxis, of CD8(+) T cells, which led to structural changes, including cell polarization and formation of a structure rich in F-actin and phosphorylated ezrin-radexin-moesin proteins. These findings suggest that thrombin mediates cross-talk between the coagulation system and the adaptive immune system at sites of vascular injury through increased T-cell motility and production of proinflammatory cytokines.

  13. Clinical presentation and opportunistic infections in HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual seropositive patients in Guinea-Bissau

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Allan; Jespersen, Sanne; Katzenstein, Terese L

    2016-01-01

    HIV-2 is prevalent. In this study, we aimed to characterize the clinical presentations among HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual seropositive patients. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, newly diagnosed HIV patients attending the HIV outpatient clinic at Hospital Nacional Sim~ao Mendes in Guinea......-Bissau were enrolled. Demographical and clinical data were collected and compared between HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual seropositive patients. Results: A total of 169 patients (76% HIV-1, 17% HIV-2 and 6% HIV 1/2) were included in the study between 21 March 2012 and 14 December 2012. HIV-1 seropositive...... antigen. Conclusion: HIV-1 and HIV-1/2 seropositive patients have lower CD4 cell counts than HIV-2 seropositive patients when diagnosed with HIV with only minor clinical and demographic differences among groups. Few patients were diagnosed with TB and cryptococcal disease was not found to be a major...

  14. Inhibition of infection and transmission of HIV-1 and lack of significant impact on the vaginal commensal lactobacilli by carbohydrate-binding agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrova, Mariya I; Mathys, Leen; Lebeer, Sarah; Noppen, Sam; Van Damme, Els J M; Tanaka, Haruo; Igarashi, Yasuhiro; Vaneechoutte, Mario; Vanderleyden, Jos; Balzarini, Jan

    2013-09-01

    A selection of carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) with different glycan specificities were evaluated for their inhibitory effect against HIV infection and transmission, and their interaction with vaginal commensal bacteria. Several assays were used for the antiviral evaluation: (i) cell-free virus infection of human CD4+ T lymphocyte C8166 cells; (ii) syncytium formation in co-cultures of persistently HIV-1-infected HUT-78/HIV-1 and non-infected CD4+ SupT1 cells; (iii) DC-SIGN-directed capture of HIV-1 particles; and (iv) transmission of DC-SIGN-captured HIV-1 particles to uninfected CD4+ C8166 cells. CBAs were also examined for their interaction with vaginal commensal lactobacilli using several viability, proliferation and adhesion assays. The CBAs showed efficient inhibitory activity in the nanomolar to low-micromolar range against four events that play a crucial role in HIV-1 infection and transmission: cell-free virus infection, fusion between HIV-1-infected and non-infected cells, HIV-1 capture by DC-SIGN and transmission of DC-SIGN-captured virus to T cells. As candidate microbicides should not interfere with the normal human microbiota, we examined the effect of CBAs against Lactobacillus strains, including a variety of vaginal strains, a gastrointestinal strain and several non-human isolates. None of the CBAs included in our studies inhibited the growth of these bacteria in several media, affected their viability or had any significant impact on their adhesion to HeLa cell monolayers. The CBAs in this study were inhibitory to HIV-1 in several in vitro infection and transmission models, and may therefore qualify as potential microbicide candidates. The lack of significant impact on commensal vaginal lactobacilli is an important property of these CBAs in view of their potential microbicidal use.

  15. Iron deficiency in children with HIV-associated anaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Esan, Michael O.; Jonker, Femkje A. M.; Hensbroek, Michael Boele van; Calis, Job C. J.; Phiri, Kamija S.

    2012-01-01

    We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency in HIV-infected children from high- and low-income settings and compared it with that of HIV-uninfected controls. We searched five major databases for primary studies reporting on anaemia and iron

  16. Influence of IL-1 gene polymorphism on the periodontal microbiota of HIV-infected Brazilian individuals

    OpenAIRE

    Gonçalves, Lucio de Souza; Ferreira, Sônia Maria Soares; Souza, Celso Oliveira; Colombo, Ana Paula Vieira

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the association of IL-1A (+4845) and IL-1B (+3954) gene polymorphism with the subgingival microbiota and periodontal status of HIV-infected Brazilian individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). One hundred and five subjects were included in the study, distributed into 2 HIV groups [29 chronic periodontitis (CP+) and 30 periodontally healthy (H+)]; and 2 non-HIV groups (29 CP- and 17 H- patients). IL-1A and B were genotyped by PCR and restriction enzyme...

  17. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among women attending antenatal clinics in Tanga, north eastern Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chiduo, M; Theilgaard, Z P; Bakari, V

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women in Tanga, Tanzania. Retrospective data on syphilis and HIV status during 2008-2010 were collected from antenatal clinic (ANC) records. Prospective data were...... collected from HIV-infected (n = 105) and HIV-uninfected pregnant women (n = 100) attending ANCs between April 2009 and August 2010. Syphilis prevalence showed a declining trend (3.1%, 1.4% and 1.3%), while HIV prevalence was stable (6.1%, 6.4% and 5.4%) during 2008-2010. HIV-infected women had...... significantly higher prevalence of trichomoniasis (18.8% versus 5.0%; P HIV-uninfected women. There were no statistically significant...

  18. μ-opioid modulation of HIV-1 coreceptor expressionand HIV-1 replication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steele, Amber D.; Henderson, Earl E.; Rogers, Thomas J.

    2003-01-01

    A substantial proportion of HIV-1-infected individuals are intravenous drug users (IVDUs) who abuse opiates. Opioids induce a number of immunomodulatory effects that may directly influence HIV-1 disease progression. In the present report, we have investigated the effect of opioids on the expression of the major HIV-1 coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5. For these studies we have focused on opiates which are ligands for the μ-opioid receptor. Our results show that DAMGO, a selective μ-opioid agonist, increases CXCR4 and CCR5 expression in both CD3 + lymphoblasts and CD14 + monocytes three- to fivefold. Furthermore, DAMGO-induced elevation of HIV-1 coreceptor expression translates into enhanced replication of both X4 and R5 viral strains of HIV-1. We have confirmed the role of the μ-opioid receptor based on the ability of a μ-opioid receptor-selective antagonist to block the effects of DAMGO. We have also found that morphine enhances CXCR4 and CCR5 expression and subsequently increases both X4 and R5 HIV-1 infection. We suggest that the capacity of μ-opioids to increase HIV-1 coreceptor expression and replication may promote viral binding, trafficking of HIV-1-infected cells, and enhanced disease progression

  19. Programming of neurotoxic cofactor CXCL-10 in HIV-1-associated dementia: abrogation of CXCL-10-induced neuro-glial toxicity in vitro by PKC activator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehla Rajeev

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background More than 50% of patients undergoing lifelong suppressive antiviral treatment for HIV-1 infection develop minor HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders. Neurological complications during HIV-1 infection are the result of direct neuronal damage by proinflammatory products released from HIV-1-infected or -uninfected activated lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, microglia and astrocytes. The specific pro-inflammatory products and their roles in neurotoxicity are far from clear. We investigated proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF of HIV-demented (HIV-D and HIV-nondemented (HIV-ND patients and studied their affect on neuroglial toxicity. Methods and results Bioplex array showed elevated levels of signatory chemokines or cytokines (IL-6, IFN-γ, CXCL10, MCP-1 and PDGF in the CSF of HIV-D patients (n = 7 but not in that of HIV-ND patients (n = 7. Among the signatory cytokines and chemokines, CXCL10 was distinctly upregulated in-vitro in HIV-1 (NLENG1-activated human fetal astrocytes, HIV-1 (Ba-L-infected macrophages, and HIV-1 (NLENG1-infected lymphocytes. Virus-infected macrophages also had increased levels of TNF-α. Consistently, human fetal astrocytes treated with HIV-1 and TNF-α induced the signatory molecules. CXCL10 in combination with HIV-1 synergistically enhanced neuronal toxicity and showed chemotactic activity (~ 40 fold for activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC, suggesting the intersection of signaling events imparted by HIV-1 and CXCL10 after binding to their respective surface receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR3, on neurons. Blocking CXCR3 and its downstream MAP kinase (MAPK signaling pathway suppressed combined CXCL10 and HIV-1-induced neurotoxicity. Bryostatin, a PKC modulator and suppressor of CXCR4, conferred neuroprotection against combined insult with HIV-1 and CXCL10. Bryostatin also suppressed HIV-1 and CXCL10-induced PBMC chemotaxis. Although, therapeutic targeting

  20. Some hematological parameters and the prognostic values of CD4, CD8 and total lymphocyte counts and CD4/CD8 cell count ratio in healthy HIV sero-negative, healthy HIV sero-positive and AIDS subjects in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blessing Didia

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The present study attempts to determine normal values of CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio, total WBC and differential counts, hematocrit and total lymphocyte count (TLC in healthy HIV sero-negative and sero-positive subjects, and to assess the prognostic significance of these parameters in these subjects as compared to AIDS subjects.METHODS: A total of 300 subjects (147 M, 153 F aged between 17 and 71 years were recruited into the study. Subjects were separated according to sex and divided into three groups: Group A: healthy HIV sero-negative subjects; Group B: healthy HIV sero-positive newly diagnosed ART-naïve subjects; and Group C: AIDS subjects. CD4 and CD8 counts were determined by flow cytometry; hematocrit was determined using Hawksley micro-capillary tubes; total WBC and differential counts were determined manually with the improved Neubauer counting chamber; and TLC was obtained by multiplying the percentage of lymphocytes by the total WBC count.RESULTS: For male subjects, significant differences were found in CD4 count, CD4/CD8 count ratio, hematocrit, total WBC and TLC, whereas for female subjects, significant differences were found only in CD4 and CD4/CD8 count ratio in the three groups of subjects. In both sexes, however, these parameters were found to be highest in healthy HIV sero-negative subjects and lowest in AIDS subjects, with HIV sero-positive subjects having intermediate values. CONCLUSION: The results confirm previous reports that the CD4 count and CD4/CD8 count ratio are fairly reliable indicators of the progression of HIV infection. In addition, the results also apparently suggest that the prognostic value of CD8 count is limited and that of TLC possibly sex-dependent. The results could be of importance in our environment since previous reports have been relatively scarce.

  1. Pre-existing adenovirus immunity modifies a complex mixed Th1 and Th2 cytokine response to an Ad5/HIV-1 vaccine candidate in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel O Pine

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The results of the recent Step Study highlight a need to clarify the effects of pre-existing natural immunity to a vaccine vector on vaccine-induced T-cell responses. To investigate this interaction, we examined the relationship between pre-existing Ad5 immunity and T-cell cytokine response profiles in healthy, HIV-uninfected recipients of MRKAd5 HIV-1 gag vaccine (HVTN 050, ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT00849732. Participants were grouped by baseline Ad5 neutralizing antibody titer as either Ad5-seronegative (titer ≤18; n = 36 or Ad5-seropositive (titer >200; n = 34. Samples from vaccine recipients were analyzed for immune responses to either HIV-1 Gag peptide pools or Ad5 empty vector using an ex vivo assay that measures thirty cytokines in the absence of long-term culture. The overall profiles of cytokine responses to Gag and Ad5 had similar combinations of induced Th1- and Th2-type cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IP-10, IL-13, and IL-10, although the Ad5-specific responses were uniformly higher than the Gag-specific responses (p<0.0001 for 9 out of 11 significantly expressed analytes. At the peak response time point, PBMC from Ad5-seronegative vaccinees secreted significantly more IP-10 in response to Gag (p = 0.008, and significantly more IP-10 (p = 0.0009, IL-2 (p = 0.006 and IL-10 (p = 0.05 in response to Ad5 empty vector than PBMC from Ad5-seropositive vaccinees. Additionally, similar responses to the Ad5 vector prior to vaccination were observed in almost all subjects, regardless of Ad5 neutralizing antibody status, and the levels of secreted IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-1Ra and GM-CSF were blunted following vaccination. The cytokine response profile of Gag-specific T cells mirrored the Ad5-specific response present in all subjects before vaccination, and included a number of Th1- and Th2-associated cytokines not routinely assessed in current vaccine trials, such as IP-10, IL-10, IL-13, and GM-CSF. Together, these

  2. Growth pattern in Ethiopian infants - the impact of exposure to maternal HIV infection in relation to socio-economic factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    König Walles, John; Balcha, Taye Tolera; Winqvist, Niclas; Björkman, Per

    2017-01-01

    Infants exposed to maternal HIV infection who remain HIV-uninfected (HIV-exposed/uninfected; HIV-EU) may be at increased risk of growth retardation, which could be due both to directly HIV-related effects and to socio-economic factors overrepresented among HIV-positive women. To investigate growth development at 9-12 months of age in HIV-EU infants participating in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) care compared to HIV unexposed (HIV-U) infants in relation to socio-economic conditions. Anthropometric and socio-economic data were collected retrospectively from PMTCT registers (for HIV-EU infants), with HIV-U controls recruited at measles vaccination at public health facilities in Ethiopia. Growth was compared with regard to HIV exposure and socio-economic variables in multivariate regression analysis. The following growth measurements were found for 302 HIV-EU and 358 HIV-U infants at 9-12 months of age, respectively: mean weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) 0.04 and -0.21, p growth and higher mean WAZ than HIV-U controls. Poor growth development was associated with socio-economic factors. This suggests health benefits from PMTCT participation for infant growth. Similar interventions could be considered for Ethiopian infants, irrespective of HIV exposure, with a particular focus on children with poor socio-economic status.

  3. Bacterial vaginosis associated with increased risk of female-to-male HIV-1 transmission: a prospective cohort analysis among African couples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig R Cohen

    Full Text Available Bacterial vaginosis (BV, a disruption of the normal vaginal flora, has been associated with a 60% increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition in women and higher concentration of HIV-1 RNA in the genital tract of HIV-1-infected women. However, whether BV, which is present in up to half of African HIV-1-infected women, is associated with an increase in HIV-1 transmission to male partners has not been assessed in previous studies.We assessed the association between BV on female-to-male HIV-1 transmission risk in a prospective study of 2,236 HIV-1-seropositive women and their HIV-1 uninfected male partners from seven African countries from a randomized placebo-controlled trial that enrolled heterosexual African adults who were seropositive for both HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus (HSV-2, and their HIV-1-seronegative partners. Participants were followed for up to 24 months; every three months, vaginal swabs were obtained from female partners for Gram stain and male partners were tested for HIV-1. BV and normal vaginal flora were defined as a Nugent score of 7-10 and 0-3, respectively. To reduce misclassification, HIV-1 sequence analysis of viruses from seroconverters and their partners was performed to determine linkage of HIV-1 transmissions. Overall, 50 incident HIV-1 infections occurred in men in which the HIV-1-infected female partner had an evaluable vaginal Gram stain. HIV-1 incidence in men whose HIV-1-infected female partners had BV was 2.91 versus 0.76 per 100 person-years in men whose female partners had normal vaginal flora (hazard ratio 3.62, 95% CI 1.74-7.52. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, sexual behavior, male circumcision, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, and plasma HIV-1 RNA levels in female partners, BV was associated with a greater than 3-fold increased risk of female-to-male HIV-1 transmission (adjusted hazard ratio 3.17, 95% CI 1.37-7.33.This study identified an association between BV and increased risk of HIV

  4. Changes in renal function associated with oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate use for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis

    OpenAIRE

    Glidden, David; Grant, Robert; Mulligan, Kathleen; Solomon, MM; Lama, JR; Glidden, DV; McMahan, V; Liu, AY; Vicente, J; Veloso, VG; Mayer, KH; Chariyalertsak, S

    2014-01-01

    Objective: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) pre-exposure prophylaxis decreases sexual acquisition of HIV infection. We sought to evaluate the renal safety of TDF in HIV-uninfected persons. Design and methods: The Iniciativa Profilaxis Pre-Exposición (iP

  5. Viral load and genomic integration of HPV 16 in cervical samples from HIV-1-infected and uninfected women in Burkina Faso.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rousseau, Marie-Noelle Didelot; Costes, Valérie; Konate, Issouf; Nagot, Nicolas; Foulongne, Vincent; Ouedraogo, Abdoulaye; Van de Perre, Philippe; Mayaud, Philippe; Segondy, Michel

    2007-06-01

    The relationships between human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) viral load, HPV 16 integration status, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) status, and cervical cytology were studied among women enrolled in a cohort of female sex workers in Burkina Faso. The study focused on 24 HPV 16-infected women. The HPV 16 viral load in cervical samples was determined by real-time PCR. Integration ratio was estimated as the ratio between E2 and E6 genes DNA copy numbers. Integrated HPV16 viral load was defined as the product of HPV 16 viral load by the integration ratio. High HPV 16 viral load and high integration ratio were more frequent among women with squamous intraepithelial lesions compared with women with normal cytology (33% vs. 11%, and 33% vs. 0%, respectively), and among women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions compared with women without high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (50% vs. 17%, and 50% vs. 11%, respectively). High HPV 16 DNA load, but not high integration ratio, was also more frequent among HIV-1-positive women (39% vs. 9%; and 23% vs. 18%, respectively). The absence of statistical significance of these differences might be explained by the small study sample size. High-integrated HPV 16 DNA load was significantly associated with the presence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (50% vs. 5%, P = 0.03) in univariate and multivariate analysis (adjusted odds-ratio: 19.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11-328.3, P = 0.03), but not with HIV-1 or other high-risk HPV types (HR-HPV). Integrated HPV 16 DNA load may be considered as a useful marker of high-grade cervical lesions in HPV 16-infected women. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  6. HIV and schistosomiasis in rural Zimbabwe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kotzé, Sebastian Ranzi; Zinyama-Gutsire, Rutendo; Kallestrup, Per

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Vitamin A has widespread effects on immune function and is therefore interesting in HIV-infection. Retinol-binding protein (RBP or RBP4) is a negative acute-phase protein and a marker of vitamin A status. Our aim was to investigate the association of RBP with HIV progression, infection...... with schistosomiasis, inflammatory cytokines, and mortality. METHODS: The study included 192 HIV-infected and 177 HIV-uninfected individuals from Mupfure in rural Zimbabwe. Of these, 208 were infected with Schistosoma haematobium, 27 with S. mansoni and 48 with both. Plasma RBP, HIV-RNA, CD4 cell count, haemoglobin......, cytokines, clinical staging (CDC category), self-reported level of function (Karnoffsky Performance Score, KPS) and schistosomiasis status were assessed at baseline. Participants were followed up for survival 3-4 years post-enrolment. RESULTS: RBP levels were lower in HIV-infected individuals(p

  7. Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis in a portfolio of prevention programs for injection drug users in mixed HIV epidemics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina S Alistar

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pre-exposure prophylaxis with oral antiretroviral treatment (oral PrEP for HIV-uninfected injection drug users (IDUs is potentially useful in controlling HIV epidemics with a significant injection drug use component. We estimated the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of strategies for using oral PrEP in various combinations with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT and antiretroviral treatment (ART in Ukraine, a representative case for mixed HIV epidemics. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We developed a dynamic compartmental model of the HIV epidemic in a population of non-IDUs, IDUs who inject opiates, and IDUs in MMT, adding an oral PrEP program (tenofovir/emtricitabine, 49% susceptibility reduction for uninfected IDUs. We analyzed intervention portfolios consisting of oral PrEP (25% or 50% of uninfected IDUs, MMT (25% of IDUs, and ART (80% of all eligible patients. We measured health care costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs, HIV prevalence, HIV infections averted, and incremental cost effectiveness. A combination of PrEP for 50% of IDUs and MMT lowered HIV prevalence the most in both IDUs and the general population. ART combined with MMT and PrEP (50% access averted the most infections (14,267. For a PrEP cost of $950, the most cost-effective strategy was MMT, at $520/QALY gained versus no intervention. The next most cost-effective strategy consisted of MMT and ART, costing $1,000/QALY gained compared to MMT alone. Further adding PrEP (25% access was also cost effective by World Health Organization standards, at $1,700/QALY gained. PrEP alone became as cost effective as MMT at a cost of $650, and cost saving at $370 or less. CONCLUSIONS: Oral PrEP for IDUs can be part of an effective and cost-effective strategy to control HIV in regions where injection drug use is a significant driver of the epidemic. Where budgets are limited, focusing on MMT and ART access should be the priority, unless PrEP has low cost.

  8. Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in a Portfolio of Prevention Programs for Injection Drug Users in Mixed HIV Epidemics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alistar, Sabina S.; Owens, Douglas K.; Brandeau, Margaret L.

    2014-01-01

    Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis with oral antiretroviral treatment (oral PrEP) for HIV-uninfected injection drug users (IDUs) is potentially useful in controlling HIV epidemics with a significant injection drug use component. We estimated the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of strategies for using oral PrEP in various combinations with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Ukraine, a representative case for mixed HIV epidemics. Methods and Findings We developed a dynamic compartmental model of the HIV epidemic in a population of non-IDUs, IDUs who inject opiates, and IDUs in MMT, adding an oral PrEP program (tenofovir/emtricitabine, 49% susceptibility reduction) for uninfected IDUs. We analyzed intervention portfolios consisting of oral PrEP (25% or 50% of uninfected IDUs), MMT (25% of IDUs), and ART (80% of all eligible patients). We measured health care costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), HIV prevalence, HIV infections averted, and incremental cost effectiveness. A combination of PrEP for 50% of IDUs and MMT lowered HIV prevalence the most in both IDUs and the general population. ART combined with MMT and PrEP (50% access) averted the most infections (14,267). For a PrEP cost of $950, the most cost-effective strategy was MMT, at $520/QALY gained versus no intervention. The next most cost-effective strategy consisted of MMT and ART, costing $1,000/QALY gained compared to MMT alone. Further adding PrEP (25% access) was also cost effective by World Health Organization standards, at $1,700/QALY gained. PrEP alone became as cost effective as MMT at a cost of $650, and cost saving at $370 or less. Conclusions Oral PrEP for IDUs can be part of an effective and cost-effective strategy to control HIV in regions where injection drug use is a significant driver of the epidemic. Where budgets are limited, focusing on MMT and ART access should be the priority, unless PrEP has low cost. PMID:24489747

  9. HIV and childhood disability: a case-controlled study at a paediatric antiretroviral therapy centre in Lilongwe, Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devendra, Akash; Makawa, Atupele; Kazembe, Peter N; Calles, Nancy R; Kuper, Hannah

    2013-01-01

    As paediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART) is rapidly scaled up in Southern Africa, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is becoming a chronic illness. Children growing up with HIV may begin to encounter disabilities. The relationship between HIV, disability and the need for rehabilitation has added an additional element that needs to be addressed by paediatric HIV treatment programmes. 1) Estimate the prevalence of disabilities in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children in Lilongwe, Malawi. 2) Examine types of disability and associated clinical and socio-demographic factors. 3) Identify needs, opportunities and barriers for rehabilitation in Malawi. A case-controlled study of 296 HIV-infected children aged 2-9 years attending an ART centre in Lilongwe (cases) and their uninfected siblings (controls) was conducted. Disability was assessed using the WHO Ten Question Screen (TQS). Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using a parent-proxy questionnaire and medical records. Of 296 case and control pairs recruited, 33% (98) versus 7% (20) screened positive for a disability (OR 8.4, 4.4-15.7) respectively. Of these 98 HIV-infected cases, 6%, 36%, 33%, 53%, 46% and 6% had a vision, hearing; physical, learning/comprehension, speech or seizure-related disability respectively and 51% had multiple coexisting disabilities. HIV-infected cases with a disability were more likely to be WHO stage III or IV at enrolment (71% vs. 52%, OR 2.7, 1.5-4.2), to have had TB (58% vs. 39%, OR 2.3, 1.4-3.8) and to have below-average school grades (18% vs. 2%, OR 11.1, 2.2-54.6) than those without. Sixty-seven percent of cases with a disability had never attended any rehabilitative service. Twenty-nine percent of caregivers reported facing stigma and discrimination because of the child's disability. This study reveals the magnitude of disability among HIV-infected children and the large unmet need for rehabilitation services. This expanding issue demands further

  10. HIV and childhood disability: a case-controlled study at a paediatric antiretroviral therapy centre in Lilongwe, Malawi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akash Devendra

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: As paediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART is rapidly scaled up in Southern Africa, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV infection is becoming a chronic illness. Children growing up with HIV may begin to encounter disabilities. The relationship between HIV, disability and the need for rehabilitation has added an additional element that needs to be addressed by paediatric HIV treatment programmes. STUDY OBJECTIVES: 1 Estimate the prevalence of disabilities in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children in Lilongwe, Malawi. 2 Examine types of disability and associated clinical and socio-demographic factors. 3 Identify needs, opportunities and barriers for rehabilitation in Malawi. METHODS: A case-controlled study of 296 HIV-infected children aged 2-9 years attending an ART centre in Lilongwe (cases and their uninfected siblings (controls was conducted. Disability was assessed using the WHO Ten Question Screen (TQS. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using a parent-proxy questionnaire and medical records. RESULTS: Of 296 case and control pairs recruited, 33% (98 versus 7% (20 screened positive for a disability (OR 8.4, 4.4-15.7 respectively. Of these 98 HIV-infected cases, 6%, 36%, 33%, 53%, 46% and 6% had a vision, hearing; physical, learning/comprehension, speech or seizure-related disability respectively and 51% had multiple coexisting disabilities. HIV-infected cases with a disability were more likely to be WHO stage III or IV at enrolment (71% vs. 52%, OR 2.7, 1.5-4.2, to have had TB (58% vs. 39%, OR 2.3, 1.4-3.8 and to have below-average school grades (18% vs. 2%, OR 11.1, 2.2-54.6 than those without. Sixty-seven percent of cases with a disability had never attended any rehabilitative service. Twenty-nine percent of caregivers reported facing stigma and discrimination because of the child's disability. CONCLUSION: This study reveals the magnitude of disability among HIV-infected children and the large unmet need for

  11. MicroRNA-210, MicroRNA-331, and MicroRNA-7 Are Differentially Regulated in Treated HIV-1–Infected Individuals and Are Associated With Markers of Systemic Inflammation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ballegaard, Vibe; Ralfkiaer, Ulrik; Pedersen, Karin K.

    2017-01-01

    in inflammation and CVD risk and to investigate associations between these and systemic inflammation. Methods: In a screening cohort including 14 HIV-1-infected individuals and 9 uninfected controls, microarray profiling was performed using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Differentially regulated mi......-sensitivity C-reactive protein, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G, lipids, and fasting glucose were measured, and associations with validated miRNAs were assessed with multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Upregulation of miR-210, miR-7, and miR-331 was found in PBMCs from HIV-1...... with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (P = 0.004). MiR-7 in PBMC was positively associated with interleukin-6 (P = 0.025) and fasting glucose (P = 0.005), whereas miR-331 was negatively associated with LPS (P = 0.006). In PBMCs from HIV-1-infected individuals with low cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G, miR-7, mi...

  12. T-lymphocyte subsets in HIV-infected and high-risk HIV-uninfected adolescents - Retention of naive T lymphocytes in HIV-infected adolescents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Douglas, SD; Rudy, B; Muenz, L; Starr, SE; Campbell, DE; Wilson, C; Holland, C; Crowley-Nowick, P; Vermund, SH

    Background: The capacity of the immune system of adolescents to generate and repopulate naive and memory cell populations under conditions of normal homeostasis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is largely unknown. Objective: To assess lymphocyte subsets in HIV-infected and high-risk

  13. Role of the carbohydrate-binding sites of griffithsin in the prevention of DC-SIGN-mediated capture and transmission of HIV-1.

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    Bart Hoorelbeke

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The glycan-targeting C-type DC-SIGN lectin receptor is implicated in the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV by binding the virus and transferring the captured HIV-1 to CD4(+ T lymphocytes. Carbohydrate binding agents (CBAs have been reported to block HIV-1 infection. We have now investigated the potent mannose-specific anti-HIV CBA griffithsin (GRFT on its ability to inhibit the capture of HIV-1 to DC-SIGN, its DC-SIGN-directed transmission to CD4(+ T-lymphocytes and the role of the three carbohydrate-binding sites (CBS of GRFT in these processes. FINDINGS: GRFT inhibited HIV-1(IIIB infection of CEM and HIV-1(NL4.3 infection of C8166 CD4(+ T-lymphocytes at an EC50 of 0.059 and 0.444 nM, respectively. The single mutant CBS variants of GRFT (in which a key Asp in one of the CBS was mutated to Ala were about ∼20 to 60-fold less potent to prevent HIV-1 infection and ∼20 to 90-fold less potent to inhibit syncytia formation in co-cultures of persistently HIV-1 infected HuT-78 and uninfected C8166 CD4(+ T-lymphocytes. GRFT prevents DC-SIGN-mediated virus capture and HIV-1 transmission to CD4(+ T-lymphocytes at an EC50 of 1.5 nM and 0.012 nM, respectively. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR studies revealed that wild-type GRFT efficiently blocked the binding between DC-SIGN and immobilized gp120, whereas the point mutant CBS variants of GRFT were ∼10- to 15-fold less efficient. SPR-analysis also demonstrated that wild-type GRFT and its single mutant CBS variants have the capacity to expel bound gp120 from the gp120-DC-SIGN complex in a dose dependent manner, a property that was not observed for HHA, another mannose-specific potent anti-HIV-1 CBA. CONCLUSION: GRFT is inhibitory against HIV gp120 binding to DC-SIGN, efficiently prevents DC-SIGN-mediated transfer of HIV-1 to CD4(+ T-lymphocytes and is able to expel gp120 from the gp120-DC-SIGN complex. Functionally intact CBS of GRFT are important for the optimal action of

  14. Mycobacterium avium and purified protein derivative-specific cytotoxicity mediated by CD4+ lymphocytes from healthy HIV-seropositive and-seronegative individuals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn, P; Pedersen, B K

    1996-01-01

    mycobacteria. Our objective was to investigate the M.tuberculosis-and M. avium-specific cytotoxic capacity of T cells from healthy, bacille Calmette-Guérin-vaccinated, HIV-seropositive individuals. Blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 10 healthy HIV-seropositive and 10 healthy seronegative persons...... with no history of previous or active mycobacterial infection. Antigen-specific killing of macrophages presenting mycobacterial antigens (purified protein derivative or M. avium culture filtrate) was conducted. The phenotype of the killer cells was determined by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter after antigen...

  15. Predictors of HIV, HIV Risk Perception, and HIV Worry Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Lilongwe, Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Joan T; Rosenberg, Nora E; Vansia, Dhrutika; Phanga, Twambilile; Bhushan, Nivedita L; Maseko, Bertha; Brar, Savvy K; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Tang, Jennifer H; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Pettifor, Audrey

    2018-01-01

    Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa have high HIV prevalence and incidence. We sought to understand which HIV risk factors individually and in combination contribute to risk, and whether these factors are associated with HIV worry and risk perception. This study is ongoing at 4 public health centers in Lilongwe, Malawi (2016-2017). AGYW of 15-24 years old were recruited to participate in a study assessing 4 models of service delivery. At each health center, participants completed a baseline survey assessing socioeconomic, behavioral, biomedical, and partnership characteristics; self-reported HIV status; and, if HIV-uninfected, HIV risk perception (high versus low or none) and HIV worry (any versus none). We analyzed associations between baseline characteristics and HIV prevalence, risk perception, and worry. Among 1000 AGYW, median age was 19 years (IQR: 17-21). Thirty-three participants reported being HIV-infected. Fifteen characteristics were associated with HIV infection. Having more risk factors was associated with higher HIV prevalence (≤4 factors, 0.5%; 5-8 factors, 6%; >8 factors, 21%). Having more risk factors was also associated with higher risk perception (P risk factors, 52% did not consider themselves to be at high risk and 21% did not report any HIV worry. Most AGYW perceive little risk of HIV acquisition, even those at highest risk. As a critical gap in the HIV prevention cascade, accurate risk perception is needed to tailor effective and sustained combination prevention strategies for this vulnerable population.

  16. HIV type 1 chemokine receptor usage in mother-to-child transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvatori, F; Scarlatti, G

    2001-07-01

    To investigate the role of the HIV-1 phenotype in mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission, we evaluated coreceptor usage and replication kinetics in chemokine receptor-expressing U87MG.CD4 cells of primary isolates from 32 HIV-1-infected mothers of Italian origin, none under preventive antiretroviral therapy, and from their infected infants. Five of 15 mothers of infected children and 2 of 17 mothers of uninfected children harbored viruses able to use CXCR4 as coreceptor. However, all isolates used CCR5, alone or in association with CXCR4. The replicative capacity in coreceptor-expressing cells of the viral isolates did not differ between the two groups of mothers. All mothers with an R5 virus transmitted a virus with the same coreceptor usage, whereas those four with a multitropic virus transmitted such a virus in one case. Although the presence of a mixed viral population was documented in the mothers, we did not observe transmission solely of X4 viruses. Interestingly, the only child infected with a multitropic virus carried a defective CCR5 allele. Analysis of the env V3 region of the provirus from this child revealed infection with multiple viral variants with a predominance of R5-type over X4-type sequences. These findings show that CCR5 usage of a viral isolate is not a discriminating risk factor for vertical transmission. Furthermore, X4 viruses can be transmitted to the newborn, although less frequently. In particular, we document the transmission of multiple viral variants with different coreceptor usage in a Delta32 CCR5 heterozygous child, and demonstrate that the heterozygous genotype per se does not contribute to the restriction of R5-type virus spread.

  17. Increasing procaspase 8 expression using repurposed drugs to induce HIV infected cell death in ex vivo patient cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahul Sampath

    Full Text Available HIV persists because a reservoir of latently infected CD4 T cells do not express viral proteins and are indistinguishable from uninfected cells. One approach to HIV cure suggests that reactivating HIV will activate cytotoxic pathways; yet when tested in vivo, reactivating cells do not die sufficiently to reduce cell-associated HIV DNA levels. We recently showed that following reactivation from latency, HIV infected cells generate the HIV specific cytotoxic protein Casp8p41 which is produced by HIV protease cleaving procaspase 8. However, cell death is prevented, possibly due to low procaspase 8 expression. Here, we tested whether increasing procaspase 8 levels in CD4 T cells will produce more Casp8p41 following HIV reactivation, causing more reactivated cells to die. Screening 1277 FDA approved drugs identified 168 that increased procaspase 8 expression by at least 1.7-fold. Of these 30 were tested for anti-HIV effects in an acute HIVIIIb infection model, and 9 drugs at physiologic relevant levels significantly reduced cell-associated HIV DNA. Primary CD4 T cells from ART suppressed HIV patients were treated with one of these 9 drugs and reactivated with αCD3/αCD28. Four drugs significantly increased Casp8p41 levels following HIV reactivation, and decreased total cell associated HIV DNA levels (flurbiprofen: p = 0.014; doxycycline: p = 0.044; indomethacin: p = 0.025; bezafibrate: P = 0.018 without effecting the viability of uninfected cells. Thus procaspase 8 levels can be increased pharmacologically and, in the context of HIV reactivation, increase Casp8p41 causing death of reactivating cells and decreased HIV DNA levels. Future studies will be required to define the clinical utility of this or similar approaches.

  18. Changes in mortality rates and causes of death in a population-based cohort of persons living with and without HIV from 1996 to 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eyawo, Oghenowede; Franco-Villalobos, Conrado; Hull, Mark W; Nohpal, Adriana; Samji, Hasina; Sereda, Paul; Lima, Viviane D; Shoveller, Jeannie; Moore, David; Montaner, Julio S G; Hogg, Robert S

    2017-02-27

    Non-HIV/AIDS-related diseases are gaining prominence as important causes of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV. The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare changes over time in mortality rates and causes of death among a population-based cohort of persons living with and without HIV in British Columbia (BC), Canada. We analysed data from the Comparative Outcomes And Service Utilization Trends (COAST) study; a retrospective population-based study created via linkage between the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Population Data BC, and containing data for HIV-infected individuals and the general population of BC, respectively. Our analysis included all known HIV-infected adults (≥ 20 years) in BC and a random 10% sample of uninfected BC adults followed from 1996 to 2012. Deaths were identified through Population Data BC - which contains information on all registered deaths in BC (BC Vital Statistics Agency dataset) and classified into cause of death categories using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9/10 codes. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and mortality rate ratios were calculated. Trend test were performed. 3401 (25%), and 47,647 (9%) individuals died during the 5,620,150 person-years of follow-up among 13,729 HIV-infected and 510,313 uninfected individuals, respectively. All-cause and cause-specific mortality rates were consistently higher among HIV-infected compared to HIV-negative individuals, except for neurological disorders. All-cause ASMR decreased from 126.75 (95% CI: 84.92-168.57) per 1000 population in 1996 to 21.29 (95% CI: 17.79-24.79) in 2011-2012 (83% decline; p ASMR reductions were also observed for hepatic/liver disease and drug abuse/overdose deaths. ASMRs for neurological disorders increased significantly over time. Non-AIDS-defining cancers are currently the leading non-HIV/AIDS-related cause of death in both HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. Despite the significant

  19. Sialoadhesin expressed on IFN-induced monocytes binds HIV-1 and enhances infectivity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans Rempel

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 infection dysregulates the immune system and alters gene expression in circulating monocytes. Differential gene expression analysis of CD14(+ monocytes from subjects infected with HIV-1 revealed increased expression of sialoadhesin (Sn, CD169, Siglec 1, a cell adhesion molecule first described in a subset of macrophages activated in chronic inflammatory diseases.We analyzed sialoadhesin expression on CD14(+ monocytes by flow cytometry and found significantly higher expression in subjects with elevated viral loads compared to subjects with undetectable viral loads. In cultured CD14(+ monocytes isolated from healthy individuals, sialoadhesin expression was induced by interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Using a stringent binding assay, sialoadhesin-expressing monocytes adsorbed HIV-1 through interaction with the sialic acid residues on the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120. Furthermore, monocytes expressing sialoadhesin facilitated HIV-1 trans infection of permissive cells, which occurred in the absence of monocyte self-infection.Increased sialoadhesin expression on CD14(+ monocytes occurred in response to HIV-1 infection with maximum expression associated with high viral load. We show that interferons induce sialoadhesin in primary CD14(+ monocytes, which is consistent with an antiviral response during viremia. Our findings suggest that circulating sialoadhesin-expressing monocytes are capable of binding HIV-1 and effectively delivering virus to target cells thereby enhancing the distribution of HIV-1. Sialoadhesin could disseminate HIV-1 to viral reservoirs during monocyte immunosurveillance or migration to sites of inflammation and then facilitate HIV-1 infection of permissive cells.

  20. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV-uninfected individuals with high-risk behaviour

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nadery, S.; Geerlings, S. E.

    2013-01-01

    The global incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has decreased by 15% over the past years, but is still too high. Despite current programs to reduce the incidence of HIV infection, further approaches are needed to limit this epidemic. Oral antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis

  1. Association of long-term patterns of depressive symptoms and attention/executive function among older men with and without human immunodeficiency virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Nicole M; Surkan, Pamela J; Treisman, Glenn J; Sacktor, Ned C; Irwin, Michael R; Teplin, Linda A; Stall, Ron; Martin, Eileen M; Becker, James T; Munro, Cynthia; Levine, Andrew J; Jacobson, Lisa P; Abraham, Alison G

    2017-08-01

    Older HIV-infected men are at higher risk for both depression and cognitive impairments, compared to HIV-uninfected men. We evaluated the association between longitudinal patterns of depressive symptoms and attention/executive function in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men aged 50+ years to understand whether HIV infection influenced the long-term effect of depression on attention/executive function. Responses to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale and attention/executive function tests (Trail Making Test Part B and Symbol Digit Modalities Test) were collected semiannually from May 1986 to April 2015 in 1611 men. Group-based trajectory models, stratified by HIV status, were used to identify latent patterns of depressive symptoms and attention/executive function across 12 years of follow-up. We identified three depression patterns for HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men (rare/never 50.0 vs. 60.6%, periodically depressed 29.6 vs. 24.5%, chronic high 20.5 vs.15.0%, respectively) and three patterns of attention/executive function for HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men (worst-performing 47.4 vs. 45.1%; average 41.9 vs. 47.0%; best-performing 10.7 vs. 8.0%, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations between depression patterns and worst-performing attention/executive function. Among HIV-uninfected men, those in the periodically depressed and chronic high depressed groups had higher odds of membership in the worst-performing attention/executive function group (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.45, 95% CI 1.04, 2.03; AOR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.49, 3.39, respectively). Among HIV-infected men, patterns of depression symptoms were not associated with patterns of attention/executive function. Results suggest that HIV-uninfected, but not HIV-infected, men with chronic high depression are more likely to experience a long-term pattern of attention/executive dysfunction.

  2. Dopamine Increases CD14+CD16+ Monocyte Transmigration across the Blood Brain Barrier: Implications for Substance Abuse and HIV Neuropathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderon, Tina M; Williams, Dionna W; Lopez, Lillie; Eugenin, Eliseo A; Cheney, Laura; Gaskill, Peter J; Veenstra, Mike; Anastos, Kathryn; Morgello, Susan; Berman, Joan W

    2017-06-01

    In human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) infected individuals, substance abuse may accelerate the development and/or increase the severity of HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). It is proposed that CD14 + CD16 + monocytes mediate HIV entry into the central nervous system (CNS) and that uninfected and infected CD14 + CD16 + monocyte transmigration across the blood brain barrier (BBB) contributes to the establishment and propagation of CNS HIV viral reservoirs and chronic neuroinflammation, important factors in the development of HAND. The effects of substance abuse on the frequency of CD14 + CD16 + monocytes in the peripheral circulation and on the entry of these cells into the CNS during HIV neuropathogenesis are not known. PBMC from HIV infected individuals were analyzed by flow cytometry and we demonstrate that the frequency of peripheral blood CD14 + CD16 + monocytes in HIV infected substance abusers is increased when compared to those without active substance use. Since drug use elevates extracellular dopamine concentrations in the CNS, we examined the effects of dopamine on CD14 + CD16 + monocyte transmigration across our in vitro model of the human BBB. The transmigration of this monocyte subpopulation is increased by dopamine and the dopamine receptor agonist, SKF 38393, implicating D1-like dopamine receptors in the increase in transmigration elicited by this neurotransmitter. Thus, elevated extracellular CNS dopamine may be a novel common mechanism by which active substance use increases uninfected and HIV infected CD14 + CD16 + monocyte transmigration across the BBB. The influx of these cells into the CNS may increase viral seeding and neuroinflammation, contributing to the development of HIV associated neurocognitive impairments.

  3. Facilitators and barriers to discussing HIV prevention with adolescents: perspectives of HIV-infected parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Laura L; Reis, Janet S; Weber, Kathleen M

    2013-08-01

    We examined HIV-infected parents' conversations about HIV prevention with their uninfected children, including what facilitated or hindered communication. Parents with HIV/AIDS (n = 90) who had children aged 10 to 18 years were recruited for a mixed method study from 2009 to 2010. Interviews assessed facilitators and barriers to discussing HIV prevention. A questionnaire identified the frequency and content of conversations, parental confidence level, and perceived importance of discussing preventive topics. Eighty-one percent of parents reported "sometimes" or "often" communicating about HIV prevention. A subset of parents found these conversations difficult; 44% indicated their desire for support. Facilitators to communication included utilizing support, focusing on the benefits of talking, and having a previous relationship with one's child. Barriers to discussions included fear of negative consequences, living in denial, and lacking a parental role model who discussed safer sex. Parents varied as to how they believed their HIV status affected communication. Those who did not disclose their HIV status to their children reported less frequent communication; self-efficacy partially mediated this relationship. Findings highlighted the need for communication skills training that support HIV-infected parents in their efforts to discuss HIV-related information with adolescents.

  4. Alignment of adherence and risk for HIV acquisition in a demonstration project of pre-exposure prophylaxis among HIV serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda: a prospective analysis of prevention-effective adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haberer, Jessica E; Kidoguchi, Lara; Heffron, Renee; Mugo, Nelly; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Katabira, Elly; Asiimwe, Stephen; Thomas, Katherine K; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

    2017-07-25

    Adherence is essential for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to protect against HIV acquisition, but PrEP use need not be life-long. PrEP is most efficient when its use is aligned with periods of risk - a concept termed prevention-effective adherence. The objective of this paper is to describe prevention-effective adherence and predictors of adherence within an open-label delivery project of integrated PrEP and antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda (the Partners Demonstration Project). We offered PrEP to HIV-uninfected participants until the partner living with HIV had taken ART for ≥6 months (a strategy known as "PrEP as a bridge to ART"). The level of adherence sufficient to protect against HIV was estimated in two ways: ≥4 and ≥6 doses/week (per electronic monitoring). Risk for HIV acquisition was considered high if the couple reported sex with 25 years, older male partners and desire for relationship success. Predictors of not achieving sufficient adherence were no longer being a couple, delayed PrEP initiation, >6 months  of follow-up, ART use >6 months  by the partner living with HIV and problem alcohol use. Over three-quarters of participant-visits by HIV-uninfected partners in serodiscordant couples achieved prevention-effective adherence with PrEP. Greater adherence was observed during months with HIV risk and the strongest predictor of achieving sufficient adherence was sexual activity.

  5. Associations between plasma tenofovir concentration and renal function markers in HIV-infected women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mwila Mulubwa

    2016-07-01

    Objective: To investigate the correlation between plasma tenofovir (TFV concentration and certain renal function markers in HIV-infected women on TDF antiretroviral therapy (ART.These markers were also compared to a HIV-uninfected control group. Methods: HIV-infected women (n = 30 on TDF-based ART were matched with 30 controls forage and body mass index. Renal markers analysed were estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, creatinine clearance (CrCl, serum creatinine, albuminuria, glucosuria, serum urea, serum uric acid, urine sodium and maximum tubular reabsorption of phosphate. Baseline eGFR and CrCl data were obtained retrospectively for the HIV-infected women. Plasma TFV was assayed using a validated HPLC-MS/MS method. Step wise regression, Mann–Whitney test, unpaired and paired t-tests were applied in the statistical analyses. Results: TFV concentration was independently associated with albuminuria (adjusted r2 = 0.339; p = 0.001 in HIV-infected women. In the adjusted (weight analysis, eGFR (p = 0.038,CrCl (p = 0.032 and albuminuria (p = 0.048 were significantly higher in HIV-infected compared to the uninfected women, but eGFR was abnormally high in HIV-infected women. Both eGFR (p < 0.001 and CrCl (p = 0.008 increased from baseline to follow-up in HIV-infected women. Conclusion: Plasma TFV concentration was associated with increased albuminuria in HIV infected women in this sub-study. Both eGFR and CrCl were increased in HIV-infected women from baseline. These findings should be confirmed in larger studies, and hyperfiltration in HIV-infected women warrants further investigation.

  6. Circumcision of male children for reduction of future risk for HIV: acceptability among HIV serodiscordant couples in Kampala, Uganda.

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    Kenneth K Mugwanya

    Full Text Available The ultimate success of medical male circumcision for HIV prevention may depend on targeting male infants and children as well as adults, in order to maximally reduce new HIV infections into the future.We conducted a cross-sectional study among heterosexual HIV serodiscordant couples (a population at high risk for HIV transmission attending a research clinic in Kampala, Uganda on perceptions and attitudes about medical circumcision for male children for HIV prevention. Correlates of willingness to circumcise male children were assessed using generalized estimating equations methods.318 HIV serodiscordant couples were interviewed, 51.3% in which the female partner was HIV uninfected. Most couples were married and cohabiting, and almost 50% had at least one uncircumcised male child of ≤18 years of age. Overall, 90.2% of male partners and 94.6% of female partners expressed interest in medical circumcision for their male children for reduction of future risk for HIV infection, including 79.9% of men and 87.6% of women who had an uncircumcised male child. Among both men and women, those who were knowledgeable that circumcision reduces men's risk for HIV (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] 1.34 and 1.14 and those who had discussed the HIV prevention effects of medical circumcision with their partner (APR 1.08 and 1.07 were significantly (p≤0.05 more likely to be interested in male child circumcision for HIV prevention. Among men, those who were circumcised (APR 1.09, p = 0.004 and those who were HIV seropositive (APR 1.09, p = 0.03 were also more likely to be interested in child circumcision for HIV prevention.A high proportion of men and women in Ugandan heterosexual HIV serodiscordant partnerships were willing to have their male children circumcised for eventual HIV prevention benefits. Engaging both parents may increase interest in medical male circumcision for HIV prevention.

  7. A mature macrophage is a principal HIV-1 cellular reservoir in humanized mice after treatment with long acting antiretroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araínga, Mariluz; Edagwa, Benson; Mosley, R Lee; Poluektova, Larisa Y; Gorantla, Santhi; Gendelman, Howard E

    2017-03-09

    Despite improved clinical outcomes seen following antiretroviral therapy (ART), resting CD4+ T cells continue to harbor latent human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1). However, such cells are not likely the solitary viral reservoir and as such defining where and how others harbor virus is imperative for eradication measures. To such ends, we used HIV-1 ADA -infected NOD.Cg-Prkdc scid Il2rg tm1Wjl /SzJ mice reconstituted with a human immune system to explore two long-acting ART regimens investigating their abilities to affect viral cell infection and latency. At 6 weeks of infection animals were divided into four groups. One received long-acting (LA) cabotegravir (CAB) and rilpivirine (RVP) (2ART), a second received LA CAB, lamivudine, abacavir and RVP (4ART), a third were left untreated and a fourth served as an uninfected control. After 4 weeks of LA ART treatment, blood, spleen and bone marrow (BM) cells were collected then phenotypically characterized. CD4+ T cell subsets, macrophages and hematopoietic progenitor cells were analyzed for HIV-1 nucleic acids by droplet digital PCR. Plasma viral loads were reduced by two log 10 or to undetectable levels in the 2 and 4ART regimens, respectively. Numbers and distributions of CD4+ memory and regulatory T cells, macrophages and hematopoietic progenitor cells were significantly altered by HIV-1 infection and by both ART regimens. ART reduced viral DNA and RNA in all cell and tissue compartments. While memory cells were the dominant T cell reservoir, integrated HIV-1 DNA was also detected in the BM and spleen macrophages in both regimen-treated mice. Despite vigorous ART regimens, HIV-1 DNA and RNA were easily detected in mature macrophages supporting their potential role as an infectious viral reservoir.

  8. Racial differences in prostate cancer risk in young HIV-positive and HIV-negative men: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Anupriya; Uno, Hajime; Holman, Alex; Lorenz, David R; Gabuzda, Dana

    2017-07-01

    African American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer among ethnic groups, and racial disparity is highest in younger men. Prostate cancer prevalence is rising in HIV-infected men due to improved survival on antiretroviral therapies, yet little is known about racial differences in prostate cancer risk by HIV-infection status and age. This is a prospective cohort study of prostate cancer risk in 2,800 HIV-infected and -uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 40-70 years (22% African American) who were enrolled in the multicenter AIDS cohort study from 1996 to 2010. Poisson regression models were used to examine associations between race and HIV-infection status and prostate cancer risk among men aged 40-70, 40-55, and 56-70 years. Among men aged 40-70 years, incidence rates (IR) per 100,000 person-years were 169 among all men and 276 among African American HIV-infected men. Prostate cancer risk was similar by HIV-infection status (IRR 1.0, 95% CI 0.55-1.82), but nearly threefold higher in African Americans compared to non-African Americans in adjusted models (IRRs 2.66 and 3.22, 95% CIs 1.36-5.18 and 1.27-8.16 for all or HIV-infected men, respectively). Racial disparity in prostate cancer risk was greatest in African American men aged 40-55 years (adjusted IRR 3.31, 95% CI 1.19-9.22). Prostate cancer risk showed associations with family history of prostate cancer (p = 0.001), but not heavy smoking, androgen supplement use, or HIV-related factors. Among MSM, African American HIV-positive and HIV-negative men aged 40-55 years have threefold increased risk of young-onset prostate cancer compared to non-African American men, highlighting the need to make informed decisions about screening in this population.

  9. HIV and safe, healthy sex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    If a woman wants to become pregnant, how can she reduce her risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections? When a young man is growing up and worried about his future, how can you expect him to be concerned about HIV? Many HIV prevention projects focus on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections without considering people's broader reproductive and sexual health concerns. HIV prevention depends on people being able to make choices about their sexual behavior. This means understanding how their bodies work, knowing what choices are available to them, and having the confidence and skills to discuss and make changes in their sexual and reproductive lives. HIV educators, family planning workers, youth counselors, and others need to be able to respond to a range of questions and concerns in a sensitive and supportive way. This special, double issue of AIDS Action provides basic facts about the reproductive system, fertility, sexually transmitted infections and contraception, and looks at the links between HIV, sex, and reproduction. Talking about sex can be difficult. Sex is a private matter and people often feel embarrassed talking about it. This issue also contains tips for communication and activities to find out what people know already and help them learn. You may find that not everything in this issue is necessary for the people you are working with. This is a 'pick and mix' issue for you to pick out what is useful, adapting it if you wish. full text

  10. Lysis of endogenously infected CD4+ T cell blasts by rIL-2 activated autologous natural killer cells from HIV-infected viremic individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuela Fogli

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the cellular mechanisms that ensure an appropriate innate immune response against viral pathogens is an important challenge of biomedical research. In vitro studies have shown that natural killer (NK cells purified from healthy donors can kill heterologous cell lines or autologous CD4+ T cell blasts exogenously infected with several strains of HIV-1. However, it is not known whether the deleterious effects of high HIV-1 viremia interferes with the NK cell-mediated cytolysis of autologous, endogenously HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells. Here, we stimulate primary CD4+ T cells, purified ex vivo from HIV-1-infected viremic patients, with PHA and rIL2 (with or without rIL-7. This experimental procedure allows for the significant expansion and isolation of endogenously infected CD4+ T cell blasts detected by intracellular staining of p24 HIV-1 core antigen. We show that, subsequent to the selective down-modulation of MHC class-I (MHC-I molecules, HIV-1-infected p24(pos blasts become partially susceptible to lysis by rIL-2-activated NK cells, while uninfected p24(neg blasts are spared from killing. This NK cell-mediated killing occurs mainly through the NKG2D activation pathway. However, the degree of NK cell cytolytic activity against autologous, endogenously HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cell blasts that down-modulate HLA-A and -B alleles and against heterologous MHC-I(neg cell lines is particularly low. This phenomenon is associated with the defective surface expression and engagement of natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs and with the high frequency of the anergic CD56(neg/CD16(pos subsets of highly dysfunctional NK cells from HIV-1-infected viremic patients. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the chronic viral replication of HIV-1 in infected individuals results in several phenotypic and functional aberrancies that interfere with the NK cell-mediated killing of autologous p24(pos blasts derived from primary T cells.

  11. Analysis of serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) and ADA1 and ADA2 isoenzyme activities in HIV positive and HIV-HBV co-infected patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodadadi, Iraj; Abdi, Mohammad; Ahmadi, Abbas; Wahedi, Mohammad Saleh; Menbari, Shahoo; Lahoorpour, Fariba; Rahbari, Rezgar

    2011-08-01

    To determine adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity as a possible diagnostic marker in HIV and HIV-HBV co-infected patients. Blood samples were collected from 72 healthy, 33 HIV positive and 30 HIV-HBV co-infected subjects. Blood CD4+ cell count was recorded and serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total ADA, and ADA1 and ADA2 isoenzyme activities were determined. Serum ALT, AST, total ADA and ADA2 isoenzyme activities were significantly higher in HIV positive and HIV-HBV co-infected groups compare to the control (pADA activities (R(2)=0.589, pADA was significantly increased in HIV and HIV-HBV co-infections. Therefore, because of its low cost and simplicity to perform, ADA activity might be considered as a useful diagnostic tool among the other markers in these diseases. Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Exposure to apoptotic activated CD4+ T cells induces maturation and APOBEC3G-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 infection in dendritic cells.

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    Venkatramanan Mohanram

    Full Text Available Dendritic cells (DCs are activated by signaling via pathogen-specific receptors or exposure to inflammatory mediators. Here we show that co-culturing DCs with apoptotic HIV-infected activated CD4(+ T cells (ApoInf or apoptotic uninfected activated CD4(+ T cells (ApoAct induced expression of co-stimulatory molecules and cytokine release. In addition, we measured a reduced HIV infection rate in DCs after co-culture with ApoAct. A prerequisite for reduced HIV infection in DCs was activation of CD4(+ T cells before apoptosis induction. DCs exposed to ApoAct or ApoInf secreted MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MCP-1, and TNF-α; this effect was retained in the presence of exogenous HIV. The ApoAct-mediated induction of co-stimulatory CD86 molecules and reduction of HIV infection in DCs were partially abrogated after blocking TNF-α using monoclonal antibodies. APOBEC3G expression in DCs was increased in co-cultures of DCs and ApoAct but not by apoptotic resting CD4(+ T cells (ApoRest. Silencing of APOBEC3G in DC abrogated the HIV inhibitory effect mediated by ApoAct. Sequence analyses of an env region revealed significant induction of G-to-A hypermutations in the context of GG or GA dinucleotides in DNA isolated from DCs exposed to HIV and ApoAct. Thus, ApoAct-mediated DC maturation resulted in induction of APOBEC3G that was important for inhibition of HIV-infection in DCs. These findings underscore the complexity of differential DC responses evoked upon interaction with resting as compared with activated dying cells during HIV infection.

  13. Association between HIV status and depressive symptoms among children and adolescents in the Southern Highlands Zone, Tanzania: A case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lwidiko, Abraham; Kibusi, Stephen Matthew; Nyundo, Azan; Mpondo, Bonaventura C T

    2018-01-01

    Children and adolescents continue to have HIV/AIDS in southern Saharan Africa. Scaling up of HIV services has significantly improved access to ARV and consequently improved on morbidity and mortality related to HIV/AIDS including opportunistic infection. Despite the above efforts, non-communicable conditions including mental disorders such as depression have been observed to contribute to the burden of disabilities about which little is documented. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the magnitude of depressive symptoms and the associated factors among HIV-infected children and adolescents. The study was a matched case-control design involving 300 cases of HIV-infected children matched by age and sex against 600 uninfected controls. Systematic sampling technique was used to select the cases while multistage sampling technique was employed to identify villages/ streets purposive and sampling technique was employed to obtain participants from households. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms among the cohort of 900 participants was found to be 12.9%, with 27% of HIV-infected and 5.8% of HIV-uninfected children and adolescents screened positive for depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression revealed that being HIV-infected (AOR 1.96(1.11-3.45)), residing in a rural setting (AOR 0.61(0.39-0.96)) and history of childhood deprivation (AOR 4.76 (2.79-8.13)) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. HIV infected adolescents are more affected by depression compared to non-infected counterparts. Childhood deprivation was significantly associated with presence of depressive symptoms. Integration of mental health evaluation and treatment into the HIV care provided for adolescents can be beneficial. More studies to delineate factors associated with depressed adolescents with HIV may add value to the body of knowledge and overall improvement of care.

  14. HIV-Related Cognitive Impairment of Orphans in Myanmar With Vertically Transmitted HIV Taking Antiretroviral Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linn, Kyaw; Fay, Alexander; Meddles, Katherine; Isbell, Sara; Lin, Phyo Nay; Thair, Cho; Heaps, Jodi; Paul, Robert; Mar, Soe Soe

    2015-12-01

    We determined the effect of perinatally acquired HIV on neurocognition in Myanmar children treated with antiretroviral therapy by comparison to demographically matched seronegative children. Myanmar has one of the highest HIV-1 prevalence rates in Southeast Asia. Studies from other resource-poor countries have shown that HIV-infected children differ in socioeconomic, nutritional and caregiver status compared to normal controls. Some vertically infected orphans in Myanmar reside separately from HIV-uninfected children in separate orphanages, thus the demographic variables of interest are naturally controlled. This study provides a unique evaluation of the neurocognitive effects of HIV in children, with control over key demographic variables. We hypothesized that HIV-infected orphans would perform significantly worse on cognitive indices compared with HIV-negative orphans. A battery of cognitive tests sensitive to HIV-associated impairments in children was administered to 28 perinatally acquired HIV-positive children and 31 HIV-negative children from two orphanages in Myanmar; 21 children from each cohort underwent testing at baseline and again after 12 months. Baseline comparison of the two groups indicated that the HIV-infected children performed poorly across all tests, with significant group differences in executive function, visuospatial reasoning, fine motor dexterity, and visual motor integration. On subsequent testing, both cohorts of children showed improvements across multiple domains, with no significant effect of age at treatment initiation. Our results demonstrate a strong effect of HIV infection on specific neurocognitive deficits in vertically infected children. Understanding viral and host determinants and timing and choice of antiretroviral therapy on cognition will be critical to preventing cognitive impairment of children with HIV. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Sexual behaviour of heterosexual men and women receiving antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention: a longitudinal analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mugwanya, Kenneth K; Donnell, Deborah; Celum, Connie; Thomas, Katherine K; Ndase, Patrick; Mugo, Nelly; Katabira, Elly; Ngure, Kenneth; Baeten, Jared M

    2013-12-01

    Scarce data are available to assess sexual behaviour of individuals using antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. Increased sexual risk taking by individuals using effective HIV prevention strategies, like pre-exposure prophylaxis, could offset the benefits of HIV prevention. We studied whether the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis in HIV-uninfected men and women in HIV-serodiscordant couples was associated with increased sexual risk behaviour. We undertook a longitudinal analysis of data from the Partners PrEP Study, a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis among HIV-uninfected partners of heterosexual HIV-serodiscordant couples (n=3163, ≥18 years of age). Efficacy for HIV prevention was publicly reported in July 2011, and participants continued monthly follow-up thereafter. We used regression analyses to compare the frequency of sex-unprotected by a condom-during the 12 months after compared with the 12 months before July 2011, to assess whether knowledge of pre-exposure prophylaxis efficacy for HIV prevention caused increased sexual risk behaviour. We analysed 56 132 person-months from 3024 HIV-uninfected individuals (64% male). The average frequency of unprotected sex with the HIV-infected study partner was 59 per 100 person-months before unmasking versus 53 after unmasking; we recorded no immediate change (p=0·66) or change over time (p=0·25) after July, 2011. We identified a significant increase in unprotected sex with outside partners after July, 2011, but the effect was small (average of 6·8 unprotected sex acts per year vs 6·2 acts in a predicted counterfactual scenario had patients remained masked, p=0·04). Compared with before July, 2011, we noted no significant increase in incident sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy after July, 2011. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, provided as part of a comprehensive prevention package, might not result in substantial changes in risk

  16. Combined metabonomic and quantitative real-time PCR analyses reveal systems metabolic changes in Jurkat T-cells treated with HIV-1 Tat protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Wenting; Tan, Guangguo; Zhu, Zhenyu; Chen, Qiuli; Lou, Ziyang; Dong, Xin; Zhang, Wei; Pan, Wei; Chai, Yifeng

    2012-11-02

    HIV-1 Tat protein is released by infected cells and can affect bystander uninfected T cells and induce numerous biological responses which contribute to its pathogenesis. To elucidate the complex pathogenic mechanism, we conducted a comprehensive investigation on Tat protein-related extracellular and intracellular metabolic changes in Jurkat T-cells using combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS) and a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS)-based metabonomics approach. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses were further employed to measure expressions of several relevant enzymes together with perturbed metabolic pathways. Combined metabonomic and qRT-PCR analyses revealed that HIV-1 Tat caused significant and comprehensive metabolic changes, as represented by significant changes of 37 metabolites and 10 relevant enzymes in HIV-1 Tat-treated cells. Using MetaboAnalyst 2.0, it was found that 11 pathways (Impact-value >0.10) among the regulated pathways were acutely perturbed, including sphingolipid metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, inositol phosphate metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, citrate cycle, phenylalanine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycolysis or gluconeogenesis. These results provide metabolic evidence of the complex pathogenic mechanism of HIV-1 Tat protein as a "viral toxin", and would help obligate Tat protein as "an important target" for therapeutic intervention and vaccine development.

  17. Interleukin-7 facilitates HIV-1 transmission to cervico-vaginal tissue ex vivo.

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    Andrea Introini

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The majority of HIV-1 infections in women occur through vaginal intercourse, in which virus-containing semen is deposited on the cervico-vaginal mucosa. Semen is more than a mere carrier of HIV-1, since it contains many biological factors, in particular cytokines, that may affect HIV-1 transmission. The concentration of interleukin (IL-7, one of the most prominent cytokines in semen of healthy individuals, is further increased in semen of HIV-1-infected men. Here, we investigated the potential role of IL-7 in HIV-1 vaginal transmission in an ex vivo system of human cervico-vaginal tissue. We simulated an in vivo situation by depositing HIV-1 on cervico-vaginal tissue in combination with IL-7 at concentrations comparable with those measured in semen of HIV-1-infected individuals. We found that IL-7 significantly enhanced virus replication in ex vivo infected cervico-vaginal tissue. Similarly, we observed an enhancement of HIV-1 replication in lymphoid tissue explants. Analysis of T cells isolated from infected tissues showed that IL-7 reduced CD4⁺ T cell depletion preventing apoptosis, as shown by the decrease in the number of cells expressing the apoptotic marker APO2.7 and the increase in the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma (Bcl-2. Also, IL-7 increased the fraction of cycling CD4⁺ T cells, as evidenced by staining for the nuclear factor Ki-67. High levels of seminal IL-7 in vivo may be relevant to the survival of the founder pool of HIV-1-infected cells in the cervico-vaginal mucosa at the initial stage of infection, promoting local expansion and dissemination of HIV infection.

  18. The 'third wave' of HIV prevention: Filling gaps in integrated interventions, knowledge, and funding

    OpenAIRE

    Sepúlveda, J

    2012-01-01

    There is growing optimism in the global health community that the HIV epidemic can be halted. After decades of relying primarily on behavior change to prevent HIV transmission, a second generation of prevention efforts based on medical or biological interventions such as male circumcision and preexposure prophylaxis-the use of antiretroviral drugs to protect uninfected, at-risk individuals-has shown promising results. This article calls for a third generation of HIV prevention efforts that wo...

  19. Vaginal Lactobacillus Inhibits HIV-1 Replication in Human Tissues Ex Vivo

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    Rogers A. Ñahui Palomino

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Lactobacillus species, which dominate vaginal microbiota of healthy reproductive-age women, lower the risks of sexually transmitted infections, including the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV acquisition. The exact mechanisms of this protection remain to be understood. Here, we investigated these mechanisms in the context of human cervico-vaginal and lymphoid tissues ex vivo. We found that all six Lactobacillus strains tested in these systems significantly suppressed HIV type-1 (HIV-1 infection. We identified at least three factors that mediated this suppression: (i Acidification of the medium. The pH of the undiluted medium conditioned by lactobacilli was between 3.8 and 4.6. Acidification of the culture medium with hydrochloric acid (HCl to this pH in control experiments was sufficient to abrogate HIV-1 replication. However, the pH of the Lactobacillus-conditioned medium (CM diluted fivefold, which reached ∼6.9, was also suppressive for HIV-1 infection, while in control experiments HIV-1 infection was not abrogated when the pH of the medium was brought to 6.9 through the use of HCl. This suggested the existence of other factors responsible for HIV-1 inhibition by lactobacilli. (ii Lactic acid. There was a correlation between the concentration of lactic acid in the Lactobacillus-CM and its ability to suppress HIV-1 infection in human tissues ex vivo. Addition of lactic acid isomers D and L to tissue culture medium at the concentration that corresponded to their amount released by lactobacilli resulted in HIV-1 inhibition. Isomer L was produced in higher quantities than isomer D and was mostly responsible for HIV-1 inhibition. These results indicate that lactic acid, in particular its L-isomer, inhibits HIV-1 independently of lowering of the pH. (iii Virucidal effect. Incubation of HIV-1 in Lactobacillus-CM significantly suppressed viral infectivity for human tissues ex vivo. Finally, lactobacilli adsorb HIV-1, serving as a sink

  20. Higher Risk of Abdominal Obesity, Elevated LDL Cholesterol and Hypertriglyceridemia, but not of Hypertension, in People Living with HIV

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gelpi, Marco; Afzal, Shoaib; Lundgren, Jens

    2018-01-01

    Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) have lower life expectancy than uninfected individuals, partly explained by excess risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and CVD risk factors. We investigated the association between HIV infection and abdominal obesity, elevated LDL cholesterol (LDL...... and underwent blood pressure, waist-, hip-, weight-, and height-measurements. Non-fasting blood samples were obtained from all participants. We assessed whether HIV was independently associated with abdominal obesity, elevated LDL-C, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension using logistic regression models...... adjusted for known risk factors. Results: HIV infection was associated with higher risk of abdominal obesity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.92[1.60-2.30]) for a given BMI, elevated LDL-C (aOR: 1.32[1.09-1.59]), hypertriglyceridemia (aOR 1.76[1.49-2.08]), and lower risk of hypertension (aOR: 0.63[0.54 - 0...

  1. Multi-micronutrient supplementation in HIV-infected South African children : effect on nutritional s tatus, diarrhoea and respiratory infections

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mda, S.

    2011-01-01

    Background: The nutritional status of HIV-infected children is reported to be poor. Diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections tend to be more common and severe in HIV-infected children than in uninfected ones. Deficiencies of micronutrients may result in poor

  2. Polymorphisms in IL-1 gene cluster and its association with the risk of perinatal HIV transmission, in an Indian cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahir, Swati; Chaudhari, Deepali; Chavan, Vijay; Samant-Mavani, Padmaja; Nanavati, Ruchi; Mehta, Preeti; Mania-Pramanik, Jayanti

    2013-06-01

    Host genetic diversity plays a very important role in protecting infants exposed to HIV-1 through their mothers. IL-1 family genes are key mediators of inflammatory responses and no studies are available on its association with perinatal HIV transmission. We aimed to evaluate if single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-1 family genes are associated with perinatal HIV transmission. Infants of HIV positive women were genotyped for five polymorphic loci in IL1 gene cluster namely; IL1R1 (rs2234650), IL1A (rs1800587), IL1B (rs16944), IL1B (rs1143634), and IL1RN (rs315952) using polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) method. Haplotype block structure was determined using Haploview and statistical analysis was done using PyPop. In this cohort based observational study significantly increased frequency of CT genotype in IL1R1 (rs2234650) was observed in positive vs. negative children (76.4% vs. 42.2%, p = 0.023), while CC genotype was significantly (p = 0.022) high in exposed uninfected children compared to infected ones (51.1% vs. 17.6%). These significances, however, did not stand the Bonferroni corrections. Haplotypic analysis demonstrated that the TCCCT haplotype was significantly associated (p = 0.002) with HIV transmission and remained significant even after Bonferroni correction. The children who had the protective CC genotype at IL1R1 (rs2234650) and were still positive had the TTC haplotype for IL1A (rs1800587):IL1B (rs1143634):IL1R1 (rs2234650). In contrast, 16 out of 19 (84.2%) children who had the CT genotype and were still negative had the protective CTC haplotype for IL1A (rs1800587):IL1B (rs16944):IL1B (rs1143634). IL1R1 (rs2234650) polymorphisms CT/CC along the specific haplotypes of the IL-1 gene family can be exploited as possible markers for prediction of perinatal HIV transmission. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Maternal HIV infection alters the immune balance in the mother and fetus; implications for pregnancy outcome and infant health

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pfeifer, Caroline; Bunders, Madeleine J.

    2016-01-01

    With the rapid roll-out of combination antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, there is an annual increase in the number of uninfected infants born to HIV-infected women. Although the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy has vastly improved pregnancy

  4. Semen Bacterial Concentrations and HIV-1 RNA Shedding Among HIV-1-Seropositive Kenyan Men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korhonen, Christine J; Srinivasan, Sujatha; Huang, Dandi; Ko, Daisy L; Sanders, Eduard J; Peshu, Norbert M; Krieger, John N; Muller, Charles H; Coombs, Robert W; Fredricks, David N; Graham, Susan M

    2017-03-01

    HIV-1 is transmitted through semen from men to their sexual partners. Genital infections can increase HIV-1 RNA shedding in semen, but shedding also occurs in the absence of typical pathogens. We hypothesized that higher bacterial concentrations in semen would be associated with higher HIV-1 RNA levels. We analyzed semen samples from 42 HIV-1-seropositive Kenyan men using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assess bacterial concentrations and real-time PCR to measure HIV-1 RNA levels. Generalized estimation equations were used to evaluate associations between these 2 measures. Broad-range 16S rRNA gene PCR with pyrosequencing was performed on a subset of 13 samples to assess bacterial community composition. Bacteria were detected in 96.6% of 88 samples by quantitative PCR. Semen bacterial concentration and HIV-1 RNA levels were correlated 0.30 (P = 0.01). The association between bacterial concentration and HIV-1 RNA detection was not significant after adjustment for antiretroviral therapy (ART) (adjusted odds ratio: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.91). Factors associated with semen bacterial concentration included insertive anal sex (adjusted beta 0.92, 95% CI: 0.12 to 1.73) and ART use (adjusted beta: -0.77, 95% CI: -1.50 to 0.04). Among 13 samples with pyrosequencing data, Corynebacterium spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Streptococcus spp. were most frequently detected. Most of these HIV-1-infected men had bacteria in their semen. ART use was associated with undetectable semen HIV-1 RNA and lower semen bacterial concentrations, whereas insertive anal sex was associated with higher bacterial concentrations. Additional studies evaluating the relationship between semen bacteria, inflammation, mucosal immunity, and HIV-1 shedding are needed to understand implications for HIV-1 transmission.

  5. The incidence of HIV among women recruited during late pregnancy and followed up for six years after childbirth in Zimbabwe

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    Chirenje Mike Z

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV incidence is a useful tool for improving the targeting of populations for interventions and assessing the effectiveness of prevention strategies. A study in Harare, Zimbabwe reported cumulative incidences of 3.4% (3.0-3.8 and 6.5% (5.7-7.4 among post-partum women followed for 12 and 24 months respectively between 1997 and 2001. According to a Government report on HIV the prevalence of HIV fell from about 30% in 1999 to 14% in 2008. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of HIV-1 among women enrolled during late pregnancy and followed for six years after childbirth and to identify risk factors associated with acquisition of HIV. Methods HIV-uninfected pregnant women around 36 weeks gestation were enrolled from primary health care clinics in peri-urban settlements around Harare and followed-up for up to six years after childbirth. At every visit a questionnaire was interview-administered to obtain socio-demographic data and sexual history since the previous visit. A genital examination was performed followed by the collection of biological samples. Results Of the 552 HIV-uninfected women 444 (80.4% were seen at least twice during the six years follow-up and 39 acquired HIV, resulting in an incidence (95% CI of 2.3/100 woman-years-at-risk (wyar (1.1-4.1. The incidence over the first nine months post-partum was 5.7/100 wyar (3.3-8.1. A greater proportion of teenagers (15.3% contributed to a high incidence rate of 2.9/100 (0.6-8.7 wyar. In multivariate analysis lower education of participant, RR 2.1 (1.1-4.3 remained significantly associated with HIV acquisition. Other risk factors associated with acquisition of HIV-1 in univariate analysis were young age at sexual debut, RR 2.3, (1.0-5.6 and having children with different fathers, RR 2.7(1.3-5.8. Women that knew that their partners had other sexual partners were about four times more likely to acquire HIV, RR 3.8 (1.3-11.2. Conclusion The incidence of HIV

  6. HIV-1 molecular epidemiology among newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals in Hebei, a low HIV prevalence province in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Xinli; Kang, Xianjiang; Liu, Yongjian; Cui, Ze; Guo, Wei; Zhao, Cuiying; Li, Yan; Chen, Suliang; Li, Jingyun; Zhang, Yuqi; Zhao, Hongru

    2017-01-01

    New human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) diagnoses are increasing rapidly in Hebei. The aim of this study presents the most extensive HIV-1 molecular epidemiology investigation in Hebei province in China thus far. We have carried out the most extensive systematic cross-sectional study based on newly diagnosed HIV-1 positive individuals in 2013, and characterized the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 based on full length gag-partial pol gene sequences in the whole of Hebei. Nine HIV-1 genotypes based on full length gag-partial pol gene sequence were identified among 610 newly diagnosed naïve individuals. The four main genotypes were circulating recombinant form (CRF)01_AE (53.4%), CRF07_BC (23.4%), subtype B (15.9%), and unique recombinant forms URFs (4.9%). Within 1 year, three new genotypes (subtype A1, CRF55_01B, CRF65_cpx), unknown before in Hebei, were first found among men who have sex with men (MSM). All nine genotypes were identified in the sexually contracted HIV-1 population. Among 30 URFs, six recombinant patterns were revealed, including CRF01_AE/BC (40.0%), CRF01_AE/B (23.3%), B/C (16.7%), CRF01_AE/C (13.3%), CRF01_AE/B/A2 (3.3%) and CRF01_AE/BC/A2 (3.3%), plus two potential CRFs. This study elucidated the complicated characteristics of HIV-1 molecular epidemiology in a low HIV-1 prevalence northern province of China and revealed the high level of HIV-1 genetic diversity. All nine HIV-1 genotypes circulating in Hebei have spread out of their initial risk groups into the general population through sexual contact, especially through MSM. This highlights the urgency of HIV prevention and control in China.

  7. HIV-1 molecular epidemiology among newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals in Hebei, a low HIV prevalence province in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinli Lu

    Full Text Available New human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 diagnoses are increasing rapidly in Hebei. The aim of this study presents the most extensive HIV-1 molecular epidemiology investigation in Hebei province in China thus far. We have carried out the most extensive systematic cross-sectional study based on newly diagnosed HIV-1 positive individuals in 2013, and characterized the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 based on full length gag-partial pol gene sequences in the whole of Hebei. Nine HIV-1 genotypes based on full length gag-partial pol gene sequence were identified among 610 newly diagnosed naïve individuals. The four main genotypes were circulating recombinant form (CRF01_AE (53.4%, CRF07_BC (23.4%, subtype B (15.9%, and unique recombinant forms URFs (4.9%. Within 1 year, three new genotypes (subtype A1, CRF55_01B, CRF65_cpx, unknown before in Hebei, were first found among men who have sex with men (MSM. All nine genotypes were identified in the sexually contracted HIV-1 population. Among 30 URFs, six recombinant patterns were revealed, including CRF01_AE/BC (40.0%, CRF01_AE/B (23.3%, B/C (16.7%, CRF01_AE/C (13.3%, CRF01_AE/B/A2 (3.3% and CRF01_AE/BC/A2 (3.3%, plus two potential CRFs. This study elucidated the complicated characteristics of HIV-1 molecular epidemiology in a low HIV-1 prevalence northern province of China and revealed the high level of HIV-1 genetic diversity. All nine HIV-1 genotypes circulating in Hebei have spread out of their initial risk groups into the general population through sexual contact, especially through MSM. This highlights the urgency of HIV prevention and control in China.

  8. Concomitant socioeconomic, behavioral, and biological factors associated with the disproportionate HIV infection burden among Black men who have sex with men in 6 U.S. cities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenneth H Mayer

    Full Text Available American Black men who have sex with men (MSM are disproportionately affected by HIV, but the factors associated with this concentrated epidemic are not fully understood.Black MSM were enrolled in 6 US cities to evaluate a multi-component prevention intervention, with the current analysis focusing on the correlates of being newly diagnosed with HIV compared to being HIV-uninfected or previously diagnosed with HIV.HPTN 061 enrolled 1553 Black MSM whose median age was 40; 30% self-identified exclusively as gay or homosexual, 29% exclusively as bisexual, and 3% as transgender. About 1/6(th (16.2% were previously diagnosed with HIV (PD; of 1263 participants without a prior HIV diagnosis 7.6% were newly diagnosed (ND. Compared to PD, ND Black MSM were younger (p<0.001; less likely to be living with a primary partner (p<0.001; more likely to be diagnosed with syphilis (p<0.001, rectal gonorrhea (p = 0.011 or chlamydia (p = 0.020. Compared to HIV-uninfected Black MSM, ND were more likely to report unprotected receptive anal intercourse (URAI with a male partner in the last 6 months (p<0.001; and to be diagnosed with syphilis (p<0.001, rectal gonorrhea (p = 0.004, and urethral (p = 0.025 or rectal chlamydia (p<0.001. They were less likely to report female (p = 0.002 or transgender partners (p = 0.018. Multivariate logistic regression analyses found that ND Black MSM were significantly more likely than HIV-uninfected peers to be unemployed; have STIs, and engage in URAI. Almost half the men in each group were poor, had depressive symptoms, and expressed internalized homophobia.ND HIV-infected Black MSM were more likely to be unemployed, have bacterial STIs and engage in URAI than other Black MSM. Culturally-tailored programs that address economic disenfranchisement, increase engagement in care, screen for STIs, in conjunction with safer sex prevention interventions, may help to decrease further transmission in this heavily

  9. Do Healthy Monarchs Migrate Farther? Tracking Natal Origins of Parasitized vs. Uninfected Monarch Butterflies Overwintering in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altizer, Sonia; Hobson, Keith A; Davis, Andrew K; De Roode, Jacobus C; Wassenaar, Leonard I

    2015-01-01

    Long-distance migration can lower parasite prevalence if strenuous journeys remove infected animals from wild populations. We examined wild monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) to investigate the potential costs of the protozoan Ophryocystis elektroscirrha on migratory success. We collected monarchs from two wintering sites in central Mexico to compare infection status with hydrogen isotope (δ2H) measurements as an indicator of latitude of origin at the start of fall migration. On average, uninfected monarchs had lower δ2H values than parasitized butterflies, indicating that uninfected butterflies originated from more northerly latitudes and travelled farther distances to reach Mexico. Within the infected class, monarchs with higher quantitative spore loads originated from more southerly latitudes, indicating that heavily infected monarchs originating from farther north are less likely to reach Mexico. We ruled out the alternative explanation that lower latitudes give rise to more infected monarchs prior to the onset of migration using citizen science data to examine regional differences in parasite prevalence during the summer breeding season. We also found a positive association between monarch wing area and estimated distance flown. Collectively, these results emphasize that seasonal migrations can help lower infection levels in wild animal populations. Our findings, combined with recent declines in the numbers of migratory monarchs wintering in Mexico and observations of sedentary (winter breeding) monarch populations in the southern U.S., suggest that shifts from migratory to sedentary behavior will likely lead to greater infection prevalence for North American monarchs.

  10. Do Healthy Monarchs Migrate Farther? Tracking Natal Origins of Parasitized vs. Uninfected Monarch Butterflies Overwintering in Mexico.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Altizer

    Full Text Available Long-distance migration can lower parasite prevalence if strenuous journeys remove infected animals from wild populations. We examined wild monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus to investigate the potential costs of the protozoan Ophryocystis elektroscirrha on migratory success. We collected monarchs from two wintering sites in central Mexico to compare infection status with hydrogen isotope (δ2H measurements as an indicator of latitude of origin at the start of fall migration. On average, uninfected monarchs had lower δ2H values than parasitized butterflies, indicating that uninfected butterflies originated from more northerly latitudes and travelled farther distances to reach Mexico. Within the infected class, monarchs with higher quantitative spore loads originated from more southerly latitudes, indicating that heavily infected monarchs originating from farther north are less likely to reach Mexico. We ruled out the alternative explanation that lower latitudes give rise to more infected monarchs prior to the onset of migration using citizen science data to examine regional differences in parasite prevalence during the summer breeding season. We also found a positive association between monarch wing area and estimated distance flown. Collectively, these results emphasize that seasonal migrations can help lower infection levels in wild animal populations. Our findings, combined with recent declines in the numbers of migratory monarchs wintering in Mexico and observations of sedentary (winter breeding monarch populations in the southern U.S., suggest that shifts from migratory to sedentary behavior will likely lead to greater infection prevalence for North American monarchs.

  11. Sumatriptan increases the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected individuals and healthy blood donors in vitro

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Afzelius, P; Nielsen, Jens Ole

    2000-01-01

    responsible for regulation of the intracellular levels of cAMP. In a preliminary study sumatriptan increased the proliferative responses of PBMC to a polyclonal activator in vitro in 9 of 10 HIV-seropositive individuals (p=0.007), and in 7 of 9 healthy blood donors (p=0.05). This was probably due...... of the intracellular second messenger adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) has been shown to cause impaired proliferative capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-infected individuals in vitro. Sumatriptan, a 5HT1d receptor agonist, inhibits the activity of adenylyl cyclases, the enzymes...

  12. It's Never Just HIV: Exposure to an HIV Prevention Media Campaign and Behavior Change Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Participating in the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System in New York City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reilly, Kathleen H; Neaigus, Alan; Shepard, Colin W; Cutler, Blayne H; Sweeney, Monica M; Rucinski, Katherine B; Jenness, Samuel M; Wendel, Travis; Marshall, David M; Hagan, Holly

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to and impact of the It's Never Just HIV mass media campaign aimed at HIV negative men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. Questions about the campaign were included in the local questionnaire of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-sponsored National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) study of MSM in NYC conducted in 2011. Participants in this cross-sectional study were recruited using venue-based sampling. Among 447 NYC National HIV Behavioral Surveillance study participants who self-reported HIV negative or unknown status and answered questions about the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's It's Never Just HIV campaign, more than one-third (n = 173, 38.7%) reported having seen the campaign. Latinos (34.8%) and blacks (34.4%) were less likely to report seeing the campaign compared to whites (47.7%). Most of those who reported seeing the campaign saw it on the subway (80.1%). Only 9.4% of those who saw the campaign reported having changed their sexual or health behaviors in response to the campaign. These data suggest that thousands of HIV-uninfected MSM in NYC have been reached by the campaign and recalled its message.

  13. HIV-1 vaccines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Excler, Jean-Louis; Robb, Merlin L; Kim, Jerome H

    2014-01-01

    The development of a safe and effective preventive HIV-1 vaccine remains a public health priority. Despite scientific difficulties and disappointing results, HIV-1 vaccine clinical development has, for the first time, established proof-of-concept efficacy against HIV-1 acquisition and identified vaccine-associated immune correlates of risk. The correlate of risk analysis showed that IgG antibodies against the gp120 V2 loop correlated with decreased risk of HIV infection, while Env-specific IgA directly correlated with increased risk. The development of vaccine strategies such as improved envelope proteins formulated with potent adjuvants and DNA and vectors expressing mosaics, or conserved sequences, capable of eliciting greater breadth and depth of potentially relevant immune responses including neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies, CD4+ and CD8+ cell-mediated immune responses, mucosal immune responses, and immunological memory, is now proceeding quickly. Additional human efficacy trials combined with other prevention modalities along with sustained funding and international collaboration remain key to bring an HIV-1 vaccine to licensure. PMID:24637946

  14. Facilitators and Barriers to Discussing HIV Prevention With Adolescents: Perspectives of HIV-Infected Parents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Janet S.; Weber, Kathleen M.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives. We examined HIV-infected parents’ conversations about HIV prevention with their uninfected children, including what facilitated or hindered communication. Methods. Parents with HIV/AIDS (n = 90) who had children aged 10 to 18 years were recruited for a mixed method study from 2009 to 2010. Interviews assessed facilitators and barriers to discussing HIV prevention. A questionnaire identified the frequency and content of conversations, parental confidence level, and perceived importance of discussing preventive topics. Results. Eighty-one percent of parents reported “sometimes” or “often” communicating about HIV prevention. A subset of parents found these conversations difficult; 44% indicated their desire for support. Facilitators to communication included utilizing support, focusing on the benefits of talking, and having a previous relationship with one’s child. Barriers to discussions included fear of negative consequences, living in denial, and lacking a parental role model who discussed safer sex. Parents varied as to how they believed their HIV status affected communication. Those who did not disclose their HIV status to their children reported less frequent communication; self-efficacy partially mediated this relationship. Conclusions. Findings highlighted the need for communication skills training that support HIV-infected parents in their efforts to discuss HIV-related information with adolescents. PMID:23763390

  15. 5' Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends and Illumina MiSeq Reveals B Cell Receptor Features in Healthy Adults, Adults With Chronic HIV-1 Infection, Cord Blood, and Humanized Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waltari, Eric; Jia, Manxue; Jiang, Caroline S; Lu, Hong; Huang, Jing; Fernandez, Cristina; Finzi, Andrés; Kaufmann, Daniel E; Markowitz, Martin; Tsuji, Moriya; Wu, Xueling

    2018-01-01

    Using 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends, Illumina MiSeq, and basic flow cytometry, we systematically analyzed the expressed B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire in 14 healthy adult PBMCs, 5 HIV-1+ adult PBMCs, 5 cord blood samples, and 3 HIS-CD4/B mice, examining the full-length variable region of μ, γ, α, κ, and λ chains for V-gene usage, somatic hypermutation (SHM), and CDR3 length. Adding to the known repertoire of healthy adults, Illumina MiSeq consistently detected small fractions of reads with high mutation frequencies including hypermutated μ reads, and reads with long CDR3s. Additionally, the less studied IgA repertoire displayed similar characteristics to that of IgG. Compared to healthy adults, the five HIV-1 chronically infected adults displayed elevated mutation frequencies for all μ, γ, α, κ, and λ chains examined and slightly longer CDR3 lengths for γ, α, and λ. To evaluate the reconstituted human BCR sequences in a humanized mouse model, we analyzed cord blood and HIS-CD4/B mice, which all lacked the typical SHM seen in the adult reference. Furthermore, MiSeq revealed identical unmutated IgM sequences derived from separate cell aliquots, thus for the first time demonstrating rare clonal members of unmutated IgM B cells by sequencing.

  16. Safety and immunogenicity of a live recombinant canarypox virus expressing HIV type 1 gp120 MN MN tm/gag/protease LAI (ALVAC-HIV, vCP205) followed by a p24E-V3 MN synthetic peptide (CLTB-36) administered in healthy volunteers at low risk for HIV infection. AGIS Group and L'Agence Nationale de Recherches sur Le Sida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmon-Céron, D; Excler, J L; Finkielsztejn, L; Autran, B; Gluckman, J C; Sicard, D; Matthews, T J; Meignier, B; Valentin, C; El Habib, R; Blondeau, C; Raux, M; Moog, C; Tartaglia, J; Chong, P; Klein, M; Milcamps, B; Heshmati, F; Plotkin, S

    1999-05-01

    A live recombinant canarypox vector expressing HIV-1 gpl20 MN tm/gag/protease LAI (ALVAC-HIV, vCP205) alone or boosted by a p24E-V3 MN synthetic peptide (CLTB-36) was tested in healthy volunteers at low risk for HIV infection for their safety and immunogenicity. Both antigens were well tolerated. ALVAC-HIV (vCP205) induced low levels of neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 MN in 33% of the volunteers. None of them had detectable neutralizing antibodies against a nonsyncytium-inducing HIV-1 clade B primary isolate (Bx08). After the fourth injection of vCP205, CTL activity was detected in 33% of the volunteers and was directed against Env, Gag, and Pol. This activity was mediated by both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. On the other hand, the CLTB-36 peptide was poorly immunogenic and induced no neutralizing antibodies or CTLs. Although the ALVAC-HIV (vCP205) and CLTB-36 prime-boost regimen was not optimal, further studies with ALVAC-HIV (vCP205) are warranted because of its clear induction of a cellular immune response and utility as a priming agent for other subunit antigens such as envelope glycoproteins, pseudoparticles, or new peptides.

  17. Comorbidity is more common and occurs earlier in persons living with HIV than in HIV-uninfected matched controls, aged 50 years and older: A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maciel, Rafael Aguiar; Klück, Helena Moreira; Durand, Madeleine; Sprinz, Eduardo

    2018-05-01

    At present, data are limited on the comorbidity profiles associated with aging people with HIV in the developing world, where most such people live. The aim of this study was to compare the disease burden between older HIV-positive subjects and HIV-negative matched controls in Brazil. This was a cross-sectional analysis of the South Brazilian HIV Cohort. Individuals aged 50 years and older were enrolled at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and matched with HIV-negative controls from the primary practice unit of the same hospital. Multimorbidity (the presence of two or more comorbid conditions) and the number of non-infectious comorbidities were compared. Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with multimorbidity. A total of 208 HIV-positive subjects were matched to 208 HIV-negative controls. Overall, the median age was 57 years and 56% were male. The prevalence of multimorbidity was higher in HIV-positive subjects than in HIV-negative controls (63% vs. 43%, p<0.001), and the median number of comorbidities was 2, compared to 1 in controls (p<0.001). The duration of HIV infection (p=0.02) and time on treatment in years (p=0.015) were associated with greater multimorbidity in HIV-positive persons. In this large cohort from the developing world, multimorbidity was found to be more common in HIV-positive subjects than in HIV-negative controls. The duration of HIV and time on antiretrovirals were associated with multimorbidity. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  18. Natural Immunity to HIV: A Delicate Balance between Strength and Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johanne Poudrier

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Understanding how the mucosal immune system in the human female reproductive tract might prevent or facilitate HIV infection has important implications for the design of effective interventions. We and others have established cohorts of highly-exposed, HIV-seronegative individuals, such as HIV-uninfected commercial sex workers, who have remained HIV-negative after more than 5 years of active prostitution. Observations obtained in studies of such individuals, who represent a model of natural immunity to HIV, indicate that HIV resistance may be associated with the host’s capacity to preserve systemic integrity by constraining immune activity and controlling inflammatory conditions at the mucosal point of entry. This likely necessitates the orchestration of balanced, first-line and adaptive immune responses.

  19. Comorbidity is more common and occurs earlier in persons living with HIV than in HIV-uninfected matched controls, aged 50 years and older: A cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Aguiar Maciel

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: At present, data are limited on the comorbidity profiles associated with aging people with HIV in the developing world, where most such people live. The aim of this study was to compare the disease burden between older HIV-positive subjects and HIV-negative matched controls in Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of the South Brazilian HIV Cohort. Individuals aged 50 years and older were enrolled at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and matched with HIV-negative controls from the primary practice unit of the same hospital. Multimorbidity (the presence of two or more comorbid conditions and the number of non-infectious comorbidities were compared. Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with multimorbidity. Results: A total of 208 HIV-positive subjects were matched to 208 HIV-negative controls. Overall, the median age was 57 years and 56% were male. The prevalence of multimorbidity was higher in HIV-positive subjects than in HIV-negative controls (63% vs. 43%, p < 0.001, and the median number of comorbidities was 2, compared to 1 in controls (p < 0.001. The duration of HIV infection (p = 0.02 and time on treatment in years (p = 0.015 were associated with greater multimorbidity in HIV-positive persons. Conclusions: In this large cohort from the developing world, multimorbidity was found to be more common in HIV-positive subjects than in HIV-negative controls. The duration of HIV and time on antiretrovirals were associated with multimorbidity. Keywords: HIV, AIDS, Multimorbidity, Comorbidities, Aging, Developing countries, Brazil

  20. Inhibition of cornifins and up-regulation of protease inhibitors in cervicovaginal lavage imparts resistance to heterosexual HIV transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushama Rokade

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (HESNs are persons who remain seronegative despite repeated exposure to HIV, suggesting an in vivo resistance mechanism to HIV. Elucidation of endogenous factors responsible for this phenomenon may aid in the development of new classes of microbicides and therapeutics. The genital mucosal secretions of both men and women are known to contain a spectrum of antimicrobials and immune mediators that may contribute to resistance against HIV-1. Existence of HIV serodiscordant couples is a testimony to mucosal factors in the genital tract that prevent sexual transmission of the virus. We attempted to map such mucosal factors in female genital secretions of the serodiscordant couples in comparison with HIV infected and healthy participants using quantitative proteomics. The cervico vaginal lavage (CVL samples were collected from three groups of study participants (HIV infected, n=30; Un-infected Controls, n=10; Serodiscordant, n=24. Abundant proteins, albumin and globulins were removed from the pooled samples using multiple affinity removal spin cartridge (Agilent to enhance the sensitivity of iTRAQ proteomics analysis. Initial analysis identified a total of 135 proteins and associated 497 peptide matches. Serodiscordant females showed significantly down regulated levels of Cornifin A, B and C, Neutrophil gelatinase, myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase. Cornifins are cross-linked envelope protein of keratinocytes and are upregulated during inflammation. Downregulation of oxidative stress inducing enzymes and cornifins suggests immune-quiescence in serodiscordant females. CVL of these women showed significantly upregulated levels of Mucin 5B, S100A7, Alpha-2-macroglobulin, Cystatin A (protease inhibitor, Lacto-transferrin, SLPI (anti-leukoproteinase inhibitor and SERPIN G1 (protease inhibitor.  Significantly elevated levels of Cystatin B and Elafin in the CVL of serodiscordant females were confirmed by ELISA

  1. Proteomic Profiling of a Primary CD4+ T Cell Model of HIV-1 Latency Identifies Proteins Whose Differential Expression Correlates with Reactivation of Latent HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Jamaluddin Md; Liu, Hongbing; Hu, Pei-Wen; Nikolai, Bryan C; Wu, Hulin; Miao, Hongyu; Rice, Andrew P

    2018-01-01

    The latent HIV-1 reservoir of memory CD4 + T cells that persists during combination antiviral therapy prevents a cure of infection. Insight into mechanisms of latency and viral reactivation are essential for the rational design of strategies to reduce the latent reservoir. In this study, we quantified the levels of >2,600 proteins in the CCL19 primary CD4 + T cell model of HIV-1 latency. We profiled proteins under conditions that promote latent infection and after cells were treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) + ionomycin, which is known to efficiently induce reactivation of latent HIV-1. In an analysis of cells from two healthy blood donors, we identified 61 proteins that were upregulated ≥2-fold, and 36 proteins that were downregulated ≥2-fold under conditions in which latent viruses were reactivated. These differentially expressed proteins are, therefore, candidates for cellular factors that regulate latency or viral reactivation. Two unexpected findings were obtained from the proteomic data: (1) the interactions among the majority of upregulated proteins are largely undetermined in published protein-protein interaction networks and (2) downregulated proteins are strongly associated with Gene Ontology terms related to mitochondrial protein synthesis. This proteomic data set provides a useful resource for future mechanistic studies of HIV-1 latency.

  2. The Impact of Homophobia and HIV Stigma on HIV Testing Uptake Among Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men: a Mediation Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chongyi; Cheung, Doug H; Yan, Hongjing; Li, Jianjun; Shi, Ling-en; Raymond, Henry F

    2016-01-01

    Gay and HIV-related stigma and discrimination are major barriers to accessing HIV prevention services among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) worldwide. We aimed to identify modifiable factors that mediate the relationships between gay and HIV-related stigma and discrimination and HIV testing uptake among Chinese MSM. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study of 523 HIV-uninfected or unknown HIV status MSM in Jiangsu Province, China between November 2013 and January 2014. Multivariable analyses were conducted to examine the associations among experienced homophobia, HIV stigma, and recent HIV testing. Causal mediation parametric analyses were conducted to assess whether depression and social norms mediated hypothesized associations. Stronger subjective norms toward testing was associated with higher odds of recent HIV testing (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.21), whereas increasing levels of depression and HIV stigma were both associated with lower odds of recent testing (AOR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92 to 0.99; and AOR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84 to 0.99, respectively). There was an indirect relationship (natural indirect effect [NIE]) of experienced homophobia on recent testing (ORNIE: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93 to 0.98) mediated (35.0%) through depression. Furthermore, there was an indirect relationship of HIV stigma on recent testing (ORNIE: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95 to 0.99) mediated (19.2%) through subjective norms. Depression and social norms are important mediators of HIV testing uptake among stigmatized Chinese MSM. Therefore, in addition to advocacy efforts and policies that address social-level stigma and discrimination, HIV prevention programs should also address mental health issues and incorporate community-based approaches to changing social norms toward HIV testing.

  3. Colpocytological abnormalities in HIV infected and uninfected pregnant women: prevalence, persistence and progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carriero, Carmine; Fascilla, Fabiana Divina; Cramarossa, Paola; Lepera, Achiropita; Bettocchi, Stefano; Vimercati, Antonella

    2018-02-01

    In this retrospective case-control study, we analyse data of 48 HIV-positive pregnant patients, versus a control group of 99 HIV-negative pregnant women, followed as outpatients by our department from 2009 to 2014. The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence, persistence and progression of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) in each group and to correlate colpo-cytological lesions to the socio-demographic and clinical-laboratory findings in the HIV + pregnant women. In our study we observed that immunosuppression, HPV infection and vaginal coinfections were predictive of cervical lesions. Pap smear and colposcopy should be part of routine care for HIV-infected pregnant women because these lesions behave aggressively in these patients. Success of prevention depends on massive access of patients to screening. HAART reduces viral load and maintains CD4 count and can affect progression of SIL. Multidisciplinary services on the same site appear to be one promising strategy to improve compliance in patients. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject: Our study provided novel information on a highly vulnerable population of young HIV + pregnant women. What the results of this study add: We observed that immunosuppression, HPV infection and vaginal coinfections were predictive of cervical lesions remarkable with colposcopy. We could consider these important risk factors to evaluate to establish an appropriate strategy of management for these patients. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: Association of the risk between SIL presence and HIV and HPV infection also deserves additional investigation. We believe that Pap smears and colposcopies should be part of the routine care for HIV-infected women because these lesions behave particularly aggressively in these patients.

  4. Reply to Commentary: "Are HIV-Infected Candidates for Participation in Risky Cure-Related Studies Otherwise Healthy?"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubé, Karine; Sylla, Laurie; Dee, Lynda

    2018-02-01

    We respond to Eyal et al.'s commentary focusing on how people living with HIV participating in HIV cure-related studies are defined. We argue that the types of participants enrolled in research cannot be dissociated from the study interventions, the types of anticipated risks, and the background standard of care. As the field of HIV cure research advances, more nuance and granularity will be needed to define research criteria and acceptable risk/benefit ratios for cure study participants, as well as specific tiered protocol designs that serve to protect various participant populations from untoward risks, especially in very early phase research with interventions known to have potentially serious toxicities. We highlight key lessons from the ACTIVATE study involving a latency-reversing agent, Panobinostat, for HIV cure study design involving "otherwise healthy volunteers".

  5. Distribution and infection of Langerhans cells in the skin of HIV-infected healthy subjects and AIDS patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, H; Weier, S; Kojouharoff, G; Grez, M; Berger, S; Kappus, R; Shah, P M; Stutte, H J; Schmidts, H L

    1993-01-01

    The in situ content of cells of the reticuloendothelial system and lymphatic cells was examined in the skin of eight symptom-free HIV-positive individuals, three AIDS patients and eleven healthy immunocompetent volunteers. The epidermis was obtained in vivo by the suction blister technique. The numbers of CD68+, CD3+, CD8+, CD25-(IL2R)+ and HLA-DR+ intraepidermal cells proved to be independent of the number of CD4+ peripheral blood lymphocytes. At the same time, the intraepidermal concentrations of these cells were generally low in symptom-free HIV-infected individuals. The strong inverse correlation between the number of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) and the severity of immunodeficiency was quantitatively confirmed; an increase in LC in symptom-free HIV-infected individuals was found. Thus, the reduction in these cells which was observed in the epidermis of AIDS patients began at a significantly elevated level. In contrast to results from other studies, in AIDS patients, in the present study, the concentration of epidermal LC did not differ significantly from that of healthy immunocompetent volunteers. The immunohistochemical technique can be as effective as in situ hybridization for the detection of HIV in the skin. Our results suggest that the viral load of the skin is rather low in HIV-infected subjects. HIV was demonstrated in one cell of one AIDS case by in situ techniques and this result was confirmed by a polymerase chain reaction examination using the same amount of tissue as for the in situ techniques.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  6. Developing strategies for HIV-1 eradication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durand, Christine M.; Blankson, Joel N.; Siliciano, Robert F.

    2014-01-01

    Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) suppresses HIV-1 replication, transforming the outlook for infected patients. However, reservoirs of replication-competent forms of the virus persist during HAART, and when treatment is stopped, high rates of HIV-1 replication return. Recent insights into HIV-1 latency, as well as a report that HIV-1 infection was eradicated in one individual, have renewed interest in finding a cure for HIV-1 infection. Strategies for HIV-1 eradication include gene therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, stimulating host immunity to control HIV-1 replication, and targeting latent HIV-1 in resting memory CD4+ T cells. Future efforts should aim to provide better understanding of how to reconstitute the CD4+ T cell compartment with genetically engineered cells, exert immune control over HIV-1 replication, and identify and eliminate all viral reservoirs. PMID:22867874

  7. Semen Bacterial Concentrations and HIV-1 RNA Shedding Among HIV-1–Seropositive Kenyan Men

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, Sujatha; Huang, Dandi; Ko, Daisy L.; Sanders, Eduard J.; Peshu, Norbert M.; Krieger, John N.; Muller, Charles H.; Coombs, Robert W.; Fredricks, David N.; Graham, Susan M.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: HIV-1 is transmitted through semen from men to their sexual partners. Genital infections can increase HIV-1 RNA shedding in semen, but shedding also occurs in the absence of typical pathogens. We hypothesized that higher bacterial concentrations in semen would be associated with higher HIV-1 RNA levels. Methods: We analyzed semen samples from 42 HIV-1–seropositive Kenyan men using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assess bacterial concentrations and real-time PCR to measure HIV-1 RNA levels. Generalized estimation equations were used to evaluate associations between these 2 measures. Broad-range 16S rRNA gene PCR with pyrosequencing was performed on a subset of 13 samples to assess bacterial community composition. Results: Bacteria were detected in 96.6% of 88 samples by quantitative PCR. Semen bacterial concentration and HIV-1 RNA levels were correlated 0.30 (P = 0.01). The association between bacterial concentration and HIV-1 RNA detection was not significant after adjustment for antiretroviral therapy (ART) (adjusted odds ratio: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.91). Factors associated with semen bacterial concentration included insertive anal sex (adjusted beta 0.92, 95% CI: 0.12 to 1.73) and ART use (adjusted beta: −0.77, 95% CI: −1.50 to 0.04). Among 13 samples with pyrosequencing data, Corynebacterium spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Streptococcus spp. were most frequently detected. Conclusion: Most of these HIV-1–infected men had bacteria in their semen. ART use was associated with undetectable semen HIV-1 RNA and lower semen bacterial concentrations, whereas insertive anal sex was associated with higher bacterial concentrations. Additional studies evaluating the relationship between semen bacteria, inflammation, mucosal immunity, and HIV-1 shedding are needed to understand implications for HIV-1 transmission. PMID:27861240

  8. Contribution of HIV infection to mortality among cancer patients in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coghill, Anna E; Newcomb, Polly A; Madeleine, Margaret M; Richardson, Barbra A; Mutyaba, Innocent; Okuku, Fred; Phipps, Warren; Wabinga, Henry; Orem, Jackson; Casper, Corey

    2013-11-28

    HIV infection is associated with cancer risk. This relationship has resulted in a growing cancer burden, especially in resource-limited countries where HIV is highly prevalent. Little is known, however, about how HIV affects cancer survival in these settings. We therefore investigated the role of HIV in cancer survival in Uganda. Retrospective cohort (N = 802). Eligible cancer patients were residents of Kyadondo County, at least 18 years of age at cancer diagnosis, and diagnosed between 2003 and 2010 with one of the following: breast cancer, cervical cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, or esophageal cancer. Patients were classified as HIV-infected at cancer diagnosis based on a documented positive HIV antibody test, medical history indicating HIV infection, or an HIV clinic referral letter. The primary outcome, vital status at 1 year following cancer diagnosis, was abstracted from the medical record or determined through linkage to the national hospice database. The risk of death during the year after cancer diagnosis was compared between cancer patients with and without evidence of HIV infection using Cox proportional hazards regression. HIV-infected cancer patients in Uganda experienced a more than two-fold increased risk of death during the year following cancer diagnosis compared to HIV-uninfected cancer patients [hazard ratio 2.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61-3.23]. This association between HIV and 1-year cancer survival was observed for both cancers with (hazard ratio 1.56; 95% CI 1.04-2.34) and without (hazard ratio 2.68; 95% CI 1.20-5.99) an infectious cause. This study demonstrates the role of HIV in cancer survival for both cancers with and without an infectious cause in a resource-limited, HIV-endemic setting.

  9. Increased Risk of HIV-1 Transmission in Pregnancy: A Prospective Study among African HIV-1 Serodiscordant Couples

    Science.gov (United States)

    MUGO, Nelly R.; HEFFRON, Renee; DONNELL, Deborah; WALD, Anna; WERE, Edwin O.; REES, Helen; CELUM, Connie; KIARIE, James N.; COHEN, Craig R.; KAYINTEKORE, Kayitesi; BAETEN, Jared M.

    2011-01-01

    Background Physiologic and behavioral changes during pregnancy may alter HIV-1 susceptibility and infectiousness. Prospective studies exploring pregnancy and HIV-1 acquisition risk in women have found inconsistent results. No study has explored the effect of pregnancy on HIV-1 transmission risk from HIV-1 infected women to male partners. Methods In a prospective study of African HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, we evaluated the relationship between pregnancy and the risk of 1) HIV-1 acquisition among women and 2) HIV-1 transmission from women to men. Results 3321 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples were enrolled, 1085 (32.7%) with HIV-1 susceptible female partners and 2236 (67.3%) with susceptible male partners. HIV-1 incidence in women was 7.35 versus 3.01 per 100 person-years during pregnant and non-pregnant periods (hazard ratio [HR] 2.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.33–4.09). This effect was attenuated and not statistically significant after adjusting for sexual behavior and other confounding factors (adjusted HR 1.71, 95% CI 0.93–3.12). HIV-1 incidence in male partners of infected women was 3.46 versus 1.58 per 100 person-years when their partners were pregnant versus not pregnant (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.22–4.39). This effect was not attenuated in adjusted analysis (adjusted HR 2.47, 95% CI 1.26–4.85). Conclusions HIV-1 risk increased two-fold during pregnancy. Elevated risk of HIV-1 acquisition in pregnant women appeared in part to be explained by behavioral and other factors. This is the first study to show pregnancy increased the risk of female-to-male HIV-1 transmission, which may reflect biological changes of pregnancy that could increase HIV-1 infectiousness. PMID:21785321

  10. 5′ Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends and Illumina MiSeq Reveals B Cell Receptor Features in Healthy Adults, Adults With Chronic HIV-1 Infection, Cord Blood, and Humanized Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Waltari

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Using 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends, Illumina MiSeq, and basic flow cytometry, we systematically analyzed the expressed B cell receptor (BCR repertoire in 14 healthy adult PBMCs, 5 HIV-1+ adult PBMCs, 5 cord blood samples, and 3 HIS-CD4/B mice, examining the full-length variable region of μ, γ, α, κ, and λ chains for V-gene usage, somatic hypermutation (SHM, and CDR3 length. Adding to the known repertoire of healthy adults, Illumina MiSeq consistently detected small fractions of reads with high mutation frequencies including hypermutated μ reads, and reads with long CDR3s. Additionally, the less studied IgA repertoire displayed similar characteristics to that of IgG. Compared to healthy adults, the five HIV-1 chronically infected adults displayed elevated mutation frequencies for all μ, γ, α, κ, and λ chains examined and slightly longer CDR3 lengths for γ, α, and λ. To evaluate the reconstituted human BCR sequences in a humanized mouse model, we analyzed cord blood and HIS-CD4/B mice, which all lacked the typical SHM seen in the adult reference. Furthermore, MiSeq revealed identical unmutated IgM sequences derived from separate cell aliquots, thus for the first time demonstrating rare clonal members of unmutated IgM B cells by sequencing.

  11. Functional Connectivity Alterations between Networks and Associations with Infant Immune Health within Networks in HIV Infected Children on Early Treatment: A Study at 7 Years

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jadrana T. F. Toich

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Although HIV has been shown to impact brain connectivity in adults and youth, it is not yet known to what extent long-term early antiretroviral therapy (ART may alter these effects, especially during rapid brain development in early childhood. Using both independent component analysis (ICA and seed-based correlation analysis (SCA, we examine the effects of HIV infection in conjunction with early ART on resting state functional connectivity (FC in 7 year old children. HIV infected (HIV+ children were from the Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral Therapy (CHER trial and all initiated ART before 18 months; uninfected children were recruited from an interlinking vaccine trial. To better understand the effects of current and early immune health on the developing brain, we also investigated among HIV+ children the association of FC at 7 years with CD4 count and CD4%, both in infancy (6–8 weeks and at scan. Although we found no differences within any ICA-generated resting state networks (RSNs between HIV+ and uninfected children (27 HIV+, 18 uninfected, whole brain connectivity to seeds located at RSN connectivity peaks revealed several loci of FC differences, predominantly from seeds in midline regions (posterior cingulate cortex, paracentral lobule, cuneus, and anterior cingulate. Reduced long-range connectivity and increased short-range connectivity suggest developmental delay. Within the HIV+ children, clinical measures at age 7 years were not associated with FC values in any of the RSNs; however, poor immune health during infancy was associated with localized FC increases in the somatosensory, salience and basal ganglia networks. Together these findings suggest that HIV may affect brain development from its earliest stages and persist into childhood, despite early ART.

  12. The Effects of Time Lag and Cure Rate on the Global Dynamics of HIV-1 Model

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    Nigar Ali

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this research article, a new mathematical model of delayed differential equations is developed which discusses the interaction among CD4 T cells, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, and recombinant virus with cure rate. The model has two distributed intracellular delays. These delays denote the time needed for the infection of a cell. The dynamics of the model are completely described by the basic reproduction numbers represented by R0, R1, and R2. It is shown that if R0<1, then the infection-free equilibrium is locally as well as globally stable. Similarly, it is proved that the recombinant absent equilibrium is locally as well as globally asymptotically stable if 11. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate our theoretical results. Our obtained results show that intracellular delay and cure rate have a positive role in the reduction of infected cells and the increasing of uninfected cells due to which the infection is reduced.

  13. Repeat confirmatory testing for persons with discordant whole blood and oral fluid rapid HIV test results: findings from post marketing surveillance.

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    Wesolowski, Laura G; Mackellar, Duncan A; Ethridge, Steven F; Zhu, Julia H; Owen, S Michele; Sullivan, Patrick S

    2008-02-06

    Reactive oral fluid and whole blood rapid HIV tests must be followed with a confirmatory test (Western blot (WB), immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or approved nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)). When the confirmatory result is negative or indeterminate (i.e. discordant with rapid result), repeat confirmatory testing should be conducted using a follow-up specimen. Previous reports have not described whether repeat testing adequately resolves the HIV-infection status of persons with discordant results. Post-marketing surveillance was conducted in 368 testing sites affiliated with 14 state and 2 city health departments from August 11, 2004 to June 30, 2005 and one health department through December 31, 2005. For persons with discordant results, data were collected on demographics, risk behaviors, HIV test results and specimen types. Persons with repeat confirmatory results were classified as HIV-infected or uninfected. Regression models were created to assess risk factors for not having repeat testing. Of 167,371 rapid tests conducted, 2589 (1.6%) were reactive: of these, 2417 (93%) had positive WB/IFA, 172 (7%) had negative or indeterminate WB/IFA. Of 89/172 (52%) persons with a repeat confirmatory test: 17 (19%) were HIV-infected, including 3 with indeterminate WB and positive NAAT; 72 (81%) were uninfected, including 12 with repeat indeterminate WB. Factors associated with HIV-infection included having an initial indeterminate WB/IFA (vs. negative) (ptest [adjusted OR 2.6, 95% CI (1.3, 4.9)]. Though only half of persons with discordant results had repeat confirmatory testing, of those who did, nearly one in five were HIV-infected. These findings underscore the need for rapid HIV testing programs to increase repeat confirmatory testing for persons with discordant results. Because of the lower sensitivity of oral fluid WBs, confirmatory testing following a reactive rapid test should be conducted using serum or plasma, when possible.

  14. Incident HIV during pregnancy and early postpartum period: a population-based cohort study in a rural area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

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    Chetty, Terusha; Vandormael, Alain; Thorne, Claire; Coutsoudis, Anna

    2017-07-26

    The evidence on the effect of pregnancy on acquiring HIV is conflicting, with studies reporting both higher and lower HIV acquisition risk during pregnancy when prolonged antiretroviral therapy was accessible. The aim of this study was to assess the pregnancy effect on HIV acquisition where antiretroviral therapy was widely available in a high HIV prevalence setting. This is a retrospective cohort study nested within a population-based surveillance to determine HIV incidence in HIV-uninfected women from 15 to 49 years from 2010 through 2015 in rural KwaZulu-Natal. HIV incidence per 100 person-years according to pregnancy status (not pregnant, pregnant, to eight weeks postpartum) were measured in 5260 HIV-uninfected women. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression with pregnancy included as a time varying variable. Overall, pregnancy HIV incidence was 4.5 per 100 person-years (95% CI 3.4-5.8), higher than non-pregnancy (4.0; 95% CI 3.7-4.3) and postpartum incidences (4.2 per 100 person-years; 95% CI 2.3-7.6). However, adjusting for age, and demographic factors, pregnant women had a lower risk of acquiring HIV (HR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.9, P = 0.032) than non-pregnant women; there were no differences between postpartum and non-pregnant women (HR 1.2; 95% CI 0.4-3.2; P = 0.744). In models adjusting for the interaction of age and gravidity, pregnant women under 25 years with two or more pregnancies had a 2.3 times greater risk of acquiring HIV than their older counterparts (95% CI 1.3-4.3; P = 0.008). Pregnancy had a protective effect on HIV acquisition. Elevated HIV incidence in younger women appeared to be driven by those with higher gravidity. The sexual and biological factors in younger women should be explored further in order to design appropriate HIV prevention interventions.

  15. Population-based CD4 counts in a rural area in South Africa with high HIV prevalence and high antiretroviral treatment coverage.

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    Abraham Malaza

    Full Text Available Little is known about the variability of CD4 counts in the general population of sub-Saharan Africa countries affected by the HIV epidemic. We investigated factors associated with CD4 counts in a rural area in South Africa with high HIV prevalence and high antiretroviral treatment (ART coverage.CD4 counts, health status, body mass index (BMI, demographic characteristics and HIV status were assessed in 4990 adult resident participants of a demographic surveillance in rural KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa; antiretroviral treatment duration was obtained from a linked clinical database. Multivariable regression analysis, overall and stratified by HIV status, was performed with CD4 count levels as outcome.Median CD4 counts were significantly higher in women than in men overall (714 vs. 630 cells/µl, p<0.0001, both in HIV-uninfected (833 vs. 683 cells/µl, p<0.0001 and HIV-infected adults (384.5 vs. 333 cells/µl, p<0.0001. In multivariable regression analysis, women had 19.4% (95% confidence interval (CI 16.1-22.9 higher CD4 counts than men, controlling for age, HIV status, urban/rural residence, household wealth, education, BMI, self-reported tuberculosis, high blood pressure, other chronic illnesses and sample processing delay. At ART initiation, HIV-infected adults had 21.7% (95% CI 14.6-28.2 lower CD4 counts than treatment-naive individuals; CD4 counts were estimated to increase by 9.2% (95% CI 6.2-12.4 per year of treatment.CD4 counts are primarily determined by sex in HIV-uninfected adults, and by sex, age and duration of antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected adults. Lower CD4 counts at ART initiation in men could be a consequence of lower CD4 cell counts before HIV acquisition.

  16. Food insecurity with hunger is associated with obesity among HIV-infected and at risk women in Bronx, NY.

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    Sirotin, Nicole; Hoover, Donald R; Shi, Qiuhu; Anastos, Kathryn; Weiser, Sheri D

    2014-01-01

    Food insecurity, insufficient quality and quantity of nutritionally adequate food, affects millions of people in the United States (US) yearly, with over 18 million Americans reporting hunger. Food insecurity is associated with obesity in the general population. Due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among HIV-infected women, we sought to determine the relationship between food insecurity and obesity in this cohort of urban, HIV-infected and -uninfected but at risk women. Using a cross-sectional design, we collected data on food insecurity, body mass index and demographic and clinical data from 231 HIV-infected and 119 HIV-negative women enrolled in Bronx site of the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). We used multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with obesity. Food insecurity was highly prevalent, with almost one third of women (110/350, 31%) reporting food insecurity over the previous six months and over 13% of women reported food insecurity with hunger. Over half the women were obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥ 30. In multivariate analyses, women who were food insecure with hunger had higher odds of obesity (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR] =  2.56, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]  =  1.27, 5.20) after adjusting for HIV status, age, race, household status, income, drug and alcohol use. Food insecurity with hunger was associated with obesity in this population of HIV-infected and -uninfected, urban women. Both food insecurity and obesity are independent markers for increased mortality; further research is needed to understand this relationship and their role in adverse health outcomes.

  17. Food insecurity with hunger is associated with obesity among HIV-infected and at risk women in Bronx, NY.

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    Nicole Sirotin

    Full Text Available Food insecurity, insufficient quality and quantity of nutritionally adequate food, affects millions of people in the United States (US yearly, with over 18 million Americans reporting hunger. Food insecurity is associated with obesity in the general population. Due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among HIV-infected women, we sought to determine the relationship between food insecurity and obesity in this cohort of urban, HIV-infected and -uninfected but at risk women.Using a cross-sectional design, we collected data on food insecurity, body mass index and demographic and clinical data from 231 HIV-infected and 119 HIV-negative women enrolled in Bronx site of the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with obesity.Food insecurity was highly prevalent, with almost one third of women (110/350, 31% reporting food insecurity over the previous six months and over 13% of women reported food insecurity with hunger. Over half the women were obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI of ≥ 30. In multivariate analyses, women who were food insecure with hunger had higher odds of obesity (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR] =  2.56, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]  =  1.27, 5.20 after adjusting for HIV status, age, race, household status, income, drug and alcohol use.Food insecurity with hunger was associated with obesity in this population of HIV-infected and -uninfected, urban women. Both food insecurity and obesity are independent markers for increased mortality; further research is needed to understand this relationship and their role in adverse health outcomes.

  18. High levels of T lymphocyte activation in Leishmania-HIV-1 co-infected individuals despite low HIV viral load

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    Grinsztejn Beatriz

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Concomitant infections may influence HIV progression by causing chronic activation leading to decline in T-cell function. In the Americas, visceral (AVL and tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL have emerged as important opportunistic infections in HIV-AIDS patients and both of those diseases have been implicated as potentially important co-factors in disease progression. We investigated whether leishmaniasis increases lymphocyte activation in HIV-1 co-infected patients. This might contribute to impaired cellular immune function. Methods To address this issue we analyzed CD4+ T absolute counts and the proportion of CD8+ T cells expressing CD38 in Leishmania/HIV co-infected patients that recovered after anti-leishmanial therapy. Results We found that, despite clinical remission of leishmaniasis, AVL co-infected patients presented a more severe immunossupression as suggested by CD4+ T cell counts under 200 cells/mm3, differing from ATL/HIV-AIDS cases that tends to show higher lymphocytes levels (over 350 cells/mm3. Furthermore, five out of nine, AVL/HIV-AIDS presented low CD4+ T cell counts in spite of low or undetectable viral load. Expression of CD38 on CD8+ T lymphocytes was significantly higher in AVL or ATL/HIV-AIDS cases compared to HIV/AIDS patients without leishmaniasis or healthy subjects. Conclusions Leishmania infection can increase the degree of immune system activation in individuals concomitantly infected with HIV. In addition, AVL/HIV-AIDS patients can present low CD4+ T cell counts and higher proportion of activated T lymphocytes even when HIV viral load is suppressed under HAART. This fact can cause a misinterpretation of these laboratorial markers in co-infected patients.

  19. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV: cost-effectiveness of antiretroviral regimens and feeding options in Rwanda.

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    Agnes Binagwaho

    Full Text Available Rwanda's National PMTCT program aims to achieve elimination of new HIV infections in children by 2015. In November 2010, Rwanda adopted the WHO 2010 ARV guidelines for PMTCT recommending Option B (HAART for all HIV-positive pregnant women extended throughout breastfeeding and discontinued (short course-HAART only for those not eligible for life treatment. The current study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of this policy choice.Based on a cohort of HIV-infected pregnant women in Rwanda, we modelled the cost-effectiveness of six regimens: dual ARV prophylaxis with either 12 months breastfeeding or replacement feeding; short course HAART (Sc-HAART prophylaxis with either 6 months breastfeeding, 12 months breastfeeding, or 18 months breastfeeding; and Sc-HAART prophylaxis with replacement feeding. Direct costs were modelled based on all inputs in each scenario and related unit costs. Effectiveness was evaluated by measuring HIV-free survival at 18 months. Savings correspond to the lifetime costs of HIV treatment and care avoided as a result of all vertical HIV infections averted.All PMTCT scenarios considered are cost saving compared to "no intervention." Sc-HAART with 12 months breastfeeding or 6 months breastfeeding dominate all other scenarios. Sc-HAART with 12 months breastfeeding allows for more children to be alive and HIV-uninfected by 18 months than Sc-HAART with 6 months breastfeeding for an incremental cost per child alive and uninfected of 11,882 USD. This conclusion is sensitive to changes in the relative risk of mortality by 18 months for exposed HIV-uninfected children on replacement feeding from birth and those who were breastfed for only 6 months compared to those breastfeeding for 12 months or more.Our findings support the earlier decision by Rwanda to adopt WHO Option B and could inform alternatives for breastfeeding duration. Local contexts and existing care delivery models should be part of national policy decisions.

  20. Aspectos clínicos e o hemograma em crianças expostas ao HIV-1: comparação entre pacientes infectados e soro-reversores Clinical aspects and complete blood counts in children exposed to HIV-1: comparison between infected patients and seroreverters

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    Elianete B. Silva

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: analisar evolutivamente aspectos clínicos e hematológicos de crianças expostas à transmissão vertical do HIV-1 e comparar as que se infectaram com aquelas que não se infectaram, ou soro-reversoras. MÉTODOS: trata-se de estudo prospectivo, descritivo, longitudinal. Foram analisadas 79 crianças, filhas de mães infectadas pelo HIV-1, sob seguimento entre março de 1996 a novembro de 1997, no Ambulatório de Imunodeficiência do Hospital de Clínicas da Unicamp. RESULTADOS: houve comprometimento pôndero-estatural em ambos os grupos, sendo maior nos soro-reversores. No grupo das crianças infectadas, 23 mães não fizeram terapia com AZT na gestação, 16 pacientes (61,5% foram amamentados ao seio, quatro foram classificadas na categoria clínica N, sete na A, e 15 na B. Manifestações clínicas antes de um ano de idade ocorreram em 18 lactentes (69,2%. Anemia se manifestou em 73,1% das crianças infectadas, e em 41,5% das com soro-reversão (P OBJECTIVE: to analyze the evolution of clinical and hematological aspects of children exposed to the vertical transmission of HIV-1, comparing infected patients with uninfected ones or seroreverters. METHODS: prospective, descriptive, longitudinal study. We analyzed 79 children born from HIV-1 infected mothers, under clinical follow up from March, 1996 until November, 1997, at the Immunodeficiency division of the Hospital de Clínicas da Unicamp (State University Hospital of Campinas. RESULTS: failure to thrive was observed in both groups, but was greater among seroreverters. Among the infected children, 23 mothers did not use AZT during pregnancy, 16 of them (61.5% had been breastfed, four were classified into clinical category N, seven into A and fifteen into B. Clinical manifestations in patients younger than one year were seen in 18 infected children (69.2%. Anemia was observed in 73.1% of the infected group and in 41.5% of the seroreverters (P < 0.008. The comparison between the

  1. Genotypic characterisation of human papillomavirus infections among persons living with HIV infection; a case-control study in Kumasi, Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yar, Denis Dekugmen; Salifu, Samson Pandam; Darko, Samuel Nkansah; Annan, Augustina Angelina; Gyimah, Akosua Adumea; Buabeng, Kwame Ohene; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis

    2016-02-01

    The objective of this study is to describe the burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among women living with HIV and non-infected women in Ghana. A case-control study was conducted involving 107 women living with HIV aged between 18 and 59 years (cases) and 100 non-HIV-infected apparently healthy women (controls) who were recruited from the Kumasi South Hospital, from July to December, 2014. Cervicovaginal swabs were taken from study participants to characterise 28 high- and low-risk HPV genotypes using a multiplex real-time PCR. The overall mean age for the participants was 40.10 ± 9.76 years. The prevalence of high-risk (hr)-HPV genotypes was significantly higher among the cases than the controls (77.4% vs. 41.6%, P < 0.0001). Overall, HPV 58 and 54 were the most predominant high-risk (18.8%) and low-risk (15.0%) genotypes detected. The two most common hr-HPV genotype isolates were 58 (18.8%) and 35 (15.9%) with 58 being the most prevalent among age group 35-44 years compared with hr-HPV 16, 18, 35 and 45, found predominantly among 18-34 age group. Significant variations exist in HPV genotypes among HIV-infected and uninfected women. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Genital mycoplasma & Chlamydia trachomatis infections in treatment naïve HIV-1 infected adults

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    Ghosh, Arnab; Dhawan, Benu; Chaudhry, Rama; Vajpayee, Madhu; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla

    2011-01-01

    Background & objectives: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) enhance the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Thus, screening for STIs is a routine component of primary HIV care. There are limited data for selective screening guidelines for genital mycoplasmas and Chlamydia trachomatis in HIV-infected adults. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of genital infections with Ureaplasma spp., Mycoplasma hominis, M. genitalium and C. trachomatis in treatment naïve asymptomatic HIV-1 - infected adults and study their association with CD4+ T-cell count. Methods: First-void urine samples were collected from 100 treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected adults and 50 healthy volunteers. C. trachomatis and M. genitalium were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Ureaplasma spp. and M. hominis were detected by both culture and PCR. Circulating CD4+ cell counts of HIV-1-infected patients were determined from peripheral blood by flow-cytometry. Results: C. trachomatis was detected in 7 per cent of HIV-1-infected adults compared to none in control population. Ureaplasma spp. and M. hominis showed infection rates of 6 and 1 per cent in the HIV group and 2 and 0 per cent in the control group, respectively. None of the individuals from the patient and control groups was tested positive for M. genitalium. A significant association was found between CD4 cell count and detection of C. trachomatis in HIV-infected adults (P = 0.01). Interpretation & conclusions: Screening of HIV-infected individuals for C. trachomatis infection could be recommended as a routine component of HIV care. The role of mycoplasmas as co-pathogens of the genitourinary tract in HIV-1 infected patients seems to be unlikely. Further longitudinal studies need to be done to confirm these findings. PMID:22310829

  3. HIV-1 Tat C-mediated regulation of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-3 by microRNA 32 in human microglia

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    Mishra Ritu

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV-1 Tat protein is known to be associated with neuroinflammation, a condition that develops in almost half of patients infected with HIV-1. HIV-1 Tat can alter glial neuroprotective functions, leading to neurotoxicity within the CNS. HIV-1 Tat is known to be secreted from productively infected cells and can affect neighboring uninfected cells by modulating cellular gene expression in a bystander fashion. Methods We were interested to study whether exogenous exposure to HIV-1 Tat-C protein perturbs the microRNA (miRNA expression profile of human microglial cells, leading to altered protein expression. We used protein expression and purification, miRNA overexpression, miRNA knockdown, transfection, site-directed mutagenesis, real-time PCR, luciferase assay and western blotting techniques to perform our study. Results HIV-1 Tat-C treatment of human microglial cells resulted in a dose-dependent increase in miR-32 expression. We found that tumor necrosis factor-receptor–associated factor 3 TRAF3 is a direct target for miR-32, and overexpression of miR-32 in CHME3 cells decreased TRAF3 both at the mRNA and the protein level. Recovery of TRAF3 protein expression after transfection of anti-miR-32 and the results of the luciferase reporter assay provided direct evidence of TRAF3 regulation by miR-32. We found that the regulation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3 and IRF7 is controlled by cellular levels of TRAF3 protein in microglial cells, as after overexpression of miR-32 and application of anti-miR-32, expression levels of IRF3 and IRF7 were inversely regulated by expression levels of TRAF3. Thus, our results suggest a novel miRNA mediated mechanism for regulation of TRAF3 in human microglial cells exposed to HIV-1 Tat C protein. These results may help to elucidate the detrimental neuroinflammatory consequences of HIV-1 Tat C protein in bystander fashion. Conclusion HIV-1 Tat protein can modulate TRAF3 expression through

  4. Hyperthermia stimulates HIV-1 replication.

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    Ferdinand Roesch

    Full Text Available HIV-infected individuals may experience fever episodes. Fever is an elevation of the body temperature accompanied by inflammation. It is usually beneficial for the host through enhancement of immunological defenses. In cultures, transient non-physiological heat shock (42-45°C and Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs modulate HIV-1 replication, through poorly defined mechanisms. The effect of physiological hyperthermia (38-40°C on HIV-1 infection has not been extensively investigated. Here, we show that culturing primary CD4+ T lymphocytes and cell lines at a fever-like temperature (39.5°C increased the efficiency of HIV-1 replication by 2 to 7 fold. Hyperthermia did not facilitate viral entry nor reverse transcription, but increased Tat transactivation of the LTR viral promoter. Hyperthermia also boosted HIV-1 reactivation in a model of latently-infected cells. By imaging HIV-1 transcription, we further show that Hsp90 co-localized with actively transcribing provirus, and this phenomenon was enhanced at 39.5°C. The Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG abrogated the increase of HIV-1 replication in hyperthermic cells. Altogether, our results indicate that fever may directly stimulate HIV-1 replication, in a process involving Hsp90 and facilitation of Tat-mediated LTR activity.

  5. Safety, tolerability, and systemic absorption of dapivirine vaginal microbicide gel in healthy, HIV-negative women

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nel, Annalene M.; Coplan, Paul; van de Wijgert, Janneke H.; Kapiga, Saidi H.; von Mollendorf, Claire; Geubbels, Eveline; Vyankandondera, Joseph; Rees, Helen V.; Masenga, Gileard; Kiwelu, Ireen; Moyes, Jocelyn; Smythe, Shanique C.

    2009-01-01

    To assess the local and systemic safety of dapivirine vaginal gel vs. placebo gel as well as the systemic absorption of dapivirine in healthy, HIV-negative women. Two prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I/II studies were conducted at five research centers, four in Africa

  6. Assessment of Oral Fluid HIV Test Performance in an HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Trial in Bangkok, Thailand.

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    Pravan Suntharasamai

    Full Text Available Rapid easy-to-use HIV tests offer opportunities to increase HIV testing among populations at risk of infection. We used the OraQuick Rapid HIV-1/2 antibody test (OraQuick in the Bangkok Tenofovir Study, an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis trial among people who inject drugs.The Bangkok Tenofovir Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. We tested participants' oral fluid for HIV using OraQuick monthly and blood using a nucleic-acid amplification test (NAAT every 3 months. We used Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate the duration from a positive HIV NAAT until the mid-point between the last non-reactive and first reactive oral fluid test and proportional hazards to examine factors associated with the time until the test was reactive.We screened 3678 people for HIV using OraQuick. Among 447 with reactive results, 436 (97.5% were confirmed HIV-infected, 10 (2.2% HIV-uninfected, and one (0.2% had indeterminate results. Two participants with non-reactive OraQuick results were, in fact, HIV-infected at screening yielding 99.5% sensitivity, 99.7% specificity, a 97.8% positive predictive value, and a 99.9% negative predictive value. Participants receiving tenofovir took longer to develop a reactive OraQuick (191.8 days than participants receiving placebo (16.8 days (p = 0.02 and participants infected with HIV CRF01_AE developed a reactive OraQuick earlier than participants infected with other subtypes (p = 0.04.The oral fluid HIV test performed well at screening, suggesting it can be used when rapid results and non-invasive tools are preferred. However, participants receiving tenofovir took longer to develop a reactive oral fluid test result than those receiving placebo. Thus, among people using pre-exposure prophylaxis, a blood-based HIV test may be an appropriate choice.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00119106.

  7. Acyclovir and Transmission of HIV-1 from Persons Infected with HIV-1 and HSV-2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Celum, Connie; Wald, Anna; Lingappa, Jairam R.; Magaret, Amalia S.; Wang, Richard S.; Mugo, Nelly; Mujugira, Andrew; Baeten, Jared M.; Mullins, James I.; Hughes, James P.; Bukusi, Elizabeth A.; Cohen, Craig R.; Katabira, Elly; Ronald, Allan; Kiarie, James; Farquhar, Carey; Stewart, Grace John; Makhema, Joseph; Essex, Myron; Were, Edwin; Fife, Kenneth H.; de Bruyn, Guy; Gray, Glenda E.; McIntyre, James A.; Manongi, Rachel; Kapiga, Saidi; Coetzee, David; Allen, Susan; Inambao, Mubiana; Kayitenkore, Kayitesi; Karita, Etienne; Kanweka, William; Delany, Sinead; Rees, Helen; Vwalika, Bellington; Stevens, Wendy; Campbell, Mary S.; Thomas, Katherine K.; Coombs, Robert W.; Morrow, Rhoda; Whittington, William L.H.; McElrath, M. Juliana; Barnes, Linda; Ridzon, Renee; Corey, Lawrence

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND Most persons who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are also infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which is frequently reactivated and is associated with increased plasma and genital levels of HIV-1. Therapy to suppress HSV-2 reduces the frequency of reactivation of HSV-2 as well as HIV-1 levels, suggesting that suppression of HSV-2 may reduce the risk of transmission of HIV-1. METHODS We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of suppressive therapy for HSV-2 (acyclovir at a dose of 400 mg orally twice daily) in couples in which only one of the partners was seropositive for HIV-1 (CD4 count, ≥250 cells per cubic millimeter) and that partner was also infected with HSV-2 and was not taking antiretroviral therapy at the time of enrollment. The primary end point was transmission of HIV-1 to the partner who was not initially infected with HIV-1; linkage of transmissions was assessed by means of genetic sequencing of viruses. RESULTS A total of 3408 couples were enrolled at 14 sites in Africa. Of the partners who were infected with HIV-1, 68% were women, and the baseline median CD4 count was 462 cells per cubic millimeter. Of 132 HIV-1 seroconversions that occurred after randomization (an incidence of 2.7 per 100 person-years), 84 were linked within couples by viral sequencing: 41 in the acyclovir group and 43 in the placebo group (hazard ratio with acyclovir, 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 1.41; P = 0.69). Suppression with acyclovir reduced the mean plasma concentration of HIV-1 by 0.25 log10 copies per milliliter (95% CI, 0.22 to 0.29; P<0.001) and the occurrence of HSV-2–positive genital ulcers by 73% (risk ratio, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.36; P<0.001). A total of 92% of the partners infected with HIV-1 and 84% of the partners not infected with HIV-1 remained in the study for 24 months. The level of adherence to the dispensed study drug was 96%. No serious adverse events related to acyclovir

  8. Effectiveness of semen washing to prevent HIV transmission and assist pregnancy in HIV-discordant couples: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zafer, Maryam; Horvath, Hacsi; Mmeje, Okeoma; van der Poel, Sheryl; Semprini, Augusto; Rutherford, George; Brown, Joelle

    2015-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of semen washing in HIV-discordant couples in which the male partner is infected Design Systematic review and meta-analysis Setting All countries Patient(s) Forty single-arm, open label studies among HIV-discordant couples that underwent intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using washed semen Intervention(s) Semen washing followed by IUI, IVF, or IVF/ICSI Main outcome measure(s) Primary outcome: HIV transmission to HIV-uninfected women; secondary outcomes: HIV transmission to newborns and proportion of couples achieving a clinical pregnancy Result(s) No HIV transmission occurred in 11,585 cycles of assisted reproduction using washed semen among 3,994 women (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0–0.0001). Among the subset of HIV-infected men without plasma viral suppression at the time of semen washing, no HIV seroconversions occurred among 1,023 women following 2,863 cycles of assisted reproduction using washed semen (95%CI= 0–0.0006). Studies that measured HIV transmission to infants reported no cases of vertical transmission (0/1,026, 95% CI= 0–0.0029). Overall, 56.3% (2,357/4,184, 95%CI=54.8%–57.8%) of couples achieved a clinical pregnancy using washed semen. Conclusion(s) Semen washing appears to significantly reduce the risk of transmission in HIV-discordant couples desiring children, regardless of viral suppression in the male partner. There are no randomized, controlled studies or studies from low-income countries, especially those with a large burden of HIV. Continued development of lower-cost semen washing and assisted reproduction technologies is needed. Integration of semen washing into HIV prevention interventions could help further reduce the spread of HIV. PMID:26688556

  9. The impact of maternal HIV infection on cord blood lymphocyte subsets and cytokine profile in exposed non-infected newborns

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    Reis-Alves Suiellen C

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Children born to HIV+ mothers are exposed intra-utero to several drugs and cytokines that can modify the developing immune system, and influence the newborn's immune response to infections and vaccines. We analyzed the relation between the distribution of cord blood lymphocyte subsets and cytokine profile in term newborns of HIV+ mothers using HAART during pregnancy and compared them to normal newborns. Methods In a prospective, controlled study, 36 mother-child pairs from HIV+ mothers and 15 HIV-uninfected mothers were studied. Hematological features and cytokine profiles of mothers at 35 weeks of pregnancy were examined. Maternal and cord lymphocyte subsets as well as B-cell maturation in cord blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. The non-stimulated, as well as BCG- and PHA-stimulated production of IL2, IL4, IL7, IL10, IL12, IFN-γ and TNF-alpha in mononuclear cell cultures from mothers and infants were quantified using ELISA. Results After one year follow-up none of the exposed infants became seropositive for HIV. An increase in B lymphocytes, especially the CD19/CD5+ ones, was observed in cord blood of HIV-exposed newborns. Children of HIV+ hard drug using mothers had also an increase of immature B-cells. Cord blood mononuclear cells of HIV-exposed newborns produced less IL-4 and IL-7 and more IL-10 and IFN-γ in culture than those of uninfected mothers. Cytokine values in supernatants were similar in infants and their mothers except for IFN-γ and TNF-alpha that were higher in HIV+ mothers, especially in drug abusing ones. Cord blood CD19/CD5+ lymphocytes showed a positive correlation with cord IL-7 and IL-10. A higher maternal age and smoking was associated with a decrease of cord blood CD4+ cells. Conclusions in uninfected infants born to HIV+ women, several immunological abnormalities were found, related to the residual maternal immune changes induced by the HIV infection and those associated with antiretroviral

  10. Methamphetamine inhibits HIV-1 replication in CD4+ T cells by modulating anti-HIV-1 miRNA expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantri, Chinmay K; Mantri, Jyoti V; Pandhare, Jui; Dash, Chandravanu

    2014-01-01

    Methamphetamine is the second most frequently used illicit drug in the United States. Methamphetamine abuse is associated with increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition, higher viral loads, and enhanced HIV-1 pathogenesis. Although a direct link between methamphetamine abuse and HIV-1 pathogenesis remains to be established in patients, methamphetamine has been shown to increase HIV-1 replication in macrophages, dendritic cells, and cells of HIV transgenic mice. Intriguingly, the effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 replication in human CD4(+) T cells that serve as the primary targets of infection in vivo are not clearly understood. Therefore, we examined HIV-1 replication in primary CD4(+) T cells in the presence of methamphetamine in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that methamphetamine had a minimal effect on HIV-1 replication at concentrations of 1 to 50 μmol/L. However, at concentrations >100 μmol/L, it inhibited HIV-1 replication in a dose-dependent manner. We also discovered that methamphetamine up-regulated the cellular anti-HIV-1 microRNAs (miR-125b, miR-150, and miR-28-5p) in CD4(+) T cells. Knockdown experiments illustrated that up-regulation of the anti-HIV miRNAs inhibited HIV-1 replication. These results are contrary to the paradigm that methamphetamine accentuates HIV-1 pathogenesis by increasing HIV-1 replication. Therefore, our findings underline the complex interaction between drug use and HIV-1 and necessitate comprehensive understanding of the effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 pathogenesis. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Biomarker evidence of axonal injury in neuroasymptomatic HIV-1 patients.

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    Jan Jessen Krut

    Full Text Available Prevalence of neurocognitive impairment in HIV-1 infected patients is reported to be high. Whether this is a result of active HIV-related neurodegeneration is unclear. We examined axonal injury in HIV-1 patients by measuring the light subunit of neurofilament protein (NFL in CSF with a novel, sensitive method.With a cross-sectional design, CSF concentrations of neurofilament protein light (NFL (marker of neuronal injury, neopterin (intrathecal immunoactivation and CSF/Plasma albumin ratio (blood-brain barrier integrity were analyzed on CSF from 252 HIV-infected patients, subdivided into untreated neuroasymptomatics (n = 200, HIV-associated dementia (HAD (n = 14 and on combinations antiretroviral treatment (cART (n = 85, and healthy controls (n = 204. 46 HIV-infected patients were included in both treated and untreated groups, but sampled at different timepoints. Furthermore, 78 neuroasymptomatic patients were analyzed before and after treatment initiation.While HAD patients had the highest NFL concentrations, elevated CSF NFL was also found in 33% of untreated neuroasymptomatic patients, mainly in those with blood CD4+ cell counts below 250 cells/μL. CSF NFL concentrations in the untreated neuroasymptomatics and treated groups were equivalent to controls 18.5 and 3.9 years older, respectively. Neopterin correlated with NFL levels in untreated groups while the albumin ratio correlated with NFL in both untreated and treated groups.Increased CSF NFL indicates ongoing axonal injury in many neuroasymptomatic patients. Treatment decreases NFL, but treated patients retain higher levels than controls, indicating either continued virus-related injury or an aging-like effect of HIV infection. NFL correlates with neopterin and albumin ratio, suggesting an association between axonal injury, neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier permeability. NFL appears to be a sensitive biomarker of subclinical and clinical brain injury in HIV and warrants further

  12. Analysis of the Phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific CD4+ T Cells to Discriminate Latent from Active Tuberculosis in HIV-Uninfected and HIV-Infected Individuals

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    Catherine Riou

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Several immune-based assays have been suggested to differentiate latent from active tuberculosis (TB. However, their relative performance as well as their efficacy in HIV-infected persons, a highly at-risk population, remains unclear. In a study of 81 individuals, divided into four groups based on their HIV-1 status and TB disease activity, we compared the differentiation (CD27 and KLRG1, activation (HLA-DR, homing potential (CCR4, CCR6, CXCR3, and CD161 and functional profiles (IFNγ, IL-2, and TNFα of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb-specific CD4+ T cells using flow cytometry. Active TB disease induced major changes within the Mtb-responding CD4+ T cell population, promoting memory maturation, elevated activation and increased inflammatory potential when compared to individuals with latent TB infection. Moreover, the functional profile of Mtb-specific CD4+ T cells appeared to be inherently related to their degree of differentiation. While these specific cell features were all capable of discriminating latent from active TB, irrespective of HIV status, HLA-DR expression showed the best performance for TB diagnosis [area-under-the-curve (AUC = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.82–1.01, specificity: 82%, sensitivity: 84% for HIV− and AUC = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–1.01, specificity: 94%, sensitivity: 93% for HIV+]. In conclusion, these data support the idea that analysis of T cell phenotype can be diagnostically useful in TB.

  13. Anti-HIV activity in cervical-vaginal secretions from HIV-positive and -negative women correlate with innate antimicrobial levels and IgG antibodies.

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    Mimi Ghosh

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the impact of antimicrobials in cervicovaginal lavage (CVL from HIV(+ and HIV(- women on target cell infection with HIV. Since female reproductive tract (FRT secretions contain a spectrum of antimicrobials, we hypothesized that CVL from healthy HIV(+ and (- women inhibit HIV infection.CVL from 32 HIV(+ healthy women with high CD4 counts and 15 healthy HIV(- women were collected by gently washing the cervicovaginal area with 10 ml of sterile normal saline. Following centrifugation, anti-HIV activity in CVL was determined by incubating CVL with HIV prior to addition to TZM-bl cells. Antimicrobials and anti-gp160 HIV IgG antibodies were measured by ELISA. When CXCR4 and CCR5 tropic HIV-1 were incubated with CVL from HIV(+ women prior to addition to TZM-bl cells, anti-HIV activity in CVL ranged from none to 100% inhibition depending on the viral strains used. CVL from HIV(- controls showed comparable anti-HIV activity. Analysis of CH077.c (clone of an R5-tropic, mucosally-transmitted founder virus viral inhibition by CVL was comparable to laboratory strains. Measurement of CVL for antimicrobials HBD2, trappin-2/elafin, SLPI and MIP3alpha indicated that each was present in CVL from HIV(+ and HIV(- women. HBD2 and MIP3alpha correlated with anti-HIV activity as did anti-gp160 HIV IgG antibodies in CVL from HIV(+ women.These findings indicate that CVL from healthy HIV(+ and HIV(- women contain innate and adaptive defense mechanisms that inhibit HIV infection. Our data suggest that innate endogenous antimicrobials and HIV-specific IgG in the FRT can act in concert to contribute toward the anti-HIV activity of the CVL and may play a role in inhibition of HIV transmission to women.

  14. HIV-1 genetic diversity and its distribution characteristics among newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals in Hebei province, China.

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    Lu, Xinli; Zhao, Cuiying; Wang, Wei; Nie, Chenxi; Zhang, Yuqi; Zhao, Hongru; Chen, Suliang; Cui, Ze

    2016-01-01

    Since the first HIV-1 case in 1989, Hebei province has presented a clearly rising trend of HIV-1 prevalence, and HIV-1 genetic diversity has become the vital barrier to HIV prevention and control in this area. To obtain detailed information of HIV-1 spread in different populations and in different areas of Hebei, a cross-sectional HIV-1 molecular epidemiological investigation was performed across the province. Blood samples of 154 newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals were collected from ten prefectures in Hebei using stratified sampling. Partial gag and env genes were amplified and sequenced. HIV-1 genotypes were identified by phylogenetic tree analyses. Among the 139 subjects genotyped, six HIV-1 subtypes were identified successfully, including subtype B (41.0 %), CRF01_AE (40.3 %), CRF07_BC (11.5 %), CRF08_BC (4.3 %), unique recombinant forms (URFs) (1.4 %) and subtype C (1.4 %). Subtype B was identified as the most frequent subtype. Two URF recombination patterns were the same as CRF01_AE/B. HIV-1 genotype distribution showed a significant statistical difference in different demographic characteristics, such as source (P  0.05). The differences in HIV-1 genotype distribution were closely associated with transmission routes. Particularly, all six subtype strains were found in heterosexuals, showing that HIV-1 has spread from the high-risk populations to the general populations in Hebei, China. In addition, CRF01_AE instead of subtype B has become the major strain of HIV-1 infection among homosexuals. Our study revealed HIV-1 evolution and genotype distribution by investigating newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals in Hebei, China. This study provides important information to enhance the strategic plan for HIV prevention and control in China.

  15. Zidovudine for the prevention of vertical HIV transmission: a decision analytic approach.

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    Rouse, D J; Owen, J; Goldenberg, R L; Vermund, S H

    1995-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to quantify the benefits of maternal-neonatal zidovudine (ZDV) administration for the prevention of vertical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission against the potential risks of drug-induced complications in uninfected children. A decision analysis model was created with use of a Markov cohort simulation, for evaluating both survival and quality of life for two hypothetical cohorts of HIV-exposed neonates: one with in utero and neonatal exposure to preventive ZDV therapy and the other not exposed. The model included the probability of congenital HIV infection with and without ZDV treatment (estimates derived from AIDS Clinical Trials Group study 076), the yearly probability of death with and without congenital HIV infection, a range of probabilities of adverse effects from ZDV use, and a range of ages in life when any adverse effect would manifest. In a series of scenarios, the impact of different estimates for the quality-of-life decrement from any adverse ZDV effect in HIV-uninfected children was assessed, and threshold values for this estimate were established, i.e., critical values below which withholding ZDV would be the preferred choice. Across a wide range of estimates for multiple contingencies, ZDV use was associated with a greater number of quality-adjusted life years than was non-use. Only in implausible, pessimistic scenarios (i.e., a high incidence of profound adverse effects beginning early in life) would withholding ZDV be the rational choice for an asymptomatic HIV-infected pregnant woman.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  16. Reevaluation of immune activation in the era of cART and an aging HIV-infected population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Armas, Lesley R; Pallikkuth, Suresh; George, Varghese; Rinaldi, Stefano; Pahwa, Rajendra; Arheart, Kristopher L; Pahwa, Savita

    2017-10-19

    Biological aging is associated with immune activation (IA) and declining immunity due to systemic inflammation. It is widely accepted that HIV infection causes persistent IA and premature immune senescence despite effective antiretroviral therapy and virologic suppression; however, the effects of combined HIV infection and aging are not well defined. Here, we assessed the relationship between markers of IA and inflammation during biological aging in HIV-infected and -uninfected populations. Antibody response to seasonal influenza vaccination was implemented as a measure of immune competence and relationships between IA, inflammation, and antibody responses were explored using statistical modeling appropriate for integrating high-dimensional data sets. Our results show that markers of IA, such as coexpression of HLA antigen D related (HLA-DR) and CD38 on CD4+ T cells, exhibit strong associations with HIV infection but not with biological age. Certain variables that showed a strong relationship with aging, such as declining naive and CD38+ CD4 and CD8+ T cells, did so regardless of HIV infection. Interestingly, the variable of biological age was not identified in a predictive model as significantly impacting vaccine responses in either group, while distinct IA and inflammatory variables were closely associated with vaccine response in HIV-infected and -uninfected populations. These findings shed light on the most relevant and persistent immune defects during virological suppression with antiretroviral therapy.

  17. Yellow fever vaccine for patients with HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barte, Hilary; Horvath, Tara H; Rutherford, George W

    2014-01-23

    Yellow fever (YF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease prevalent in tropical Africa and Latin America. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 200,000 cases of YF and 30,000 deaths worldwide annually. Treatment for YF is supportive, but a live attenuated virus vaccine is effective for preventing infection. WHO recommends immunisation for all individuals > 9 months living in countries or areas at risk. However, the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) advises that YF vaccine is contraindicated in individuals with HIV. Given the large populations of HIV-infected individuals living in tropical areas where YF is endemic, YF vaccine may be an important intervention for preventing YF in immunocompromised populations. To assess the risk and benefits of YF immunisation for people infected with HIV. We used standard Cochrane methods to search electronic databases and conference proceedings with relevant search terms without limits to language. Randomised controlled trials and cohort studies of individuals with HIV infection who received YF vaccine (17DD or 17D-204). Two authors screened abstracts of references identified by electronic or bibliographic searches according to inclusion and exclusion criteria as detailed in the protocol. We identified 199 references and examined 19 in detail for study eligibility. Data were abstracted independently using a standardised abstraction form. Three cohort studies were included in the review. They examined 484 patients with HIV infection who received YF immunisation. Patients with HIV infection developed significantly lower concentrations of neutralising antibodies in the first year post immunisation compared to uninfected patients, though decay patterns were similar for recipients regardless of HIV infection. No study patient with HIV infection suffered serious adverse events as a result of YF vaccination. YF vaccination can produce protective levels of neutralising antibodies in

  18. Generationing, Stealthing, and Gift Giving: The Intentional Transmission of HIV by HIV-Positive Men to their HIV-Negative Sex Partners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Hugh

    2014-11-06

    Gift giving is the process by which an HIV-positive person purposely infects an HIV-negative person with HIV, usually with that person's knowledge and consent. Little has been written about this HIV transmission practice. In this paper, two specific types of gift giving - generationing and stealthing - are explained and introduced to the scientific literature. Generationing is a type of gift giving in which one gift giver successfully infects a previously-uninfected man with HIV, and then the two men collaborate in an effort to seroconvert another man, and so forth. Stealthing is another type of gift giving in which an HIV-positive man actively tries to infect an HIV-negative man with HIV, without the latter's knowledge or consent. The present study reports on the prevalence of gift giving (4.6%) in a population of men who use the Internet specifically to identify partners for unprotected sex. The research is based on a national random sample of 332 men who have sex with men, identified from 16 websites. Data were collected via telephone interviews conducted between January 2008 and May 2009. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for HIV prevention and intervention efforts. Most notably, to the extent that generationing, stealthing, and gift giving occur among MSM, they represent a very high risk of HIV transmission. More work needs to be done to understand these behaviors, the factors that underlie them, and to determine how prevalent they are in the bare-backing population of MSM.

  19. The performance of children prenatally exposed to HIV on the A-not-B Task in Kilifi, Kenya : A preliminary study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abubakar, A.; Holding, P.; van Baar, A.L.; Newton, C.R.J.C.; van de Vijver, F.J.R.; Espy, K.A.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate early executive functioning in young children from 6–35 months of age. The study involved 319 randomly selected children from the community, 17 HIV exposed but uninfected children and 31 HIV infected ARV-naive children. A variation of the A-not-B task was

  20. Emphysema and soluble CD14 are associated with pulmonary nodules in HIV-infected patients: implications for lung cancer screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triplette, Matthew; Sigel, Keith M; Morris, Alison; Shahrir, Shahida; Wisnivesky, Juan P; Kong, Chung Y; Diaz, Phillip T; Petraglia, Alycia; Crothers, Kristina

    2017-07-31

    Lung cancer screening may benefit HIV-infected (HIV) smokers because of an elevated risk of lung cancer, but may have unique harms because of HIV-specific risk factors for false-positive screens. This study seeks to understand whether inflammatory biomarkers and markers of chronic lung disease are associated with noncalcified nodules at least 4 mm (NCN) in HIV compared with uninfected patients. This is a cohort study of Examinations of HIV-Associated Lung Emphysema (EXHALE), including 158 HIV and 133 HIV-uninfected participants. Participants underwent a laboratory assessment [including measurement of D-dimer, interleukin 6, and soluble CD14 (sCD14)], chest computed tomography (CT), and pulmonary function testing. We created multivariable logistic regression models to determine predictors of NCN in the participants stratified by HIV status, with attention to semiqualitative scoring of radiographic emphysema, markers of pulmonary function, and inflammatory biomarkers. Of the 291 participants, 69 had NCN on chest CT. As previously reported, there was no difference in prevalence of these nodules by HIV status. Emphysema and elevated sCD14 demonstrated an association with NCN in HIV participants independent of smoking status, CD4 cell count, HIV viral load, and pulmonary function. Emphysema and sCD14, a marker of immune activation, was associated with a higher prevalence of NCN on chest CT in HIV participants. Patients with chronic immune activation and emphysema may be at higher risk for both false-positive findings and incident lung cancer, thus screening in this group requires further study to understand the balance of benefits and harms.

  1. Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Associated Mortality in HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    OʼNeill, Tyler J; Nguemo, Joseph D; Tynan, Anne-Marie; Burchell, Ann N; Antoniou, Tony

    2017-08-01

    As people with HIV live longer, the numbers of colorectal cancer cases are expected to increase. We sought to compare the colorectal cancer incidence and cause-specific mortality among people living with and without HIV. Systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched 5 electronic databases up to June 28, 2016, for primary studies reporting standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), standardized mortality ratios (SMRs)/hazard ratios or data sufficient for estimating these summary measures. We performed a random effects pooled analysis to estimate SIR and SMR of colorectal cancer in HIV. Of 8110 articles, we included 27 studies from North America (n = 18), Europe (n = 7), the Pacific region (n = 4), and South America (n = 1). Overall, 1660 cases of colorectal cancer and colon cancer (excluding rectal cancer) occurred among 1,696,070 persons with HIV. In pooled analysis, we found no summary risk of malignancy among those with HIV relative to an uninfected population (SIR 1.00; 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 1.22; I = 89.2%). Colorectal cancer-specific mortality was higher among people with HIV but did not reach statistical significance (SMR 2.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.00 to 4.40; I = 85.0%). Rates of colorectal cancer are similar between people with and without HIV. Existing screening guidelines are likely adequate for people with HIV.

  2. Biomedical Approaches to HIV Prevention in Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heumann, Christine L

    2018-04-17

    Effective HIV prevention techniques for women are of critical importance, as nearly half of all HIV infections globally are in women. This article reviews the recent literature on biomedical approaches to HIV prevention in women. In trials in which women were adherent to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), PrEP was equally efficacious in men and women. However, in studies of oral PrEP exclusively in women, adherence was low, and it was not efficacious. In trials of topical PrEP, including vaginal tenofovir gel and the monthly dapivirine ring, efficacy was also dependent upon adherence. Treatment as prevention (TasP) is a very effective HIV prevention strategy, though limited in that it is not controlled by the HIV-uninfected partner. Adherence is an important factor in the efficacy of biomedical interventions for HIV prevention in women; continued research is needed to identify the most efficacious and acceptable agents for women. Oral PrEP is currently recommended for the following groups of HIV-negative women: heterosexual women in ongoing sexual relationships with a partner infected with or at substantial risk of HIV infection and women who inject drugs and share injection or drug preparation equipment.

  3. Selective elimination of HIV-1-infected cells by Env-directed, HIV-1-based virus-like particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peretti, Silvia; Schiavoni, Ilaria; Pugliese, Katherina; Federico, Maurizio

    2006-01-01

    We recently showed that both replicating and resting cells cultivated with ganciclovir (GCV) were killed when challenged with vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein pseudotyped HIV-1-based virus-like particles (VLPs) carrying the Nef7 (i.e., an HIV-1 Nef mutant incorporating in virions at high levels)/herpes simplex virus-1 thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) fusion product. On this basis, a novel anti-HIV therapeutic approach based on Nef7/TK VLPs expressing X4 or R5 HIV cell receptor complexes has been attempted. We here report that (CD4-CXCR4) and (CD4-CCR5) Nef7-based VLPs efficiently enter cells infected by X4- or R5-tropic HIV-1 strains, respectively. Importantly, the delivery of the VLP-associated Nef7/TK led to cell death upon GCV treatment. Of interest, VLPs were effective also against non-replicating, HIV-1-infected primary human monocyte-derived macrophages. HIV-targeted VLPs represent a promising candidate for the treatment of persistently HIV-1-infected cells that are part of virus reservoirs resistant to HAART therapies

  4. IN VITRO STUDIES ON HEME OXYGENASE-1 AND P24 ANTIGEN HIV-1 LEVEL AFTERHYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENTOFHIV-1 INFECTED ON PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS (PBMCS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budiarti, Retno; Kuntaman; Nasronudin; Suryokusumo; Khairunisa, Siti Qamariyah

    2018-01-01

    Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a protein secreted by immune cells as a part of immune response mechanism.HO-1 can be induced by variety agents that causingoxidative stress, such as exposure to 100% oxygenat2,4 ATA pressure.It plays a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis.This study was conducted to identify the effect of hyperbaric oxygen exposure in cultured ofPBMCthat infected by HIV-1. Primary culture of PBMCs were isolated from 16 healthy volunteers and HIV-1 infected MT4 cell line by co-culture. The PBMCs were aliquoted into two wells as control group and treatment group. The 16 samples of HIV-1 infected PBMCwere exposed to oxygen at 2,4 ATA in animal hyperbaric chamber forthree times in 30 minutes periods with 5 minutes spacing period, that called 1 session.The Treatment done on 5 sessions within 5 days. 16 samples of HIV-1 infected PMBCs that have no hyperbaric treatment became control group.The supernatant were measured the HO-1 production by ELISA andmRNA expression of HO-1 by real time PCR and the number ofantigen p24 HIV-1by ELISA. The result showed that there was no increasing of HO-1 at both mRNA level and protein level, there was a decreasing number of antigen p24 HIV-1 at the treatment group. In addition, hyperbaric exposure could not increase the expression of HO-1, more over the viral replication might be reduced by other mechanism. Hyperbaric oxygen could increases cellular adaptive response of PBMCs infected HIV-1 through increased expression of proteins that can inhibit HIV viralreplication.

  5. HIV-1-Specific IgA Monoclonal Antibodies from an HIV-1 Vaccinee Mediate Galactosylceramide Blocking and Phagocytosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Vaccine-elicited humoral immune responses comprise an array of antibody forms and specificities, with only a fraction contributing to protective host immunity. Elucidation of antibody effector functions responsible for protective immunity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acquisition is a major goal for the HIV-1 vaccine field. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an important part of the host defense against pathogens; however, little is known about the role of vaccine-elicited IgA and its capacity to mediate antiviral functions. To identify the antiviral functions of HIV-1-specific IgA elicited by vaccination, we cloned HIV-1 envelope-specific IgA monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) by memory B cell cultures from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from an RV144 vaccinee and produced two IgA clonal cell lines (HG129 and HG130) producing native, nonrecombinant IgA MAbs. The HG129 and HG130 MAbs mediated phagocytosis by monocytes, and HG129 blocked HIV-1 Env glycoprotein binding to galactosylceramide, an alternative HIV-1 receptor. These findings elucidate potential antiviral functions of vaccine-elicited HIV-1 envelope-specific IgA that may act to block HIV-1 acquisition at the portal of entry by preventing HIV-1 binding to galactosylceramide and mediating antibody Fc receptor-mediated virion phagocytosis. Furthermore, these findings highlight the complex and diverse interactions of vaccine-elicited IgA with pathogens that depend on IgA fine specificity and form (e.g., multimeric or monomeric) in the systemic circulation and mucosal compartments. IMPORTANCE Host-pathogen interactions in vivo involve numerous immune mechanisms that can lead to pathogen clearance. Understanding the nature of antiviral immune mechanisms can inform the design of efficacious HIV-1 vaccine strategies. Evidence suggests that both neutralizing and nonneutralizing antibodies can mediate some protection against HIV in animal models. Although numerous studies have characterized the

  6. APOBEC3G levels predict rates of progression to AIDS

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    Wu Hulin

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background APOBEC3G (hA3G is a newly discovered cellular factor of innate immunity that inhibits HIV replication in vitro. Whether hA3G conferrs protection against HIV in vivo is not known. To investigate the possible anti-HIV activity of hA3G in vivo, we examined hA3G mRNA abundance in primary human cells isolated from either HIV-infected or HIV-uninfected individuals, and found that hA3G mRNA levels follow a hierarchical order of long-term nonprogressors>HIV-uninfected>Progressors; and, hA3G mRNA abundance is correlated with surrogates of HIV disease progression: viral load and CD4 count. Another group later confirmed that HIV-infected subjects have lower hA3G mRNA levels than HIV-uninfected controls, but did not find correlations between hA3G mRNA levels and viral load or CD4 count. These conflicing results indicate that a more comprehensive, conclusive investigation of hA3G expression levels in various patient cohorts is urgently needed. Presentation of the hypothesis For exploring whether hA3G abundance might influence HIV disease progression, we have formulated a hypothesis that inlcudes two parts: a in vivo, the basal hA3G mRNA expression level per PBMC is a constant – with minor physiologic fluctuations – determined by host genetic and epigenetic elements in a healthy individual; and that the basal hA3G mRNA expression levels in a population follow a Normal (or Gaussian distribution; b that although HIV infects randomly, it results in more rapid disease progression in those with lower hA3G mRNA levels, and slower disease progression in those with higher hA3G mRNA levels. Testing the hypothesis This hypothesis could be tested by a straighforward set of experiments to compare the distribution of hA3G mRNA levels in HIV-uninfected healthy individuals and that in HIV-infected, antiretroviral therapy-naïve subjects who are at early and late stages of infection. Implication of the hypothesis Testing this hypothesis will have

  7. Characterization of HIV-1 gp120 antibody specificities induced in anogenital secretions of RV144 vaccine recipients after late boost immunizations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siriwat Akapirat

    Full Text Available Sexual transmission is the principal driver of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV pandemic. Understanding HIV vaccine-induced immune responses at mucosal surfaces can generate hypotheses regarding mechanisms of protection, and may influence vaccine development. The RV144 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00223080 efficacy trial showed protection against HIV infections but mucosal samples were not collected, therefore, the contribution of mucosal antibodies to preventing HIV-1 acquisition is unknown. Here, we report the generation, magnitude and persistence of antibody responses to recombinant gp120 envelope and antigens including variable one and two loop scaffold antigens (gp70V1V2 previously shown to correlate with risk in RV144. We evaluated antibody responses to gp120 A244gD and gp70V1V2 92TH023 (both CRF01_AE and Case A2 (subtype B in cervico-vaginal mucus (CVM, seminal plasma (SP and rectal secretions (RS from HIV-uninfected RV144 vaccine recipients, who were randomized to receive two late boosts of ALVAC-HIV/AIDSVAX®B/E, AIDSVAX®B/E, or ALVAC-HIV alone at 0 and 6 months. Late vaccine boosting increased IgG geometric mean titers (GMT to gp120 A244gD in AIDSVAX®B/E and ALVAC-HIV/AIDSVAX®B/E CVM (28 and 17 fold, respectively, followed by SP and RS. IgG to gp70V1V2 92TH023 increased in AIDSVAX®B/E and ALVAC-HIV/AIDSVAX®B/E CVM (11-17 fold and SP (2 fold two weeks post first boost. IgG to Case A2 was only detected in AIDSVAX®B/E and ALVAC-HIV/AIDSVAX®B/E CVM. Mucosal IgG to gp120 A244gD (CVM, SP, RS, gp70V1V2 92TH023 (CVM, SP, and Case A2 (CVM correlated with plasma IgG levels (p<0.001. Although the magnitude of IgG responses declined after boosting, anti-gp120 A244gD IgG responses in CVM persisted for 12 months post final vaccination. Further studies in localization, persistence and magnitude of envelope specific antibodies (IgG and dimeric IgA in anogenital secretions will help determine their role in preventing mucosal HIV acquisition.

  8. Identifying HIV-1 dual infections

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    Cornelissen Marion

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV is no exception to the phenomenon that a second, productive infection with another strain of the same virus is feasible. Experiments with RNA viruses have suggested that both coinfections (simultaneous infection with two strains of a virus and superinfections (second infection after a specific immune response to the first infecting strain has developed can result in increased fitness of the viral population. Concerns about dual infections with HIV are increasing. First, the frequent detection of superinfections seems to indicate that it will be difficult to develop a prophylactic vaccine. Second, HIV-1 superinfections have been associated with accelerated disease progression, although this is not true for all persons. In fact, superinfections have even been detected in persons controlling their HIV infections without antiretroviral therapy. Third, dual infections can give rise to recombinant viruses, which are increasingly found in the HIV-1 epidemic. Recombinants could have increased fitness over the parental strains, as in vitro models suggest, and could exhibit increased pathogenicity. Multiple drug resistant (MDR strains could recombine to produce a pan-resistant, transmittable virus. We will describe in this review what is presently known about super- and re-infection among ambient viral infections, as well as the first cases of HIV-1 superinfection, including HIV-1 triple infections. The clinical implications, the impact of the immune system, and the effect of anti-retroviral therapy will be covered, as will as the timing of HIV superinfection. The methods used to detect HIV-1 dual infections will be discussed in detail. To increase the likelihood of detecting a dual HIV-1 infection, pre-selection of patients can be done by serotyping, heteroduplex mobility assays (HMA, counting the degenerate base codes in the HIV-1 genotyping sequence, or surveying unexpected increases in the

  9. HIV-1 Latency in Monocytes/Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amit Kumar

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 targets CD4+ T cells and cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. HIV pathogenesis is characterized by the depletion of T lymphocytes and by the presence of a population of cells in which latency has been established called the HIV-1 reservoir. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART has significantly improved the life of HIV-1 infected patients. However, complete eradication of HIV-1 from infected individuals is not possible without targeting latent sources of infection. HIV-1 establishes latent infection in resting CD4+ T cells and findings indicate that latency can also be established in the cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. Monocyte/macrophage lineage includes among others, monocytes, macrophages and brain resident macrophages. These cells are relatively more resistant to apoptosis induced by HIV-1, thus are important stable hideouts of the virus. Much effort has been made in the direction of eliminating HIV-1 resting CD4+ T-cell reservoirs. However, it is impossible to achieve a cure for HIV-1 without considering these neglected latent reservoirs, the cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. In this review we will describe our current understanding of the mechanism of latency in monocyte/macrophage lineage and how such cells can be specifically eliminated from the infected host.

  10. The Impact of Couple HIV Testing and Counseling on Consistent Condom Use Among Pregnant Women and Their Male Partners: An Observational Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Nora E; Graybill, Lauren A; Wesevich, Austin; McGrath, Nuala; Golin, Carol E; Maman, Suzanne; Bhushan, Nivedita; Tsidya, Mercy; Chimndozi, Limbikani; Hoffman, Irving F; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Miller, William C

    2017-08-01

    In sub-Saharan Africa couple HIV testing and counseling (CHTC) has been associated with substantial increases in safe sex, especially when at least one partner is HIV infected. However, this relationship has not been characterized in an Option B+ context. The study was conducted at the antenatal clinic at Bwaila District Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi in 2016 under an Option B+ program. Ninety heterosexual couples with an HIV-infected pregnant woman (female-positive couples) and 47 couples with an HIV-uninfected pregnant woman (female-negative couples) were enrolled in an observational study. Each couple member was assessed immediately before and 1 month after CHTC for safe sex (abstinence or consistent condom use in the last month). Generalized estimating equations were used to model change in safe sex before and after CHTC and to compare safe sex between female-positive and female-negative couples. Mean age was 26 years among women and 32 years among men. Before CHTC, safe sex was comparable among female-positive couples (8%) and female-negative couples (2%) [risk ratio (RR): 3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.5 to 29.8]. One month after CHTC, safe sex was higher among female-positive couples (75%) than among female-negative couples (3%) (RR: 30.0, 95% CI: 4.3 to 207.7). Safe sex increased substantially after CTHC for female-positive couples (RR 9.6, 95% CI: 4.6 to 20.0), but not for female-negative couples (RR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.1 to 18.7). Engaging pregnant couples in CHTC can have prevention benefits for couples with an HIV-infected pregnant woman, but additional prevention approaches may be needed for couples with an HIV-uninfected pregnant woman.

  11. Mortality Associated With Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza Among Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women of Childbearing Age in a High-HIV-Prevalence Setting-South Africa, 1999-2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tempia, Stefano; Walaza, Sibongile; Cohen, Adam L; von Mollendorf, Claire; Moyes, Jocelyn; McAnerney, Johanna M; Cohen, Cheryl

    2015-10-01

    Information on the mortality burden associated with seasonal and pandemic influenza virus infection among pregnant women is scarce in most settings, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where pregnancy and maternal mortality rates as well as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence are elevated. We used an ecological study design to estimate the seasonal and A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza-associated mortality among pregnant and nonpregnant women of childbearing age (15-49 years) by HIV serostatus during 1999-2009 in South Africa. Mortality rates were expressed per 100 000 person-years. During 1999-2009, the estimated mean annual seasonal influenza-associated mortality rates were 12.6 (123 deaths) and 7.3 (914 deaths) among pregnant and nonpregnant women, respectively. Among pregnant women, the estimated mean annual seasonal influenza-associated mortality rates were 74.9 (109 deaths) among HIV-infected and 1.5 (14 deaths) among HIV-uninfected individuals. Among nonpregnant women, the estimated mean annual seasonal influenza-associated mortality rate was 41.2 (824 deaths) among HIV-infected and 0.9 (90 deaths) among HIV-uninfected individuals. Pregnant women experienced an increased risk of seasonal influenza-associated mortality compared with nonpregnant women (relative risk [RR], 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-3.9). In 2009, the estimated influenza A(H1N1)pdm09-associated mortality rates were 19.3 (181 deaths) and 9.4 (1189 deaths) among pregnant and nonpregnant women, respectively (RR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.3-4.1). Among women of childbearing age, the majority of estimated seasonal influenza-associated deaths occurred in HIV-infected individuals. Pregnant women experienced an increased risk of death associated with seasonal and A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza infection compared with nonpregnant women. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Development of an epitope-based HIV-1 vaccine strategy from HIV-1 lipopeptide to dendritic-based vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surenaud, Mathieu; Lacabaratz, Christine; Zurawski, Gérard; Lévy, Yves; Lelièvre, Jean-Daniel

    2017-10-01

    Development of a safe, effective and globally affordable Human Immunodeficiency Virus strain 1 (HIV-1) vaccine offers the best hope for future control of the HIV-1 pandemic. However, with the exception of the recent RV144 trial, which elicited a modest level of protection against infection, no vaccine candidate has shown efficacy in preventing HIV-1 infection or in controlling virus replication in humans. There is also a great need for a successful immunotherapeutic vaccine since combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) does not eliminate the reservoir of HIV-infected cells. But to date, no vaccine candidate has proven to significantly alter the natural history of an individual with HIV-1 infection. Areas covered: For over 25 years, the ANRS (France Recherche Nord&Sud Sida-HIV hépatites) has been committed to an original program combining basic science and clinical research developing an epitope-based vaccine strategy to induce a multiepitopic cellular response against HIV-1. This review describes the evolution of concepts, based on strategies using HIV-1 lipopeptides towards the use of dendritic cell (DC) manipulation. Expert commentary: Understanding the crucial role of DCs in immune responses allowed moving from the non-specific administration of HIV-1 sequences with lipopeptides to DC-based vaccines. These DC-targeting strategies should improve HIV-1 vaccine efficacy.

  13. HIV-1 phylogenetic analysis shows HIV-1 transits through the meninges to brain and peripheral tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamers, Susanna L; Gray, Rebecca R; Salemi, Marco; Huysentruyt, Leanne C; McGrath, Michael S

    2011-01-01

    Brain infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been investigated in many reports with a variety of conclusions concerning the time of entry and degree of viral compartmentalization. To address these diverse findings, we sequenced HIV-1 gp120 clones from a wide range of brain, peripheral and meningeal tissues from five patients who died from several HIV-1 associated disease pathologies. High-resolution phylogenetic analysis confirmed previous studies that showed a significant degree of compartmentalization in brain and peripheral tissue subpopulations. Some intermixing between the HIV-1 subpopulations was evident, especially in patients that died from pathologies other than HIV-associated dementia. Interestingly, the major tissue harboring virus from both the brain and peripheral tissues was the meninges. These results show that (1) HIV-1 is clearly capable of migrating out of the brain, (2) the meninges are the most likely primary transport tissues, and (3) infected brain macrophages comprise an important HIV reservoir during highly active antiretroviral therapy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Evaluating the Impact of Zimbabwe's Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Program: Population-Level Estimates of HIV-Free Infant Survival Pre-Option A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buzdugan, Raluca; McCoy, Sandra I; Watadzaushe, Constancia; Kang Dufour, Mi-Suk; Petersen, Maya; Dirawo, Jeffrey; Mushavi, Angela; Mujuru, Hilda Angela; Mahomva, Agnes; Musarandega, Reuben; Hakobyan, Anna; Mugurungi, Owen; Cowan, Frances M; Padian, Nancy S

    2015-01-01

    We estimated HIV-free infant survival and mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) rates in Zimbabwe, some of the first community-based estimates from a UNAIDS priority country. In 2012 we surveyed mother-infant pairs residing in the catchment areas of 157 health facilities randomly selected from 5 of 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. Enrolled infants were born 9-18 months before the survey. We collected questionnaires, blood samples for HIV testing, and verbal autopsies for deceased mothers/infants. Estimates were assessed among i) all HIV-exposed infants, as part of an impact evaluation of Option A of the 2010 WHO guidelines (rolled out in Zimbabwe in 2011), and ii) the subgroup of infants unexposed to Option A. We compared province-level MTCT rates measured among women in the community with MTCT rates measured using program monitoring data from facilities serving those communities. Among 8568 women with known HIV serostatus, 1107 (12.9%) were HIV-infected. Among all HIV-exposed infants, HIV-free infant survival was 90.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 88.7-92.7) and MTCT was 8.8% (95% CI: 6.9-11.1). Sixty-six percent of HIV-exposed infants were still breastfeeding. Among the 762 infants born before Option A was implemented, 90.5% (95% CI: 88.1-92.5) were alive and HIV-uninfected at 9-18 months of age, and 9.1% (95%CI: 7.1-11.7) were HIV-infected. In four provinces, the community-based MTCT rate was higher than the facility-based MTCT rate. In Harare, the community and facility-based rates were 6.0% and 9.1%, respectively. By 2012 Zimbabwe had made substantial progress towards the elimination of MTCT. Our HIV-free infant survival and MTCT estimates capture HIV transmissions during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding regardless of whether or not mothers accessed health services. These estimates also provide a baseline against which to measure the impact of Option A guidelines (and subsequently Option B+).

  15. Incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus with HIV infection in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prioreschi, A; Munthali, R J; Soepnel, L; Goldstein, J A; Micklesfield, L K; Aronoff, D M; Norris, S A

    2017-03-29

    This systematic review aims to investigate the incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in patients with HIV infection in African populations. Only studies reporting data from Africa were included. A systematic search was conducted using four databases for articles referring to HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy, and T2DM in Africa. Articles were excluded if they reported data on children, animals or type 1 diabetes exclusively. Incidence of T2DM and prevalence of T2DM. Risk ratios were generated for pooled data using random effects models. Bias was assessed using an adapted Cochrane Collaboration bias assessment tool. Of 1056 references that were screened, only 20 were selected for inclusion. Seven reported the incidence of T2DM in patients with HIV infection, eight reported the prevalence of T2DM in HIV-infected versus uninfected individuals and five reported prevalence of T2DM in HIV-treated versus untreated patients. Incidence rates ranged from 4 to 59 per 1000 person years. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences between T2DM prevalence in HIV-infected individuals versus uninfected individuals (risk ratio (RR) =1.61, 95% CI 0.62 to 4.21, p=0.33), or between HIV-treated patients versus untreated patients (RR=1.38, 95% CI 0.66 to 2.87, p=0.39), and heterogeneity was high in both meta-analyses (I 2 =87% and 52%, respectively). Meta-analysis showed no association between T2DM prevalence and HIV infection or antiretroviral therapy; however, these results are limited by the high heterogeneity of the included studies and moderate-to-high risk of bias, as well as, the small number of studies included. There is a need for well-designed prospective longitudinal studies with larger population sizes to better assess incidence and prevalence of T2DM in African patients with HIV. Furthermore, screening for T2DM using gold standard methods in this population is necessary. PROSPERO42016038689. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For

  16. Stakeholder Engagement in HIV Cure Research: Lessons Learned from Other HIV Interventions and the Way Forward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Ying-Ru; Chu, Carissa; Ananworanich, Jintanat; Excler, Jean-Louis; Tucker, Joseph D

    2015-07-01

    Clinical and basic science advances have raised considerable hope for achieving an HIV cure by accelerating research. This research is dominated primarily by issues about the nature and design of current and future clinical trials. Stakeholder engagement for HIV cure remains in its early stages. Our analysis examines timing and mechanisms of historical stakeholder engagement in other HIV research areas for HIV-uninfected individuals [vaccine development and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)], and HIV-infected individuals (treatment as prevention, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and treatment of acute HIV infection) and articulate a plan for HIV cure stakeholder engagement. The experience from HIV vaccine development shows that early engagement of stakeholders helped manage expectations, mitigating the failure of several vaccine trials, while paving the way for subsequent trials. The relatively late engagement of HIV stakeholders in PrEP research may partly explain some of the implementation challenges. The treatment-related stakeholder engagement was strong and community-led from the onset and helped translation from research to implementation. We outline five steps to initiate and sustain stakeholder engagement in HIV cure research and conclude that stakeholder engagement represents a key investment in which stakeholders mutually agree to share knowledge, benefits, and risk of failure. Effective stakeholder engagement prevents misconceptions. As HIV cure research advances from early trials involving subjects with generally favorable prognosis to studies involving greater risk and uncertainty, success may depend on early and deliberate engagement of stakeholders.

  17. CD4+ T follicular helper and IgA+ B cell numbers in gut biopsies from HIV-infected subjects on antiretroviral therapy are comparable to HIV-uninfected individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Zaunders

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Disruption of gastrointestinal tract epithelial and immune barriers contribute to microbial translocation, systemic inflammation and progression of HIV-1 infection. Antiretroviral therapy (ART may lead to reconstitution of CD4+ T cells in gastrointestinal-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT, but its impact on humoral immunity within GALT is unclear. Therefore we studied CD4+ subsets, including T follicular helper cells (Tfh, as well as resident B cells that have switched to IgA production, in gut biopsies, from HIV+ subjects on suppressive ART, compared to HIV-negative controls.Methods: 23 HIV+ subjects on ART and 22 HIV-negative controls (HNC undergoing colonoscopy were recruited to the study. Single cell suspensions were prepared from biopsies from left colon (LC, right colon (RC and terminal ileum (TI. T and B lymphocyte subsets, as well as EpCAM+ epithelial cells, were accurately enumerated by flow cytometry, using counting beads. Results: No significant differences in the number of recovered epithelial cells were observed between the two subject groups. However, the median TI CD4+ T cell count/106 epithelial cells was 2.4-fold lower in HIV+ subjects versus HNC (19,679 vs 47,504 cells; p=0.02. Similarly, median LC CD4+ T cell counts were reduced in HIV+ subjects (8,358 vs 18,577; p=0.03, but were not reduced in RC. Importantly, we found no significant differences in Tfh or IgA+ B cell counts at either site between HIV+ subjects and HNC. Further analysis showed no difference in CD4+, Tfh or IgA+ B cell counts between subjects who commenced ART in primary compared to chronic HIV-1 infection. Despite the decrease in total CD4 T cells, we could not identify a selective decrease of other key subsets of CD4+ T cells, including: CCR5+ cells; CD127+ long-term memory cells; CD103+ tissue resident cells; or CD161+ cells (surrogate marker for Th17, but there was a slight increase in the proportion of T regulatory cells. Conclusion: While there

  18. Contextual, experiential, and behavioral risk factors associated with HIV status: a descriptive analysis of transgender women residing in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar, Laura F; Crosby, Richard A; Jones, Jamal; Kota, Krishna; Hill, Brandon; Masyn, Katherine E

    2017-10-01

    This study assessed the prevalence of self-reported HIV infection among a community sample of transgender women and identified associated contextual, experiential, and behavioral factors. Ninety-two transgender women completed a self-administered interview. Recruitment occurred through an LGBT service organization, a transgender support group, transgender advocates, and informal communications. Eighty-two percent were African American/Black. Of 83 who knew their status, 60% reported being HIV infected. High rates of childhood sexual abuse (52%), rape (53%), intimate partner violence (56%), and incarceration (57%) were reported. Many did not have health insurance (53%), were not employed full-time nor in school (63%) and had been recently homeless (49%). HIV-infected transgender women as compared to HIV-uninfected transgender women were more likely to be African American/Black ( P = 0.04), and older than 34 years ( P = 0.01), unemployed/not in school ( P transgender women also experienced less trans-related discrimination ( P = 0.03), perceived less negative psychosocial impact due to trans status ( P = 0.04) and had greater happiness with their physical appearance ( P = 0.01). HIV-infected transgender women may experience relatively less trans-related stress compared to their HIV-uninfected counterparts. High rates of HIV, trauma, and social marginalization raise concerns for this population and warrant the development of structural and policy-informed interventions.

  19. Type and severity of intimate partner violence and its relationship with PTSD in HIV-infected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansrod, Fatima; Spies, Georgina; Seedat, Soraya

    2015-01-01

    HIV has an impact on the presence and severity of both intimate partner violence (IPV) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in infected women. However, the relationship of type and severity of IPV with PTSD in this population has not been adequately explored. We focus on the association between the type and severity of IPV and HIV status and PTSD in a sample of South African women. One hundred and sixty-nine women (114 HIV-positive and 55 HIV-negative controls), matched for geographical area, education, and socio-economic status, were recruited from HIV clinics. Clinical and demographic data were collected, including data on childhood trauma, other traumatic life events, IPV, posttraumatic stress symptoms, problematic alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. HIV-positive women had significantly more depressive symptoms, alcohol abuse, and childhood trauma exposure as well as significantly higher rates of PTSD (25.4%) when compared with uninfected women (10.9%). No significant group differences in the rate, pattern, and severity of physical, sexual, psychological, injury, and negotiation IPV were found. In logistic regression analysis, the rate and severity category of IPV did not significantly predict PTSD in HIV-positive women when childhood trauma and life events were controlled for. Our results indicate the need for screening for alcohol abuse, PTSD and depressive symptoms at HIV wellness, and ARV clinics. The high rates of PTSD in HIV-positive women indicate the need for specialized programs to manage PTSD and minimize negative sequelae in this population. These results also highlight the need for improved screening and prevention of childhood trauma and IPV both in infected and uninfected women.

  20. The effect of HIV infection and HCV viremia on inflammatory mediators and hepatic injury-The Women's Interagency HIV Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheila M Keating

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus infection induces inflammation and while it is believed that HIV co-infection enhances this response, HIV control may reduce inflammation and liver fibrosis in resolved or viremic HCV infection. Measurement of systemic biomarkers in co-infection could help define the mechanism of inflammation on fibrosis and determine if HIV control reduces liver pathology. A nested case-control study was performed to explore the relationship of systemic biomarkers of inflammation with liver fibrosis in HCV viremic and/or seropositive women with and without HIV infection. Serum cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and cell adhesion molecules were measured in HIV uninfected (HIV-, n = 18, ART-treated HIV-controlled (ARTc, n = 20, uncontrolled on anti-retroviral therapy (ARTuc, n = 21 and elite HIV controllers (Elite, n = 20. All were HCV seroreactive and had either resolved (HCV RNA-; <50IU/mL or had chronic HCV infection (HCV RNA+. In HCV and HIV groups, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio (APRI was measured and compared to serum cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and cell adhesion molecules. APRI correlated with sVCAM, sICAM, IL-10, and IP-10 levels and inversely correlated with EGF, IL-17, TGF-α and MMP-9 levels. Collectively, all HCV RNA+ subjects had higher sVCAM, sICAM and IP-10 compared to HCV RNA-. In the ART-treated HCV RNA+ groups, TNF-α, GRO, IP-10, MCP-1 and MDC were higher than HIV-, Elite or both. In ARTuc, FGF-2, MPO, soluble E-selectin, MMP-9, IL-17, GM-CSF and TGF-α are lower than HIV-, Elite or both. Differential expression of soluble markers may reveal mechanisms of pathogenesis or possibly reduction of fibrosis in HCV/HIV co-infection.

  1. Evaluating the Impact of Zimbabwe’s Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Program: Population-Level Estimates of HIV-Free Infant Survival Pre-Option A

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buzdugan, Raluca; McCoy, Sandra I.; Watadzaushe, Constancia; Kang Dufour, Mi-Suk; Petersen, Maya; Dirawo, Jeffrey; Mushavi, Angela; Mujuru, Hilda Angela; Mahomva, Agnes; Musarandega, Reuben; Hakobyan, Anna; Mugurungi, Owen; Cowan, Frances M.; Padian, Nancy S.

    2015-01-01

    Objective We estimated HIV-free infant survival and mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) rates in Zimbabwe, some of the first community-based estimates from a UNAIDS priority country. Methods In 2012 we surveyed mother-infant pairs residing in the catchment areas of 157 health facilities randomly selected from 5 of 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. Enrolled infants were born 9–18 months before the survey. We collected questionnaires, blood samples for HIV testing, and verbal autopsies for deceased mothers/infants. Estimates were assessed among i) all HIV-exposed infants, as part of an impact evaluation of Option A of the 2010 WHO guidelines (rolled out in Zimbabwe in 2011), and ii) the subgroup of infants unexposed to Option A. We compared province-level MTCT rates measured among women in the community with MTCT rates measured using program monitoring data from facilities serving those communities. Findings Among 8568 women with known HIV serostatus, 1107 (12.9%) were HIV-infected. Among all HIV-exposed infants, HIV-free infant survival was 90.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 88.7–92.7) and MTCT was 8.8% (95% CI: 6.9–11.1). Sixty-six percent of HIV-exposed infants were still breastfeeding. Among the 762 infants born before Option A was implemented, 90.5% (95% CI: 88.1–92.5) were alive and HIV-uninfected at 9–18 months of age, and 9.1% (95%CI: 7.1–11.7) were HIV-infected. In four provinces, the community-based MTCT rate was higher than the facility-based MTCT rate. In Harare, the community and facility-based rates were 6.0% and 9.1%, respectively. Conclusion By 2012 Zimbabwe had made substantial progress towards the elimination of MTCT. Our HIV-free infant survival and MTCT estimates capture HIV transmissions during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding regardless of whether or not mothers accessed health services. These estimates also provide a baseline against which to measure the impact of Option A guidelines (and subsequently Option B+). PMID:26248197

  2. Nup153 and Nup98 bind the HIV-1 core and contribute to the early steps of HIV-1 replication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Di Nunzio, Francesca, E-mail: francesca.di-nunzio@pasteur.fr [Molecular Virology and Vaccinology unit, CNRS URA 3015, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris (France); Fricke, Thomas [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, NY 10461 (United States); Miccio, Annarita [University of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Centro di Medicina Rigenerativa, Modena (Italy); Valle-Casuso, Jose Carlos; Perez, Patricio [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, NY 10461 (United States); Souque, Philippe [Molecular Virology and Vaccinology unit, CNRS URA 3015, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris (France); Rizzi, Ermanno; Severgnini, Marco [Institute of Biomedical Technologies, CNR, Milano (Italy); Mavilio, Fulvio [University of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Centro di Medicina Rigenerativa, Modena (Italy); Genethon, Evry (France); Charneau, Pierre [Molecular Virology and Vaccinology unit, CNRS URA 3015, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris (France); Diaz-Griffero, Felipe, E-mail: felipe.diaz-griffero@einstein.yu.edu [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, NY 10461 (United States)

    2013-05-25

    The early steps of HIV-1 replication involve the entry of HIV-1 into the nucleus, which is characterized by viral interactions with nuclear pore components. HIV-1 developed an evolutionary strategy to usurp the nuclear pore machinery and chromatin in order to integrate and efficiently express viral genes. In the current work, we studied the role of nucleoporins 153 and 98 (Nup153 and Nup98) in infection of human Jurkat lymphocytes by HIV-1. We showed that Nup153-depleted cells exhibited a defect in nuclear import, while depletion of Nup 98 caused a slight defect in HIV integration. To explore the biochemical viral determinants for the requirement of Nup153 and Nup98 during HIV-1 infection, we tested the ability of these nucleoporins to interact with HIV-1 cores. Our findings showed that both nucleoporins bind HIV-1 cores suggesting that this interaction is important for HIV-1 nuclear import and/or integration. Distribution analysis of integration sites in Nup153-depleted cells revealed a reduced tendency of HIV-1 to integrate in intragenic sites, which in part could account for the large infectivity defect observed in Nup153-depleted cells. Our work strongly supports a role for Nup153 in HIV-1 nuclear import and integration. - Highlights: ► We studied the role of Nup98 and Nup153 in HIV-1 infection. ► Nup98 binds the HIV-1 core and is involved in HIV-1 integration. ► Nup153 binds the HIV-1 core and is involved in HIV-1 nuclear import. ► Depletion of Nup153 decreased the integration of HIV-1 in transcriptionally active sites.

  3. Nup153 and Nup98 bind the HIV-1 core and contribute to the early steps of HIV-1 replication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Di Nunzio, Francesca; Fricke, Thomas; Miccio, Annarita; Valle-Casuso, Jose Carlos; Perez, Patricio; Souque, Philippe; Rizzi, Ermanno; Severgnini, Marco; Mavilio, Fulvio; Charneau, Pierre; Diaz-Griffero, Felipe

    2013-01-01

    The early steps of HIV-1 replication involve the entry of HIV-1 into the nucleus, which is characterized by viral interactions with nuclear pore components. HIV-1 developed an evolutionary strategy to usurp the nuclear pore machinery and chromatin in order to integrate and efficiently express viral genes. In the current work, we studied the role of nucleoporins 153 and 98 (Nup153 and Nup98) in infection of human Jurkat lymphocytes by HIV-1. We showed that Nup153-depleted cells exhibited a defect in nuclear import, while depletion of Nup 98 caused a slight defect in HIV integration. To explore the biochemical viral determinants for the requirement of Nup153 and Nup98 during HIV-1 infection, we tested the ability of these nucleoporins to interact with HIV-1 cores. Our findings showed that both nucleoporins bind HIV-1 cores suggesting that this interaction is important for HIV-1 nuclear import and/or integration. Distribution analysis of integration sites in Nup153-depleted cells revealed a reduced tendency of HIV-1 to integrate in intragenic sites, which in part could account for the large infectivity defect observed in Nup153-depleted cells. Our work strongly supports a role for Nup153 in HIV-1 nuclear import and integration. - Highlights: ► We studied the role of Nup98 and Nup153 in HIV-1 infection. ► Nup98 binds the HIV-1 core and is involved in HIV-1 integration. ► Nup153 binds the HIV-1 core and is involved in HIV-1 nuclear import. ► Depletion of Nup153 decreased the integration of HIV-1 in transcriptionally active sites

  4. Anti-HIV-1 activity of flavonoid myricetin on HIV-1 infection in a dual-chamber in vitro model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvana Pasetto

    Full Text Available HIV infection by sexual transmission remains an enormous global health concern. More than 1 million new infections among women occur annually. Microbicides represent a promising prevention strategy that women can easily control. Among emerging therapies, natural small molecules such as flavonoids are an important source of new active substances. In this study we report the in vitro cytotoxicity and anti-HIV-1 and microbicide activity of the following flavonoids: Myricetin, Quercetin and Pinocembrin. Cytotoxicity tests were conducted on TZM-bl, HeLa, PBMC, and H9 cell cultures using 0.01-100 µM concentrations. Myricetin presented the lowest toxic effect, with Quercetin and Pinocembrin relatively more toxic. The anti-HIV-1 activity was tested with TZM-bl cell plus HIV-1 BaL (R5 tropic, H9 and PBMC cells plus HIV-1 MN (X4 tropic, and the dual tropic (X4R5 HIV-1 89.6. All flavonoids showed anti-HIV activity, although Myricetin was more effective than Quercetin or Pinocembrin. In TZM-bl cells, Myricetin inhibited ≥90% of HIV-1 BaL infection. The results were confirmed by quantification of HIV-1 p24 antigen in supernatant from H9 and PBMC cells following flavonoid treatment. In H9 and PBMC cells infected by HIV-1 MN and HIV-1 89.6, Myricetin showed more than 80% anti-HIV activity. Quercetin and Pinocembrin presented modest anti-HIV activity in all experiments. Myricetin activity was tested against HIV-RT and inhibited the enzyme by 49%. Microbicide activities were evaluated using a dual-chamber female genital tract model. In the in vitro microbicide activity model, Myricetin showed promising results against different strains of HIV-1 while also showing insignificant cytotoxic effects. Further studies of Myricetin should be performed to identify its molecular targets in order to provide a solid biological foundation for translational research.

  5. Determinants of Smoking and Quitting in HIV-Infected Individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Regan

    Full Text Available Cigarette smoking is widespread among HIV-infected patients, who confront increased risk of smoking-related co-morbidities. The effects of HIV infection and HIV-related variables on smoking and smoking cessation are incompletely understood. We investigated the correlates of smoking and quitting in an HIV-infected cohort using a validated natural language processor to determine smoking status.We developed and validated an algorithm using natural language processing (NLP to ascertain smoking status from electronic health record data. The algorithm was applied to records for a cohort of 3487 HIV-infected from a large health care system in Boston, USA, and 9446 uninfected control patients matched 3:1 on age, gender, race and clinical encounters. NLP was used to identify and classify smoking-related portions of free-text notes. These classifications were combined into patient-year smoking status and used to classify patients as ever versus never smokers and current smokers versus non-smokers. Generalized linear models were used to assess associations of HIV with 3 outcomes, ever smoking, current smoking, and current smoking in analyses limited to ever smokers (persistent smoking, while adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and psychiatric illness. Analyses were repeated within the HIV cohort, with the addition of CD4 cell count and HIV viral load to assess associations of these HIV-related factors with the smoking outcomes.Using the natural language processing algorithm to assign annual smoking status yielded sensitivity of 92.4, specificity of 86.2, and AUC of 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88-0.91. Ever and current smoking were more common in HIV-infected patients than controls (54% vs. 44% and 42% vs. 30%, respectively, both P<0.001. In multivariate models HIV was independently associated with ever smoking (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] 1.18, 95% CI 1.13-1.24, P <0.001, current smoking (ARR 1.33, 95% CI 1.25-1.40, P<0.001, and

  6. Whole-cell pertussis vaccine induces low antibody levels in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children living in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tejiokem, Mathurin C; Njamkepo, Elisabeth; Gouandjika, Ionela; Rousset, Dominique; Béniguel, Lydie; Bilong, Catherine; Tene, Gilbert; Penda, Ida; Ngongueu, Carine; Gody, Jean C; Guiso, Nicole; Baril, Laurence

    2009-04-01

    The WHO recommendations for the immunization of children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) differ slightly from the guidelines for uninfected children. The introduction of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected infants should considerably prolong their life expectancy. The question of the response to the whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccine should now be addressed, particularly in countries in which pertussis remains endemic. To evaluate the persistence of antibodies to the wP vaccine in HIV-infected and uninfected children who had previously received this vaccine in routine clinical practice, we conducted a cross-sectional study of children aged 18 to 36 months, born to HIV-infected mothers and living in Cameroon or the Central African Republic. We tested blood samples for antibodies to the wP vaccine and for antibodies to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (D and T, respectively) in the context of the use of a combined DTwP vaccine. We enrolled 50 HIV-infected children and 78 uninfected, HIV-exposed children in the study. A lower proportion of HIV-infected children than uninfected children had antibodies against the antigens tested for all valences of the DTwP vaccine. Agglutinin levels were substantially lower in HIV-infected than in HIV-exposed but uninfected children (30.0% versus 55.1%, respectively; P = 0.005). We also observed a high risk of low antibody levels in response to the DTwP vaccine in HIV-infected children with severe immunodeficiency (CD4 T-cell level, <25%). The concentrations of antibodies induced by the DTwP vaccine were lower in HIV-infected children than in uninfected children. This study supports the need for a booster dose of the DTwP vaccine in order to maintain high antibody levels in HIV-infected children.

  7. Cytoplasmic Dynein Promotes HIV-1 Uncoating

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    Paulina Pawlica

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Retroviral capsid (CA cores undergo uncoating during their retrograde transport (toward the nucleus, and/or after reaching the nuclear membrane. However, whether HIV-1 CA core uncoating is dependent upon its transport is not understood. There is some evidence that HIV-1 cores retrograde transport involves cytoplasmic dynein complexes translocating on microtubules. Here we investigate the role of dynein-dependent transport in HIV-1 uncoating. To interfere with dynein function, we depleted dynein heavy chain (DHC using RNA interference, and we over-expressed p50/dynamitin. In immunofluorescence microscopy experiments, DHC depletion caused an accumulation of CA foci in HIV-1 infected cells. Using a biochemical assay to monitor HIV-1 CA core disassembly in infected cells, we observed an increase in amounts of intact (pelletable CA cores upon DHC depletion or p50 over-expression. Results from these two complementary assays suggest that inhibiting dynein-mediated transport interferes with HIV-1 uncoating in infected cells, indicating the existence of a functional link between HIV-1 transport and uncoating.

  8. HIV-1 infection induces changes in expression of cellular splicing factors that regulate alternative viral splicing and virus production in macrophages

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    Purcell Damian FJ

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Macrophages are important targets and long-lived reservoirs of HIV-1, which are not cleared of infection by currently available treatments. In the primary monocyte-derived macrophage model of infection, replication is initially productive followed by a decline in virion output over ensuing weeks, coincident with a decrease in the levels of the essential viral transactivator protein Tat. We investigated two possible mechanisms in macrophages for regulation of viral replication, which appears to be primarily regulated at the level of tat mRNA: 1 differential mRNA stability, used by cells and some viruses for the rapid regulation of gene expression and 2 control of HIV-1 alternative splicing, which is essential for optimal viral replication. Results Following termination of transcription at increasing times after infection in macrophages, we found that tat mRNA did indeed decay more rapidly than rev or nef mRNA, but with similar kinetics throughout infection. In addition, tat mRNA decayed at least as rapidly in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Expression of cellular splicing factors in uninfected and infected macrophage cultures from the same donor showed an inverse pattern over time between enhancing factors (members of the SR family of RNA binding proteins and inhibitory factors (members of the hnRNP family. While levels of the SR protein SC35 were greatly up-regulated in the first week or two after infection, hnRNPs of the A/B and H groups were down-regulated. Around the peak of virus production in each culture, SC35 expression declined to levels in uninfected cells or lower, while the hnRNPs increased to control levels or above. We also found evidence for increased cytoplasmic expression of SC35 following long-term infection. Conclusion While no evidence of differential regulation of tat mRNA decay was found in macrophages following HIV-1 infection, changes in the balance of cellular splicing factors which regulate alternative

  9. Young adults perinatally infected with HIV perform more poorly on measures of executive functioning and motor speed than ethnically matched healthy controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willen, Elizabeth J; Cuadra, Anai; Arheart, Kristopher L; Post, M J D; Govind, Varan

    2017-03-01

    Perinatal HIV is associated with significant neurocognitive morbidities, but few studies have examined cognitive impact of early HIV infection on patients surviving to adulthood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate neurocognitive outcomes among a cohort of perinatally infected young adults. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 with perinatal infection were recruited for this cross-sectional study along with similarly aged healthy controls. Participants completed an MRI and brief neuropsychological assessment battery. Multivariate analysis of covariance controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and education was completed to detect differences between the HIV+ and control groups. Multivariable linear regression was performed to assess HIV-associated factors potentially impacting neuropsychological findings among the HIV+ group. Twenty-nine HIV+ young adults and 13 healthy controls were included in the study. After adjusting for age and sociodemographic variables, the HIV+ group scored lower on attention/working memory (Digit Span (p = .008) and Letter-Number Sequencing (p = .038)), set-shifting (DKEFS Trail Making Test Condition 4 (p = .026) and motor speed (DKEFS Trail Making Test Condition 5 (p = .003)). For the HIV+ group, nadir CD4 was associated with better Letter-Number Sequencing score (p = .029) and use of highly active antiretroviral therapy was associated with better performance on Category Fluency (p = .040). After controlling for sociodemographic variables, executive dysfunction persists among young adults with perinatal HIV infection in comparison to controls. Future studies to further elucidate the impact of executive dysfunction on independent living and functional outcomes are indicated.

  10. Growth of HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants in the First 6 Months of Life in South Africa: The IeDEA-SA Collaboration.

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    Erna Morden

    Full Text Available HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU infants are a growing population in sub-Saharan Africa especially with the increasing coverage of more effective prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT antiretroviral therapy regimens. This study describes the characteristics of South African HEU infants, investigates factors impacting birth weight and assesses their growth within the first 28 weeks of life.This is a retrospective cohort based on routine clinical data from two South African PMTCT programmes. Data were collected between 2007 and 2013. Linear regression assessed factors affecting birth weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ while growth (longitudinal WAZ was assessed using mixed effects models.We assessed the growth of 2621 HEU infants (median birth WAZ was -0.65 (IQR -1.46; 0.0 and 51% were male. The feeding modalities practised were as follows: 0.5% exclusive breastfeeding, 7.9% breastfeeding with unknown exclusivity, 0.08% mixed breastfeeding and 89.2% formula feeding. Mothers with CD4 <200 cells/μl delivered infants with a lower birth WAZ (adjusted ß -0.253 [95% CI -0.043; -0.072], p = 0.006 compared to mothers with aCD4 ≥500 cells/μl. Similarly, mothers who did not receive antiretroviral drugs delivered infants with a lower birth WAZ (adjusted ß -0.39 [95% CI -0.67; -0.11], p = 0.007 compared to mothers who received antenatal antiretrovirals. Infants with a birth weight <2 500g (ß 0.070 [95% CI 0.061; 0.078], p <0.0001 experienced faster growth within the first 28 weeks of life compared to infants with a birth weight ≥2 500g. Infants with any breastfeeding exposure experienced slower longitudinal growth compared to formula fed infants (adjusted ß -0.012 [95% CI 0.021; -0.003], p = 0.011.Less severe maternal disease and the use of antiretrovirals positively impacts birth weight in this cohort of South African HEU infants. Formula feeding was common with breastfed infants experiencing marginally slower longitudinal growth.

  11. Recognition of HIV-1 peptides by host CTL is related to HIV-1 similarity to human proteins.

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    Morgane Rolland

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: While human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes preferentially target specific regions of the viral proteome, HIV-1 features that contribute to immune recognition are not well understood. One hypothesis is that similarities between HIV and human proteins influence the host immune response, i.e., resemblance between viral and host peptides could preclude reactivity against certain HIV epitopes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed the extent of similarity between HIV-1 and the human proteome. Proteins from the HIV-1 B consensus sequence from 2001 were dissected into overlapping k-mers, which were then probed against a non-redundant database of the human proteome in order to identify segments of high similarity. We tested the relationship between HIV-1 similarity to host encoded peptides and immune recognition in HIV-infected individuals, and found that HIV immunogenicity could be partially modulated by the sequence similarity to the host proteome. ELISpot responses to peptides spanning the entire viral proteome evaluated in 314 individuals showed a trend indicating an inverse relationship between the similarity to the host proteome and the frequency of recognition. In addition, analysis of responses by a group of 30 HIV-infected individuals against 944 overlapping peptides representing a broad range of individual HIV-1B Nef variants, affirmed that the degree of similarity to the host was significantly lower for peptides with reactive epitopes than for those that were not recognized. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that antigenic motifs that are scarcely represented in human proteins might represent more immunogenic CTL targets not selected against in the host. This observation could provide guidance in the design of more effective HIV immunogens, as sequences devoid of host-like features might afford superior immune reactivity.

  12. No evidence of association between HIV-1 and malaria in populations with low HIV-1 prevalence.

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    Diego F Cuadros

    Full Text Available The geographic overlap between HIV-1 and malaria has generated much interest in their potential interactions. A variety of studies have evidenced a complex HIV-malaria interaction within individuals and populations that may have dramatic effects, but the causes and implications of this co-infection at the population level are still unclear. In a previous publication, we showed that the prevalence of malaria caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum is associated with HIV infection in eastern sub-Saharan Africa. To complement our knowledge of the HIV-malaria co-infection, the objective of this work was to assess the relationship between malaria and HIV prevalence in the western region of sub-Saharan Africa.Population-based cross-sectional data were obtained from the HIV/AIDS Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Liberia and Cameroon, and the malaria atlas project. Using generalized linear mixed models, we assessed the relationship between HIV-1 and Plasmodium falciparum parasite rate (PfPR adjusting for important socio-economic and biological cofactors. We found no evidence that individuals living in areas with stable malaria transmission (PfPR>0.46 have higher odds of being HIV-positive than individuals who live in areas with PfPR≤0.46 in western sub-Saharan Africa (estimated odds ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval 0.86-1.50. In contrast, the results suggested that PfPR was associated with being infected with HIV in Cameroon (estimated odds ratio 1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.23-2.00.Contrary to our previous research on eastern sub-Saharan Africa, this study did not identify an association between PfPR and infection with HIV in western sub-Saharan Africa, which suggests that malaria might not play an important role in the spread of HIV in populations where the HIV prevalence is low. Our work highlights the importance of understanding the epidemiologic effect of co-infection and the relevant

  13. Copenhagen comorbidity in HIV infection (COCOMO) study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ronit, Andreas; Haissman, Judith Melchior; Kirkegaard-Klitbo, Ditte Marie

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Modern combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has improved survival for people living with HIV (PLWHIV). Non-AIDS comorbidities have replaced opportunistic infections as leading causes of mortality and morbidity, and are becoming a key health concern as this population continues....../DESIGN: The Copenhagen comorbidity in HIV-infection (COCOMO) study is an observational, longitudinal cohort study. The study was initiated in 2015 and recruitment is ongoing with the aim of including 1500 PLWHIV from the Copenhagen area. Follow-up examinations after 2 and 10 years are planned. Uninfected controls...... (PBMC), urine, and stool samples are collected in a biobank for future studies. Data will be updated through periodical linking to national databases. DISCUSSION: As life expectancy for PLWHIV improves, it is essential to study long-term impact of HIV and cART. We anticipate that findings from...

  14. Characteristics of HIV-1 serodiscordant couples enrolled in a clinical trial of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV-1 prevention.

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    Andrew Mujugira

    Full Text Available Stable heterosexual HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Africa have high HIV-1 transmission rates and are a critical population for evaluation of new HIV-1 prevention strategies. The Partners PrEP Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of tenofovir and emtricitabine-tenofovir pre-exposure prophylaxis to decrease HIV-1 acquisition within heterosexual HIV-1 serodiscordant couples. We describe the trial design and characteristics of the study cohort.HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, in which the HIV-1 infected partner did not meet national guidelines for initiation of antiretroviral therapy, were enrolled at 9 research sites in Kenya and Uganda. The HIV-1 susceptible partner was randomized to daily oral tenofovir, emtricitabine-tenofovir, or matching placebo with monthly follow-up for 24-36 months.From July 2008 to November 2010, 7920 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples were screened and 4758 enrolled. For 62% (2966/4758 of enrolled couples, the HIV-1 susceptible partner was male. Median age was 33 years for HIV-1 susceptible and HIV-1 infected partners [IQR (28-40 and (26-39 respectively]. Most couples (98% were married, with a median duration of partnership of 7.0 years (IQR 3.0-14.0 and recent knowledge of their serodiscordant status [median 0.4 years (IQR 0.1-2.0]. During the month prior to enrollment, couples reported a median of 4 sex acts (IQR 2-8; 27% reported unprotected sex and 14% of male and 1% of female HIV-1 susceptible partners reported sex with outside partners. Among HIV-1 infected partners, the median plasma HIV-1 level was 3.94 log(10 copies/mL (IQR 3.31-4.53 and median CD4 count was 496 cells/µL (IQR 375-662; the majority (64% had WHO stage 1 HIV-1 disease.Couples at high risk of HIV-1 transmission were rapidly recruited into the Partners PrEP Study, the largest efficacy trial of oral PrEP. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00557245.

  15. Human CNS cultures exposed to HIV-1 gp120 reproduce dendritic injuries of HIV-1-associated dementia

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    Hammond Robert R

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract HIV-1-associated dementia remains a common subacute to chronic central nervous system degeneration in adult and pediatric HIV-1 infected populations. A number of viral and host factors have been implicated including the HIV-1 120 kDa envelope glycoprotein (gp120. In human post-mortem studies using confocal scanning laser microscopy for microtubule-associated protein 2 and synaptophysin, neuronal dendritic pathology correlated with dementia. In the present study, primary human CNS cultures exposed to HIV-1 gp120 at 4 weeks in vitro suffered gliosis and dendritic damage analogous to that described in association with HIV-1-associated dementia.

  16. Beneficial effect of TRAIL on HIV burden, without detectable immune consequences.

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    Brett D Shepard

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available During uncontrolled HIV disease, both TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL and TRAIL receptor expression are increased. Enhanced TRAIL sensitivity is due to TRAIL receptor up-regulation induced by gp120. As a result of successful antiretroviral therapy TRAIL is down-regulated, and there are fewer TRAIL-sensitive cells. In this setting, we hypothesized that all cells that contain virus, including those productively- and latently-infected, have necessarily been "primed" by gp120 and remain TRAIL-sensitive, whereas uninfected cells remain relatively TRAIL-resistant.We evaluated the immunologic and antiviral effects of TRAIL in peripheral blood lymphocytes collected from HIV-infected patients with suppressed viral replication. The peripheral blood lymphocytes were treated with recombinant TRAIL or an equivalent amount of bovine serum albumin as a negative control. Treated cells were then analyzed by quantitative flow cytometry, ELISPOT for CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell function, and limiting dilution microculture for viral burden. Alterations in the cytokine milieu of treated cells were assessed with a multiplex cytokine assay. Treatment with recombinant TRAIL in vitro reduced viral burden in lymphocytes collected from HIV-infected patients with suppressed viral load. TRAIL treatment did not alter the cytokine milieu of treated cells. Moreover, treatment with recombinant TRAIL had no adverse effect on either the quantity or function of immune cells from HIV-infected patients with suppressed viral replication.TRAIL treatment may be an important adjunct to antiretroviral therapy, even in patients with suppressed viral replication, perhaps by inducing apoptosis in cells with latent HIV reservoirs. The absence of adverse effect on the quantity or function of immune cells from HIV-infected patients suggests that there is not a significant level of "bystander death" in uninfected cells.

  17. Human endogenous retrovirus K Gag coassembles with HIV-1 Gag and reduces the release efficiency and infectivity of HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monde, Kazuaki; Contreras-Galindo, Rafael; Kaplan, Mark H; Markovitz, David M; Ono, Akira

    2012-10-01

    Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which are remnants of ancestral retroviruses integrated into the human genome, are defective in viral replication. Because activation of HERV-K and coexpression of this virus with HIV-1 have been observed during HIV-1 infection, it is conceivable that HERV-K could affect HIV-1 replication, either by competition or by cooperation, in cells expressing both viruses. In this study, we found that the release efficiency of HIV-1 Gag was 3-fold reduced upon overexpression of HERV-K(CON) Gag. In addition, we observed that in cells expressing Gag proteins of both viruses, HERV-K(CON) Gag colocalized with HIV-1 Gag at the plasma membrane. Furthermore, HERV-K(CON) Gag was found to coassemble with HIV-1 Gag, as demonstrated by (i) processing of HERV-K(CON) Gag by HIV-1 protease in virions, (ii) coimmunoprecipitation of virion-associated HERV-K(CON) Gag with HIV-1 Gag, and (iii) rescue of a late-domain-defective HERV-K(CON) Gag by wild-type (WT) HIV-1 Gag. Myristylation-deficient HERV-K(CON) Gag localized to nuclei, suggesting cryptic nuclear trafficking of HERV-K Gag. Notably, unlike WT HERV-K(CON) Gag, HIV-1 Gag failed to rescue myristylation-deficient HERV-K(CON) Gag to the plasma membrane. Efficient colocalization and coassembly of HIV-1 Gag and HERV-K Gag also required nucleocapsid (NC). These results provide evidence that HIV-1 Gag heteromultimerizes with HERV-K Gag at the plasma membrane, presumably through NC-RNA interaction. Intriguingly, HERV-K Gag overexpression reduced not only HIV-1 release efficiency but also HIV-1 infectivity in a myristylation- and NC-dependent manner. Altogether, these results indicate that Gag proteins of endogenous retroviruses can coassemble with HIV-1 Gag and modulate the late phase of HIV-1 replication.

  18. The importance of transmission time in HIV infections and an epidemiological prospective follow-up study for 1 year in the Marmara Region of Turkey.

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    Celik, Deniz Gozde; Yuksel, Pelin; Aslan, Mustafa; Saribas, Suat; Baltali, Nezihe Dirik; Abdelkareem, Ali; Ziver, Tevhide; Nazlican, Ozcan; Gencer, Serap; Celikkol, Erdoğan; Bahar, Hrisi; Kocazeybek, Bekir

    2012-08-01

    It is important to detect recent and new HIV/1 infections and to take preventative measures in order to prevent rapid disease progression in AIDS and to decrease the incidence of infection. We aimed to detect long standing or recent HIV infections by determining transmission times for the cases in which first-time HIV/1 seropositivity were detected. The serum samples of 323 cases which were found to be seropositive by ELISA and Western-blotting were included in this study. The discrimination between long-term and recent HIV/1 infection was made by determining transmission-time with the Aware BED-EIA, HIV-1 incidence test (IgG capture HIV-EIA) tests. Ninety-six healthy blood donors who did not have a positive anti-HIV test and a chronic infectious disease for at least 1 year were included in this study as a negative healthy control group. In the discrimination of long-term and recent HIV/1 infections, only in vitro ODn values were used. The cases with normalized optical density (OD) (OD(specimen)/OD(calibrator))HIV infection (155 days history or seroconversion less than 6 months). The cases with ODn >1.2 were accepted as long-term HIV/1 infections (more than 155 days history or more than 6 months). The cases with ODn between 0.8 and 1.2 were accepted as "additional tests needed" cases. We detected recent HIV/1 infections (HIV/1 infections (>6 months) in 263 (81.5%) out of 323 cases. The most frequently encountered transmission route in long-term and recent HIV/1 infections was heterosexual sexual intercourse as 54 (50%) and 257 (97%), respectively. 63.3% of newly infected patients were married females and 65.3% of recently infected patients were males. In conclusion, the detection of the high ratio of long-term HIV/1 infection cases (81.5%) compared to recent infections (18.5%) suggested to us, that the long standing cases may have some activities related with transmission of HIV/1 in the past. The detection of higher HIV/1-infections in individuals which had

  19. The potential impact of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men and transwomen in Lima, Peru: a mathematical modelling study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gomez, Gabriela B.; Borquez, Annick; Caceres, Carlos F.; Segura, Eddy R.; Grant, Robert M.; Garnett, Geoff P.; Hallett, Timothy B.

    2012-01-01

    HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of antiretroviral drugs by uninfected individuals to prevent HIV infection, has demonstrated effectiveness in preventing acquisition in a high-risk population of men who have sex with men (MSM). Consequently, there is a need to understand if and how PrEP

  20. Mucosal serpin A1 and A3 levels in HIV highly exposed sero-negative women are affected by the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives but are independent of epidemiological confounders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Syeda; Rabbani, Rasheda; Wachihi, Charles; Kimani, Joshua; Plummer, Francis A; Ball, Terry B; Burgener, Adam

    2013-01-01

    Serpins (serine protease inhibitors) are associated with protection against HIV infection. Here, we characterized mucosal serpin expression in the genital tract of HIV highly exposed sero-negative (HESN) women meeting our epidemiological definition of HIV resistance in relation to epidemiological variables. Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) fluid and plasma were collected from 84 HIV-resistant, 54 HIV-uninfected, and 66 HIV-infected female commercial sex workers. Serpin A1 and A3 concentrations were measured by ELISA and compared with clinical information. Mucosal serpin A1 was elevated during proliferative phase over secretory phase (P = 0.017*), while A3 remained similar (P = 0.25). Plasma and mucosal serpin A1/A3 levels were not associated with each other and appeared compartment specific (r = 0.21, r = 0.056). Serpin A1/A3 expression did not associate with age (r = 0.009, r = -0.06), duration of sex work (r = 0.13, r = -0.10), clients per day (r = -0.11, r = -0.02), concurrent STIs (P = 0.36, P = 0.15), but was lower in women using hormonal contraceptives (P = 0.034, P = 0.008). Mucosal serpin A1/A3 levels in HIV-infected individuals were not significantly different with disease status as determined by plasma CD4(+) T-cell counts (P = 0.94, P = 0.30). This study shows the relationship of serpins to the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives, as well as their independence to epidemiological sexual confounders. This information provides a broader understanding of innate components of the mucosal immune system in women. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.