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Sample records for perinatally acquired hiv-1

  1. HIV is always with me: men living with perinatally acquired HIV and planning their families

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Echenique MI

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Marisa I Echenique,1 Rachel S Bookman,1 Violeta J Rodriguez,1 Richard P LaCabe,1 JoNell Efantis Potter,2 Deborah L Jones1 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA Abstract: Once expected to not survive childhood, youth with perinatally acquired HIV (YPHIV have now reached young adulthood and are of reproductive age and sexually active. Given the health impact of pregnancy among YPHIV, understanding reproductive decision making may inform preconception counseling strategies. Most literature regarding reproductive health among YPHIV focuses on women, overlooking one of the most important factors influencing the reproductive decision-making process, male sexual partners. This study examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of young men with perinatally acquired HIV (YMPHIV regarding family planning and relationships, safer sex, disclosure, stigma, and psychological health. Participants (n=21 were YMPHIV aged 18–24 years recruited in Miami, Florida. Focus groups (n=4 were conducted; qualitative data were analyzed using grounded theory. HIV disclosure, stigma, fertility intentions, safer preconception knowledge, attitudes and practices, family planning communication with medical providers and family, and mental health emerged as themes. Results suggest that despite accurate knowledge regarding healthy preconception practices, psychopathology, substance use, and stigma impact the uptake of HIV health care interventions. Effective interventions on preconception counseling may require more tailored approaches than knowledge-based psychoeducation alone, such as inclusion of psychological treatment, which could be offered in HIV health care settings to optimize health outcomes. Keywords: preconception counseling, fertility decision making, young adults, HIV risk reduction, HIV knowledge

  2. Cross-sectional study of CD4: CD8 ratio recovery in young adults with perinatally acquired HIV-1 infection.

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    Pollock, Katrina M; Pintilie, Hannah; Foster, Caroline; Fidler, Sarah

    2018-02-01

    Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved survival into adulthood for young people with perinatally acquired HIV-1 (yp-PaHIV), but long-term prognosis remains unclear. We hypothesized that on-going immune activation, reflected in the failure of CD4:CD8 ratio normalization would be observed in yp-PaHIV, despite ART.A cross-sectional study of routinely collected clinical data from a cohort of yp-PaHIV (≥16 years).Data were collected from records of individuals attending a specialist clinic for yp-PaHIV transitioning to adult care. CD4:CD8 ratio and proportion with CD4:CD8 ratio ≥1, demographic data and viral parameters, including HIV-1 viral load (VL) and human cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG, were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics v22.A total of 115 yp-PaHIV, median (IQR) age 22.0 (20.0-24.0) years, were studied, of whom 59 were females, and the majority were Black African 75/115 (65.2%). Where measured, CMV antibodies were frequently detected (71/74, 95.9%) and CMV IgG titre was inversely associated with CD4:CD8 ratio, (Rho -0.383, P = .012). Of those taking ART, 69 out of 90 (76.7%) yp-PaHIV had suppressed HIV viremia (HIV viremia. Persistence of low CD4:CD8 ratio was observed even in those with a CD4 count ≥500 cells/μL, where 28/52 (53.8%) had a CD4:CD8 ratio HIV infection and widespread CMV coinfection, CD4:CD8 ratio recovery rate was comparable to adults treated in acute infection. Where persistence of CD4:CD8 ratio abnormality was observed, on-going immune activation may have significance for non-AIDS outcomes. Taken together our findings indicate immune resilience to be a feature of these adult survivors of perinatally acquired HIV infection, which can be supported with early antiretroviral therapy.

  3. Small for gestational age birth outcomes in pregnant women with perinatally acquired HIV.

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    Jao, Jennifer; Sigel, Keith M; Chen, Katherine T; Rodriguez-Caprio, Gabriela; Posada, Roberto; Shust, Gail; Wisnivesky, Juan; Abrams, Elaine J; Sperling, Rhoda S

    2012-04-24

    To compare small for gestational age (SGA) birth weight in children born to women with perinatally acquired HIV (PAH) vs. those with behaviorally acquired HIV (BAH). Retrospective cohort study of HIV-infected pregnant women who received care and delivered a live born at a single hospital in New York City from January 2004 to April 2011. We collected data via chart review on demographics, behavioral risk factors, HIV clinical markers, antiretroviral therapy (ART), mode of HIV acquisition, and pregnancy outcomes on study participants. We compared rates of these exposures among participants by method of HIV acquisition. Generalized Estimating Equation was applied to evaluate the effect of HIV acquisition type on SGA birth weight, adjusting for potential confounders. Of 87 live births evaluated, 17 were born to 14 women with PAH. Overall, 20 (23%) were SGA. Eight of these SGA neonates were born preterm. Live births to women with PAH were more likely to be born SGA in our unadjusted analysis [odds ratio (OR) = 4.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.38-12.41). After adjusting for mother's age, substance use during pregnancy, nadir CD4 cell count during pregnancy, viral suppression at delivery, and second-line ART use during pregnancy, this relationship persisted with an adjusted OR of 5.7 (95% CI = 1.03-31.61). In comparison to infants born to women with BAH, infants born to women with PAH were at high risk for compromised intrauterine growth. Future studies are warranted to determine possible causal mechanisms.

  4. Perinatally acquired HIV infection in adolescents from sub-Saharan Africa: a review of emerging challenges.

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    Lowenthal, Elizabeth D; Bakeera-Kitaka, Sabrina; Marukutira, Tafireyi; Chapman, Jennifer; Goldrath, Kathryn; Ferrand, Rashida A

    2014-07-01

    Worldwide, more than three million children are infected with HIV, 90% of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. As the HIV epidemic matures and antiretroviral treatment is scaled up, children with HIV are reaching adolescence in large numbers. The growing population of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection living within this region presents not only unprecedented challenges but also opportunities to learn about the pathogenesis of HIV infection. In this Review, we discuss the changing epidemiology of paediatric HIV and the particular features of HIV infection in adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Longstanding HIV infection acquired when the immune system is not developed results in distinctive chronic clinical complications that cause severe morbidity. As well as dealing with chronic illness, HIV-infected adolescents have to confront psychosocial issues, maintain adherence to drugs, and learn to negotiate sexual relationships, while undergoing rapid physical and psychological development. Context-specific strategies for early identification of HIV infection in children and prompt linkage to care need to be developed. Clinical HIV care should integrate age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health and psychological, educational, and social services. Health-care workers will need to be trained to recognise and manage the needs of these young people so that the increasing numbers of children surviving to adolescence can access quality care beyond specialist services at low-level health-care facilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Higher rates of triple-class virological failure in perinatally HIV-infected teenagers compared with heterosexually infected young adults in Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judd, A; Lodwick, R; Noguera-Julian, A; Gibb, D M; Butler, K; Costagliola, D; Sabin, C; van Sighem, A; Ledergerber, B; Torti, C; Mocroft, A; Podzamczer, D; Dorrucci, M; De Wit, S; Obel, N; Dabis, F; Cozzi-Lepri, A; García, F; Brockmeyer, N H; Warszawski, J; Gonzalez-Tome, M I; Mussini, C; Touloumi, G; Zangerle, R; Ghosn, J; Castagna, A; Fätkenheuer, G; Stephan, C; Meyer, L; Campbell, M A; Chene, G; Phillips, A

    2017-03-01

    The aim of the study was to determine the time to, and risk factors for, triple-class virological failure (TCVF) across age groups for children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection and older adolescents and adults with heterosexually acquired HIV infection. We analysed individual patient data from cohorts in the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE). A total of 5972 participants starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 1998, aged 500 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL despite ≥ 4 months of use. TCVF was defined as cumulative failure of two NRTIs, an NNRTI and a bPI. The median number of weeks between diagnosis and the start of ART was higher in participants with perinatal HIV infection compared with participants with heterosexually acquired HIV infection overall [17 (interquartile range (IQR) 4-111) vs. 8 (IQR 2-38) weeks, respectively], and highest in perinatally infected participants aged 10-14 years [49 (IQR 9-267) weeks]. The cumulative proportion with TCVF 5 years after starting ART was 9.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.0-12.3%] in participants with perinatally acquired infection and 4.7% (95% CI 3.9-5.5%) in participants with heterosexually acquired infection, and highest in perinatally infected participants aged 10-14 years when starting ART (27.7%; 95% CI 13.2-42.1%). Across all participants, significant predictors of TCVF were those with perinatal HIV aged 10-14 years, African origin, pre-ART AIDS, NNRTI-based initial regimens, higher pre-ART viral load and lower pre-ART CD4. The results suggest a beneficial effect of starting ART before adolescence, and starting young people on boosted PIs, to maximize treatment response during this transitional stage of development. © 2016 The Authors. HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British HIV Association.

  6. Stigma Management Trajectories in Youth with Perinatally Acquired HIV and Their Families: A Qualitative Perspective.

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    Proulx-Boucher, Karène; Fernet, Mylène; Blais, Martin; Lapointe, Normand; Samson, Johanne; Lévy, Joseph J; Otis, Joanne; Morin, Guylaine; Thériault, Jocelyne; Trottier, Germain

    2017-09-01

    This study explores how family, secrecy and silence contribute to the adoption of stigma management strategies among youth with perinatally acquired HIV (PAHIV). A qualitative method was used. Eighteen youths with PAHIV aged 13-22 years old took part in a semi-structured interview. An exploratory content analysis was performed. Analyses of interviews allowed identification of two HIV stigma management trajectories, both sensitive to the family context: [1] a consolidation of family ties, which contributes to solidarity in stigma management; and [2] a weakening or dissolution of family ties, which contributes to solitary stigma management strategy. Family conditions that support the children in their efforts to develop active stigma management strategies are described. Children likely to experience weakening or dissolution family ties must build strong bonds in the clinical environment and maintain these into adulthood so as to afford them the support they need.

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

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    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.

  8. Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    In this podcast, CDC’s Dr. Steve Nesheim discusses perinatal HIV transmission, including the importance of preventing HIV among women, preconception care, and timely HIV testing of the mother. Dr. Nesheim also introduces the revised curriculum Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission intended for faculty of OB/GYN and pediatric residents and nurse midwifery students.

  9. The epidemiology of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV: A cross-region global cohort analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy L Slogrove

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Globally, the population of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (APHs continues to expand. In this study, we pooled data from observational pediatric HIV cohorts and cohort networks, allowing comparisons of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV in "real-life" settings across multiple regions. We describe the geographic and temporal characteristics and mortality outcomes of APHs across multiple regions, including South America and the Caribbean, North America, Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.Through the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER, individual retrospective longitudinal data from 12 cohort networks were pooled. All children infected with HIV who entered care before age 10 years, were not known to have horizontally acquired HIV, and were followed up beyond age 10 years were included in this analysis conducted from May 2016 to January 2017. Our primary analysis describes patient and treatment characteristics of APHs at key time points, including first HIV-associated clinic visit, antiretroviral therapy (ART start, age 10 years, and last visit, and compares these characteristics by geographic region, country income group (CIG, and birth period. Our secondary analysis describes mortality, transfer out, and lost to follow-up (LTFU as outcomes at age 15 years, using competing risk analysis. Among the 38,187 APHs included, 51% were female, 79% were from sub-Saharan Africa and 65% lived in low-income countries. APHs from 51 countries were included (Europe: 14 countries and 3,054 APHs; North America: 1 country and 1,032 APHs; South America and the Caribbean: 4 countries and 903 APHs; South and Southeast Asia: 7 countries and 2,902 APHs; sub-Saharan Africa, 25 countries and 30,296 APHs. Observation started as early as 1982 in Europe and 1996 in sub-Saharan Africa, and continued until at least 2014 in all regions. The median (interquartile range [IQR] duration of

  10. The epidemiology of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV: A cross-region global cohort analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slogrove, Amy L; Schomaker, Michael; Davies, Mary-Ann; Williams, Paige; Balkan, Suna; Ben-Farhat, Jihane; Calles, Nancy; Chokephaibulkit, Kulkanya; Duff, Charlotte; Eboua, Tanoh François; Kekitiinwa-Rukyalekere, Adeodata; Maxwell, Nicola; Pinto, Jorge; Seage, George; Teasdale, Chloe A; Wanless, Sebastian; Warszawski, Josiane; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Yotebieng, Marcel; Timmerman, Venessa; Collins, Intira J; Goodall, Ruth; Smith, Colette; Patel, Kunjal; Paul, Mary; Gibb, Diana; Vreeman, Rachel; Abrams, Elaine J; Hazra, Rohan; Van Dyke, Russell; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Mofenson, Lynne; Vicari, Marissa; Essajee, Shaffiq; Penazzato, Martina; Anabwani, Gabriel; Q Mohapi, Edith; N Kazembe, Peter; Hlatshwayo, Makhosazana; Lumumba, Mwita; Goetghebuer, Tessa; Thorne, Claire; Galli, Luisa; van Rossum, Annemarie; Giaquinto, Carlo; Marczynska, Magdalena; Marques, Laura; Prata, Filipa; Ene, Luminita; Okhonskaia, Liubov; Rojo, Pablo; Fortuny, Claudia; Naver, Lars; Rudin, Christoph; Le Coeur, Sophie; Volokha, Alla; Rouzier, Vanessa; Succi, Regina; Sohn, Annette; Kariminia, Azar; Edmonds, Andrew; Lelo, Patricia; Ayaya, Samuel; Ongwen, Patricia; Jefferys, Laura F; Phiri, Sam; Mubiana-Mbewe, Mwangelwa; Sawry, Shobna; Renner, Lorna; Sylla, Mariam; Abzug, Mark J; Levin, Myron; Oleske, James; Chernoff, Miriam; Traite, Shirley; Purswani, Murli; Chadwick, Ellen G; Judd, Ali; Leroy, Valériane

    2018-03-01

    Globally, the population of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (APHs) continues to expand. In this study, we pooled data from observational pediatric HIV cohorts and cohort networks, allowing comparisons of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV in "real-life" settings across multiple regions. We describe the geographic and temporal characteristics and mortality outcomes of APHs across multiple regions, including South America and the Caribbean, North America, Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. Through the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER), individual retrospective longitudinal data from 12 cohort networks were pooled. All children infected with HIV who entered care before age 10 years, were not known to have horizontally acquired HIV, and were followed up beyond age 10 years were included in this analysis conducted from May 2016 to January 2017. Our primary analysis describes patient and treatment characteristics of APHs at key time points, including first HIV-associated clinic visit, antiretroviral therapy (ART) start, age 10 years, and last visit, and compares these characteristics by geographic region, country income group (CIG), and birth period. Our secondary analysis describes mortality, transfer out, and lost to follow-up (LTFU) as outcomes at age 15 years, using competing risk analysis. Among the 38,187 APHs included, 51% were female, 79% were from sub-Saharan Africa and 65% lived in low-income countries. APHs from 51 countries were included (Europe: 14 countries and 3,054 APHs; North America: 1 country and 1,032 APHs; South America and the Caribbean: 4 countries and 903 APHs; South and Southeast Asia: 7 countries and 2,902 APHs; sub-Saharan Africa, 25 countries and 30,296 APHs). Observation started as early as 1982 in Europe and 1996 in sub-Saharan Africa, and continued until at least 2014 in all regions. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) duration of adolescent follow

  11. Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2012-11-26

    In this podcast, CDC’s Dr. Steve Nesheim discusses perinatal HIV transmission, including the importance of preventing HIV among women, preconception care, and timely HIV testing of the mother. Dr. Nesheim also introduces the revised curriculum Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission intended for faculty of OB/GYN and pediatric residents and nurse midwifery students.  Created: 11/26/2012 by Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.   Date Released: 11/26/2012.

  12. 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.

  13. Impact of Perinatally Acquired HIV Disease Upon Longitudinal Changes in Memory and Executive Functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malee, Kathleen M; Chernoff, Miriam C; Sirois, Patricia A; Williams, Paige L; Garvie, Patricia A; Kammerer, Betsy L; Harris, Lynnette L; Nozyce, Molly L; Yildirim, Cenk; Nichols, Sharon L

    2017-08-01

    Little is known regarding effects of perinatally acquired HIV infection (PHIV) on longitudinal change in memory and executive functioning (EF) during adolescence despite the importance of these skills for independence in adulthood. PHIV (n = 144) and perinatally HIV-exposed uninfected youth (PHEU, n = 79), ages 12-17, completed standardized tests of memory and EF at baseline and 2 years later. Changes from baseline for each memory and EF outcome were compared between PHEU and PHIV youth with (PHIV/C, n = 39) and without (PHIV/non-C, n = 105) history of CDC class C (AIDS-defining) diagnoses. Among PHIV youth, associations of baseline and past disease severity with memory and EF performance at follow-up were evaluated using adjusted linear regression models. Participants were primarily black (79%); 16% were Hispanic; 55% were female. Mean memory and EF scores at follow-up generally fell in the low-average to average range. Pairwise comparison of adjusted mean change from baseline to follow-up revealed significantly greater change for PHIV/non-C compared with PHEU youth in only one verbal recognition task, with a difference in mean changes for PHIV/non-C versus PHEU of -0.99 (95% CI: -1.80 to -0.19; P = 0.02). Among youth with PHIV, better immunologic status at baseline was positively associated with follow-up measures of verbal recall and recognition and cognitive inhibition/flexibility. Past AIDS-defining diagnoses and higher peak viral load were associated with lower performance across multiple EF tasks at follow-up. Youth with PHIV demonstrated stable memory and EF during a 2-year period of adolescence, allowing cautious optimism regarding long-term outcomes.

  14. Anxiety and depression symptoms in young people with perinatally acquired HIV and HIV affected young people in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Prevost, Marthe; Arenas-Pinto, Alejandro; Melvin, Diane; Parrott, Francesca; Foster, Caroline; Ford, Deborah; Evangeli, Michael; Winston, Alan; Sturgeon, Kate; Rowson, Katie; Gibb, Diana M; Judd, Ali

    2018-03-04

    Adolescents with perinatal HIV (PHIV) may be at higher risk of anxiety and depression than HIV negative young people. We investigated prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in 283 PHIV and 96 HIV-affected (HIV-negative) young people in England recruited into the Adolescents and Adults Living with Perinatal HIV (AALPHI) cohort. We used Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores and linear regression investigated predictors of higher (worse) scores.115 (41%) and 29 (30%) PHIV and HIV-affected young people were male, median age was 16 [interquartile range 15,18] and 16 [14,18] years and 241 (85%) and 71 (74%) were black African, respectively. There were no differences in anxiety and depression scores between PHIV and HIV-affected participants. Predictors of higher anxiety scores were a higher number of carers in childhood, speaking a language other than English at home, lower self-esteem, ever thinking life was not worth living and lower social functioning. Predictors of higher depression scores were male sex, death of one/both parents, school exclusion, lower self-esteem and lower social functioning. In conclusion, HIV status was not associated with anxiety or depression scores, but findings highlight the need to identify and support young people at higher risk of anxiety and depression..

  15. Episodic medication adherence in adolescents and young adults with perinatally acquired HIV: a within-participants approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkins, Amy; Evangeli, Michael; Sturgeon, Kate; Le Prevost, Marthe; Judd, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Due to the success of antiretroviral (ART) medications, young people living with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV+) are now surviving into adolescence and young adulthood. Understanding factors influencing ART non-adherence in this group is important in developing effective adherence interventions. Most studies of ART adherence in HIV-positive populations assess differences in adherence levels and adherence predictors between participants, over a period of time (global adherence). Many individuals living with HIV, however, including PHIV+ young people, take medication inconsistently. To investigate this pattern of adherence, a within-participants design, focussing on specific episodes of adherence and non-adherence, is suitable (episodic adherence). A within-participants design was used with 29 PHIV+ young people (17 female, median age 17 years, range 14-22 years), enrolled in the UK Adolescents and Adults Living with Perinatal HIV cohort study. Participants were eligible if they could identify one dose of medication taken and one dose they had missed in the previous two months. For each of the two episodes (one adherent, one non-adherent), behavioural factors (whom they were with, location, routine, day, reminders) and psychological factors at the time of the episode (information about medication, adherence motivation, perceived behavioural skills to adhere to medication - derived from the Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills (IMB) Model - and affect) were assessed in a questionnaire. Non-adherence was significantly associated with weekend days (Friday to Sunday versus Monday to Thursday, p = .001), lack of routine (p = .004), and being out of the home (p = .003), but not with whom the young person was with or whether they were reminded to take medication. Non-adherence was associated with lower levels of behavioural skills (p ART, or ART motivation. The use of situationally specific strategies to enhance adherence in young people who take their

  16. Perceptions and Experiences about Self-Disclosure of HIV Status among Adolescents with Perinatal Acquired HIV in Poor-Resourced Communities in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madiba, Sphiwe; Mokgatle, Mathildah

    2016-01-01

    Background. There is limited research on the disclosure experiences of adolescents with perinatal acquired HIV (PAH). The study explores how adolescents with PAH experience living with HIV and examined their perceptions and experiences regarding disclosure and onward self-disclosure to friends and sexual partners. Methods. Thematic analysis was used to analyze in-depth interviews conducted with 37 adolescents. Findings. Adolescents received disclosure about their status at mean age of 12 years. They perceived disclosure as necessary and appreciated the truthful communication they received. Adolescents have learned to accept and live with HIV, and they desired to be healthy and normal like other people. After receiving disclosure, they found their treatment meaningful, and they adhered to medication. However, they also expressed a strong message that their HIV status was truly their secret and that self-disclosure to others will take the feeling of being normal away from them because they will be treated differently. Conclusion. Adolescents maintained secrecy in order to be accepted by their peers but also to protect themselves from stigma and isolation. Given that adolescents want to be informed of their HIV status but desire controlling self-disclosure of their HIV status, these should form the basis for development of disclosure interventions.

  17. Perceptions and Experiences about Self-Disclosure of HIV Status among Adolescents with Perinatal Acquired HIV in Poor-Resourced Communities in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sphiwe Madiba

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. There is limited research on the disclosure experiences of adolescents with perinatal acquired HIV (PAH. The study explores how adolescents with PAH experience living with HIV and examined their perceptions and experiences regarding disclosure and onward self-disclosure to friends and sexual partners. Methods. Thematic analysis was used to analyze in-depth interviews conducted with 37 adolescents. Findings. Adolescents received disclosure about their status at mean age of 12 years. They perceived disclosure as necessary and appreciated the truthful communication they received. Adolescents have learned to accept and live with HIV, and they desired to be healthy and normal like other people. After receiving disclosure, they found their treatment meaningful, and they adhered to medication. However, they also expressed a strong message that their HIV status was truly their secret and that self-disclosure to others will take the feeling of being normal away from them because they will be treated differently. Conclusion. Adolescents maintained secrecy in order to be accepted by their peers but also to protect themselves from stigma and isolation. Given that adolescents want to be informed of their HIV status but desire controlling self-disclosure of their HIV status, these should form the basis for development of disclosure interventions.

  18. Congruence of Transition Perspectives Between Adolescents With Perinatally-Acquired HIV and Their Guardians: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fair, Cynthia D; Goldstein, Becca; Dizney, Rachel

    2015-01-01

    Youth with perinatally-acquired HIV infection (PHIV) routinely survive into adulthood requiring transition to adult care. Research underscores the importance of assessing transition perspective congruence between adolescents and guardians. Interviews focused on transition decisions were conducted with 18 adolescents with PHIV and their guardians recruited from a southeastern US pediatric infectious disease clinic. Transcribed responses were coded as congruent or divergent. Adolescents and guardians held congruent views that the transition process had not started. Fewer dyads agreed upon the level of adolescent and guardian involvement in transition decisions. Providers should assess congruence of adolescent and guardian perspectives regarding transition-related decisions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Higher rates of triple-class virological failure in perinatally HIV-infected teenagers compared with heterosexually infected young adults in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Judd, A; Lodwick, R; Noguera-Julian, A

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the time to, and risk factors for, triple-class virological failure (TCVF) across age groups for children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection and older adolescents and adults with heterosexually acquired HIV infection. METHODS...... compared with participants with heterosexually acquired HIV infection overall [17 (interquartile range (IQR) 4-111) vs. 8 (IQR 2-38) weeks, respectively], and highest in perinatally infected participants aged 10-14 years [49 (IQR 9-267) weeks]. The cumulative proportion with TCVF 5 years after starting ART......: We analysed individual patient data from cohorts in the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE). A total of 5972 participants starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 1998, aged

  20. 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.

  1. Pregnancy outcomes in perinatally HIV-infected young women in Madrid, Spain: 2000-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prieto, Luis M; Fernández McPhee, Carolina; Rojas, Patricia; Mazariegos, Diana; Muñoz, Eloy; Mellado, Maria José; Holguín, África; Navarro, María Luisa; González-Tomé, María Isabel; Ramos, José Tomás

    2017-01-01

    An increasing number of perinatally HIV-infected women (PHIV) are reaching adulthood and becoming pregnant. Most PHIV women have been exposed to a high number of antiretroviral regimens, and they may have difficulties to achieve viral suppression. Psychosocial problems are not uncommon and could be an important barrier for treatment adherence. The effects of chronic HIV infection and long-term exposure to antiretroviral treatment of PHIV women cause concerns on the developing fetus. The aims of this study were to describe the prevention of mother-to-child transmission strategies in PHIV women and the infant outcomes in the Madrid Cohort of HIV-infected mother-infant pairs. All PHIV pregnant women registered in the Cohort that gave birth from 2000 to 2015 were included in the study. Twenty-eight pregnancies in twenty-two perinatally infected women were registered. Most women were Caucasian and heavily treatment-experienced. Nine cases (32.1%) were at high risk of HIV mother-to-child transmission. Maternal HIV-1 viral load was detectable close to delivery in four women (14.3%). The management of these cases was described, and the treatment strategies were discussed. None of the newborns acquired HIV infection. Eight infants (28.6%) were small for gestational age. This study included a large series of pregnancies among PHIV women attended according to a youth-centered care model. The challenges in the management of this population by health-care providers were described. Specific strategies to minimize perinatal transmission risks should be addressed in future collaborative studies.

  2. Professional's Perspectives on Care Management of Young People with Perinatally Acquired HIV during Transition: A Qualitative Study in Adult Care Setting.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enora Le Roux

    Full Text Available Increasing numbers of young people with perinatally acquired HIV are surviving to adulthood. When they come of age, they leave pediatric services in which they were followed and have to be transferred to the adult health care system. Difficulties in adaptation to adult care and the numbers of young people lost to follow up after transfer to adult care have been reported. This transition phase and their retention in adult care are crucial in maintaining the clinical status of these young with HIV in adulthood. Our study aimed to explore how HIV professionals working in adult care perceive and adapt their practices to young people in transition.Qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 health and social services professionals in hospitals or patient associations in France. A thematic analysis was conducted.Adult care professionals were found to be making a distinction between these young people and their patients who were infected during adulthood. On the basis of the healthcare teams' experience, a simplified categorization of these young people into four levels can be used: those "who have everything good"; those who have some deficiencies that must be addressed; those "who have everything bad"; and those lost to follow up. Professionals interviewed highlighted the difficulties they encountered with young people in transition. Three types of problematic situations were identified: problems of acceptance of the disease; communication problems; and problems of disorientation in the new care environment.Despite the lack of specific training or national policy recommendations for the integration of young people with perinatally acquired HIV into adult services, all the adult healthcare teams interviewed tried to adapt their practice to this population. The results suggested that professional involvement during transition should depend on the characteristics of the patient, not be limited to a single transition model and that a dedicated

  3. Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Severe Peripheral Artery Disease in a 20-Year-Old with Perinatally Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Purva Sharma

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection confers an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS. Patients with perinatally acquired HIV may be at increased risk due to the viral infection itself and exposure to HAART in utero or as part of treatment. A 20-year-old female with transplacentally acquired HIV infection presented with symptoms of transient aphasia, headache, palpitations, and blurry vision. She was admitted for hypertensive emergency with blood pressure 203/100 mmHg. Within a few hours, she complained of typical chest pain, and ECG showed marked ST depression. Troponin I levels escalated from 0.115 to 10.8. She underwent coronary angiogram showing 95% stenosis of the right coronary artery (RCA and severe peripheral arterial disease including total occlusion of both common iliacs and 95% infrarenal aortic stenosis with collateral circulation. She underwent successful percutaneous intervention with a drug-eluting stent to the mid-RCA. Patients with HIV are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Of these, coronary artery disease is one of the most critical complications of HIV. Perinatally acquired HIV infection can be a high-risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A high degree of suspicion is warranted in such patients, especially if they are noncompliant to their ART.

  4. Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents With Perinatal HIV Infection and Perinatal HIV Exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, Sharon L; Chernoff, Miriam C; Malee, Kathleen M; Sirois, Patricia A; Woods, Steven P; Williams, Paige L; Yildirim, Cenk; Delis, Dean; Kammerer, Betsy

    2016-12-01

    Executive functions (EFs) are critical for management of life activities, but few studies have evaluated EFs in children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV), who are at risk for problems in academics, behavior, and medication adherence. We compared EFs in youth with PHIV and in perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected (PHEU) youth. Four Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) subtests were administered to 173 youth with PHIV and 85 PHEU youth, aged 9 to Executive Functioning Study. Youth with PHIV, with or without history of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Class C (AIDS-defining) condition (PHIV/C [n = 45] and PHIV/non-C [n = 128], respectively), were compared with each other and with PHEU youth. Among youth with PHIV, associations with measures of current and past disease severity were evaluated using adjusted linear regression models. The PHIV/C group (mean age, 15.5 years), compared with the PHIV/non-C and PHEU groups (mean ages, 14.5 and 12.9 years, respectively), were significantly slower on the Inhibition and Color Naming/Reading Combined conditions of the Color-Word Interference subtest and made more errors on Inhibition; differences between the PHIV/C and PHEU groups persisted in adjusted models. No differences in adjusted means for fluency or problem-solving were found. The PHIV/non-C and PHEU groups did not differ on any measure. Associations of specific EF measures with HIV RNA viral load, CD4-positive T-lymphocyte percentage, and age at greatest disease severity were observed. Youth with PHIV and previous AIDS-defining conditions performed more poorly on some EF measures. Relationships of EF development with the degree and timing of disease severity require further study. Implications for long-term outcomes and interventions are important avenues for follow-up. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e

  5. Pregnancy incidence and outcomes in women with perinatal HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Laura; Sconza, Rebecca; Foster, Caroline; Tookey, Pat A; Cortina-Borja, Mario; Thorne, Claire

    2017-07-31

    To estimate the incidence of first pregnancy in women living with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) in the United Kingdom and to compare pregnancy management and outcomes with age-matched women with behaviourally acquired HIV (BHIV). The National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood is a comprehensive, population-based surveillance study that collects demographic and clinical data on all pregnant women living with HIV, their children, and all HIV-infected children in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The incident rate ratio of first pregnancy was calculated for all women of reproductive age who had been reported to the National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood as vertically infected children. These women and their pregnancies were compared to age-matched pregnant women with BHIV. Of the 630 women with PHIV reported in the United Kingdom as children, 7% (45) went on to have at least one pregnancy, with 70 pregnancies reported. The incident rate ratio of first pregnancy was 13/1000 woman-years. The BHIV comparison group comprised 118 women (184 pregnancies). Women with PHIV were more likely to be on combined antiretroviral therapy at conception and have a lower baseline CD4 cell count (P pregnancy incidence, but those who become pregnant are at risk of detectable viral load near delivery, reflecting their often complex clinical history, adherence, and drug resistance issues.

  6. Puberty in perinatal HIV-1 infection: a multicentre longitudinal study of 212 children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Martino, M; Tovo, P A; Galli, L; Gabiano, C; Chiarelli, F; Zappa, M; Gattinara, G C; Bassetti, D; Giacomet, V; Chiappini, E; Duse, M; Garetto, S; Caselli, D

    2001-08-17

    To define age at entry into Tanner stages in children with perinatal HIV-1 infection. Multicentre longitudinal study including 212 perinatally HIV-1-infected children (107 girls and 105 boys) followed-up during puberty (from 8 and 9 years onwards in girls and boys, respectively). Healthy children (843 girls and 821 boys) provided reference percentiles. P2 or B2 stages in girls and P2 or G2 stages in boys defined onset of puberty. The cumulative probability [95% confidence limit (CI)] of entry into each stage at different ages was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method; differences were evaluated by log rank test. Relationships were tested using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Ages of girls [years (95%CI)] at P2 [12.9 (12.6-13.2)], P3 [13.4 (13.0-13.8)], P4 [14.6 (14.0-15.2)], B2 [12.7 (12.2-13.2)], B3 [13.3 (12.8-14.0)] and B4 [14.6 (14.0-15.2)] stages were > 97th percentile (> or = 21 month delay) of controls. Ages of boys [years (95%CI)] at P2 [12.6 (12.1-13.1)], P3 [13.9 (13.4-14.4)], P4 [14.9 (14.2-15.6)], G2 [12.1 (11.5-12.7)], G3 [13.6 (13.1-14.1)] and G4 [14.9 (14.1-15.7)] stages were at the 75-97th percentiles (< or = 15 month delay). Age at onset of puberty was not related to clinical and immunological condition, antiretroviral treatment, weigh for height and age at onset of severe disease or immune suppression. Perinatal HIV-1 infection interferes with sexual maturation. The mechanisms by which this occurs should be elucidated and intervention strategies designed. Intervention could save much psychological distress, since associated linear growth failure can exacerbate adolescents' feelings of being different and unwell.

  7. Perinatal acquisition of drug-resistant HIV-1 infection: mechanisms and long-term outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dollfus Catherine

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Primary-HIV-1-infection in newborns that occurs under antiretroviral prophylaxis that is a high risk of drug-resistance acquisition. We examine the frequency and the mechanisms of resistance acquisition at the time of infection in newborns. Patients and Methods We studied HIV-1-infected infants born between 01 January 1997 and 31 December 2004 and enrolled in the ANRS-EPF cohort. HIV-1-RNA and HIV-1-DNA samples obtained perinatally from the newborn and mother were subjected to population-based and clonal analyses of drug resistance. If positive, serial samples were obtained from the child for resistance testing. Results Ninety-two HIV-1-infected infants were born during the study period. Samples were obtained from 32 mother-child pairs and from another 28 newborns. Drug resistance was detected in 12 newborns (20%: drug resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors was seen in 10 cases, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in two cases, and protease inhibitors in one case. For 9 children, the detection of the same resistance mutations in mothers' samples (6 among 10 available and in newborn lymphocytes (6/8 suggests that the newborn was initially infected by a drug-resistant strain. Resistance variants were either transmitted from mother-to-child or selected during subsequent temporal exposure under suboptimal perinatal prophylaxis. Follow-up studies of the infants showed that the resistance pattern remained stable over time, regardless of antiretroviral therapy, suggesting the early cellular archiving of resistant viruses. The absence of resistance in the mother of the other three children (3/10 and neonatal lymphocytes (2/8 suggests that the newborns were infected by a wild-type strain without long-term persistence of resistance when suboptimal prophylaxis was stopped. Conclusion This study confirms the importance of early resistance genotyping of HIV-1-infected newborns. In most cases (75%, drug

  8. Inequality in outcomes for adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: a Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) Cohort Collaboration analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-02-01

    Eighty percent of adolescents living with perinatally and behaviourally acquired HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a continent with marked economic inequality. As part of our global project describing adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (APH), we aimed to assess whether inequality in outcomes exists by country income group (CIG) for APH within SSA. Through the CIPHER cohort collaboration, individual retrospective data from 7 networks and 25 countries in SSA were included. APH were included if they entered care at age 10 years. World Bank CIG classification for median year of first visit was used. Cumulative incidence of mortality, transfer-out and loss-to-follow-up was calculated by competing risks analysis. Mortality was compared across CIG by Cox proportional hazards models. A total of 30,296 APH were included; 50.9% were female and 75.7% were resident in low-income countries (LIC). Median [interquartile range (IQR)] age at antiretroviral therapy (ART) start was 8.1 [6.3; 9.5], 7.8 [6.2; 9.3] and 7.3 [5.2; 8.9] years in LIC, lower-middle income countries (LMIC) and upper-middle income countries (UMIC) respectively. Median age at last follow-up was 12.1 [10.9; 13.8] years, with no difference between CIG. Cumulative incidence (95% CI) for mortality between age 10 and 15 years was lowest in UMIC (1.1% (0.8; 1.4)) compared to LIC (3.5% (3.1; 3.8)) and LMIC (3.9% (2.7; 5.4)). Loss-to-follow-up was highest in UMIC (14.0% (12.9; 15.3)) compared to LIC (13.1% (12.4; 13.8)) and LMIC (8.3% (6.3; 10.6)). Adjusted mortality hazard ratios (95% CI) for APH in LIC and LMIC in reference to UMIC were 2.50 (1.85; 3.37) and 2.96 (1.90; 4.61) respectively, with little difference when restricted only to APH who ever received ART. In adjusted analyses mortality was similar for male and female APH. Results highlight probable inequality in mortality according to CIG in SSA even when ART was received. These findings highlight that without attention towards SDG 10 (to

  9. Five-year trends in epidemiology and prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission, St. Petersburg, Russia: results from perinatal HIV surveillance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kissin Dmitry M

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The HIV epidemic in Russia has increasingly involved reproductive-aged women, which may increase perinatal HIV transmission. Methods Standard HIV case-reporting and enhanced perinatal HIV surveillance systems were used for prospective assessment of HIV-infected women giving birth in St. Petersburg, Russia, during 2004-2008. Trends in social, perinatal, and clinical factors influencing mother-to-child HIV transmission stratified by history of injection drug use, and rates of perinatal HIV transmission were assessed using two-sided χ2 or Cochran-Armitage tests. Results Among HIV-infected women who gave birth, the proportion of women who self-reported ever using injection drugs (IDUs decreased from 62% in 2004 to 41% in 2008 (P P P P for trend Conclusions Reduced proportion of IDUs and improved clinical services among HIV-infected women giving birth were accompanied by decreased perinatal HIV transmission, which can be further reduced by increasing outreach and HIV testing of women before and during pregnancy.

  10. Neurometabolite Alterations Associated With Cognitive Performance in Perinatally HIV-Infected Children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dalen, Yvonne W.; Blokhuis, Charlotte; Cohen, Sophie; ter Stege, Jacqueline A.; Teunissen, Charlotte E.; Kuhle, Jens; Kootstra, Neeltje A.; Scherpbier, Henriette J.; Kuijpers, Taco W.; Reiss, Peter; Majoie, Charles B. L. M.; Caan, Matthan W. A.; Pajkrt, Dasja

    2016-01-01

    Despite treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), cognitive impairment is still observed in perinatally HIV-infected children. We aimed to evaluate potential underlying cerebral injury by comparing neurometabolite levels between perinatally HIV-infected children and healthy controls.

  11. HIV-Associated Cognitive Impairment in Perinatally Infected Children: A Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Nicole; Amos, Taryn; Kuo, Caroline; Hoare, Jacqueline; Ipser, Jonathan; Thomas, Kevin G F; Stein, Dan J

    2016-11-01

    Research shows, conclusively, that perinatal HIV infection has negative effects on cognitive functioning of children and adolescents. However, the extent of these cognitive impairments is unknown. Current literature does not document specific cognitive domains most affected in HIV-infected children and adolescents. To systematically review and meta-analyze the degree of cognitive impairment, and the specific cognitive domains affected, in children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection. We systematically searched 5 electronic bibliographic databases, namely: PubMed, PsychINFO, Academic Search Premier, Scopus, and WorldCat, by using a search protocol specifically designed for this study. Studies were selected on the basis of set a priori eligibility criteria. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were assessed by 2 independent reviewers. Data from included studies were extracted into Microsoft Excel by 2 independent reviewers. Twenty-two studies were identified for inclusion in the systematic review and of this, 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results from the meta-analysis indicated that working memory and executive function were the domains most affected by the HIV virus. Only 27% of the included studies were suitable to enter into the meta-analysis. There was significant geographic bias in published studies, with only 32% (7/22) of included studies from sub-Saharan Africa. The evidence supports an association between HIV infection in children and adolescents and cognitive impairment in the domains of working memory, executive function and processing speed, with effect size estimates also providing some support for deficits in visual memory and visual-spatial ability. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  12. Children and young people with perinatal HIV in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grarup, Jesper; Kirk, Ole; Lundgren, Jens

    2016-01-01

    undertook an online survey of HIV cohort studies participating in the EuroCoord Network of Excellence to ascertain the number of perinatally HIV-infected (pHIV) patients included, to compare it with those published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health......Accurate ascertainment of the number of children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is important to plan paediatric and adolescent health services. In Europe, the first generation of perinatally HIV-infected survivors are transferring to adult care and their health needs are unknown. We...... Organization (WHO) and to assess the ability of countries to follow up pHIV patients after transfer to adult care. At the end of 2013, 16 countries in EuroCoord reported 8,229 pHIV patients in follow-up in cohorts, compared with 5,160 cumulative diagnoses reported by the ECDC in the same area. Follow-up of pHIV...

  13. Regional brain gray and white matter changes in perinatally HIV-infected adolescents☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarma, Manoj K.; Nagarajan, Rajakumar; Keller, Margaret A.; Kumar, Rajesh; Nielsen-Saines, Karin; Michalik, David E.; Deville, Jaime; Church, Joseph A.; Thomas, M. Albert

    2013-01-01

    Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), perinatally infected HIV remains a major health problem worldwide. Although advance neuroimaging studies have investigated structural brain changes in HIV-infected adults, regional gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume changes have not been reported in perinatally HIV-infected adolescents and young adults. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated regional GM and WM changes in 16 HIV-infected youths receiving ART (age 17.0 ± 2.9 years) compared with age-matched 14 healthy controls (age 16.3 ± 2.3 years) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based high-resolution T1-weighted images with voxel based morphometry (VBM) analyses. White matter atrophy appeared in perinatally HIV-infected youths in brain areas including the bilateral posterior corpus callosum (CC), bilateral external capsule, bilateral ventral temporal WM, mid cerebral peduncles, and basal pons over controls. Gray matter volume increase was observed in HIV-infected youths for several regions including the left superior frontal gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, gyrus rectus, right mid cingulum, parahippocampal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and middle temporal gyrus compared with controls. Global WM and GM volumes did not differ significantly between groups. These results indicate WM injury in perinatally HIV-infected youths, but the interpretation of the GM results, which appeared as increased regional volumes, is not clear. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify if our results represent active ongoing brain infection or toxicity from HIV treatment resulting in neuronal cell swelling and regional increased GM volume. Our findings suggest that assessment of regional GM and WM volume changes, based on VBM procedures, may be an additional measure to assess brain integrity in HIV-infected youths and to evaluate success of current ART therapy for efficacy in the brain. PMID:24380059

  14. Regional brain gray and white matter changes in perinatally HIV-infected adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manoj K. Sarma

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART, perinatally infected HIV remains a major health problem worldwide. Although advance neuroimaging studies have investigated structural brain changes in HIV-infected adults, regional gray matter (GM and white matter (WM volume changes have not been reported in perinatally HIV-infected adolescents and young adults. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated regional GM and WM changes in 16 HIV-infected youths receiving ART (age 17.0 ± 2.9 years compared with age-matched 14 healthy controls (age 16.3 ± 2.3 years using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-based high-resolution T1-weighted images with voxel based morphometry (VBM analyses. White matter atrophy appeared in perinatally HIV-infected youths in brain areas including the bilateral posterior corpus callosum (CC, bilateral external capsule, bilateral ventral temporal WM, mid cerebral peduncles, and basal pons over controls. Gray matter volume increase was observed in HIV-infected youths for several regions including the left superior frontal gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, gyrus rectus, right mid cingulum, parahippocampal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and middle temporal gyrus compared with controls. Global WM and GM volumes did not differ significantly between groups. These results indicate WM injury in perinatally HIV-infected youths, but the interpretation of the GM results, which appeared as increased regional volumes, is not clear. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify if our results represent active ongoing brain infection or toxicity from HIV treatment resulting in neuronal cell swelling and regional increased GM volume. Our findings suggest that assessment of regional GM and WM volume changes, based on VBM procedures, may be an additional measure to assess brain integrity in HIV-infected youths and to evaluate success of current ART therapy for efficacy in the brain.

  15. No perinatal HIV-1 transmission from women with effective antiretroviral therapy starting before conception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandelbrot, Laurent; Tubiana, Roland; Le Chenadec, Jerome; Dollfus, Catherine; Faye, Albert; Pannier, Emmanuelle; Matheron, Sophie; Khuong, Marie-Aude; Garrait, Valerie; Reliquet, Veronique; Devidas, Alain; Berrebi, Alain; Allisy, Christine; Elleau, Christophe; Arvieux, Cedric; Rouzioux, Christine; Warszawski, Josiane; Blanche, Stéphane

    2015-12-01

    The efficacy of preventing perinatal transmission (PT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) depends on both viral load (VL) and treatment duration. The objective of this study was to determine whether initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART) before conception has the potential to eliminate PT. A total of 8075 HIV-infected mother/infant pairs included from 2000 to 2011 in the national prospective multicenter French Perinatal Cohort (ANRS-EPF) received ART, delivered live-born children with determined HIV infection status, and did not breastfeed. PT was analyzed according to maternal VL at delivery and timing of ART initiation. The overall rate of PT was 0.7% (56 of 8075). No transmission occurred among 2651 infants born to women who were receiving ART before conception, continued ART throughout the pregnancy, and delivered with a plasma VL women starting ART before conception to 0.4% (3 of 709), 0.9% (24 of 2810), and 2.2% (23 of 1051) for those starting during the first, second, or third trimester (P women with VLs of 50-400 copies/mL near delivery than for those with suppression of plasma VL. © 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.

  16. 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.

  17. Maternal and fetal determinants of perinatal transmission of HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    All effort should be geared toward identifying those positive and minimized or modify risks factors through behavior change, prompt initiation of treatment and prophylaxis for those found positive with a view to reduce the incidence of perinatal transmission. Key Words: perinatal transmission, HIV, maternal, fetal determinants, ...

  18. Antiretroviral Resistance and Pregnancy Characteristics of Women with Perinatal and Nonperinatal HIV Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazenby, Gweneth B; Mmeje, Okeoma; Fisher, Barbra M; Weinberg, Adriana; Aaron, Erika K; Keating, Maria; Luque, Amneris E; Willers, Denise; Cohan, Deborah; Money, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    Objective. To compare HIV drug resistance in pregnant women with perinatal HIV (PHIV) and those with nonperinatal HIV (NPHIV) infection. Methods. We conducted a multisite cohort study of PHIV and NPHIV women from 2000 to 2014. Sample size was calculated to identify a fourfold increase in antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance in PHIV women. Continuous variables were compared using Student's t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Categorical variables were compared using χ (2) and Fisher's exact tests. Univariate analysis was used to determine factors associated with antiretroviral drug resistance. Results. Forty-one PHIV and 41 NPHIV participants were included. Women with PHIV were more likely to have drug resistance than those with NPHIV ((55% versus 17%, p = 0.03), OR 6.0 (95% CI 1.0-34.8), p = 0.05), including multiclass resistance (15% versus 0, p = 0.03), and they were more likely to receive nonstandard ARVs during pregnancy (27% versus 5%, p = 0.01). PHIV and NPHIV women had similar rates of preterm birth (11% versus 28%, p = 0.08) and cesarean delivery (47% versus 46%, p = 0.9). Two infants born to a single NPHIV woman acquired HIV infection. Conclusions. PHIV women have a high frequency of HIV drug resistance mutations, leading to nonstandard ARVs use during pregnancy. Despite nonstandard ARV use during pregnancy, PHIV women did not experience increased rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  19. Neuroradiological findings in perinatally HIV-infected children. Neuroradiologische Befunde bei perinatal HIV-infizierten Kindern

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spreer, J [Radiologische Abt., Universitaetsklinik Koeln (Germany); Enenkel-Stoodt, S [Abt. fuer Allgemeine Paediatrie 2, Universitaetsklinik Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Funk, M [Abt. fuer Paediatrische Haematologie und Onkologie, Universitaetsklinik Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Fiedler, A [Abt. fuer Paediatrische Neurologie, Universitaetsklinik Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Simone, A de [Neuroradiologische Abt., Universitaetsklinik Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Hacker, H [Neuroradiologische Abt., Universitaetsklinik Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

    1994-08-01

    The neuroradiological studies (CT, MRI, angiography) in 21 children with perinatal HIV infection were reviewed retrospectively. No patient showed an intracranial mass lesion; after intravenous contrast medium application there was no case with disturbed blood-brain barrier. Common non-specific findings were atrophy and delayed myelination. In 7 cases atrophy was combined with multifocal nearly symmetric white matter lesions, which characteristically spared the U-fibres. Further findings included an intramedullary ring-shaped structure in the cervical cord, an AIDS-associated vasculopathy and symmetric calcifications in the basal ganglia. The spectrum of neuroradiological findings in paediatric AIDS patients differs from that in adults. Knowledge of these age-specific findings is important because the number of HIV-infected children is rising. (orig.)

  20. Cancer Among Children With Perinatal Exposure to HIV and Antiretroviral Medications--New Jersey, 1995-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivy, Wade; Nesheim, Steve R; Paul, Sindy M; Ibrahim, Abdel R; Chan, Miranda; Niu, Xiaoling; Lampe, Margaret A

    2015-09-01

    Concerns remain regarding the cancer risk associated with perinatal antiretroviral (ARV) exposure among infants. No excessive cancer risk has been found in short-term studies. Children born to HIV-infected women (HIV-exposed) in New Jersey from 1995 to 2008 were identified through the Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System and cross-referenced with data from the New Jersey State Cancer Registry to identify new cases of cancer among children who were perinatally exposed to ARV. Matching of individuals in the Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System to the New Jersey State Cancer Registry was conducted based on name, birth date, Social Security number, residential address, and sex using AutoMatch. Age- and sex-standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and exact 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using New Jersey (1979-2005) and US (1999-2009) cancer rates. Among 3087 children (29,099 person-years; median follow-up: 9.8 years), 4 were diagnosed with cancer. Cancer incidence among HIV-exposed children who were not exposed to ARV prophylaxis (22.5 per 100,000 person-years) did not differ significantly from the incidence among children who were exposed to any perinatal ARV prophylaxis (14.3 per 100,000 person-years). Furthermore, the number of cases observed among individuals exposed to ARV did not differ significantly from cases expected based on state (SIR = 1.21; 95% CI: 0.25 to 3.54) and national (SIR = 1.27; 95% CI: 0.26 to 3.70) reference rates. Our findings are reassuring that current use of ARV for perinatal HIV prophylaxis does not increase cancer risk. We found no evidence to alter the current federal guidelines of 2014 that recommend ARV prophylaxis of HIV-exposed infants.

  1. HIV/AIDS - pregnancy and infants

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... immunodeficiency virus - children; Acquired immune deficiency syndrome - children; Pregnancy - HIV; Maternal HIV; Perinatal - HIV ... mother to the child. This can occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or when breastfeeding. Only blood, semen, vaginal ...

  2. A paediatric and perinatal HIV/AIDS leadership initiative in Kingston, Jamaica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christie, C D C

    2004-10-01

    In Jamaica 1-2% of pregnant women are HIV-positive; 876 HIV-positive pregnant women will deliver and at least 283 newly infected HIV-infected infants will be born in 2003; HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in children aged one to four years. We describe a collaborative "Town and Gown" programme to address the paediatric and perinatal HIV epidemic in Kingston. A team of academic and government healthcare personnel, comprising paediatricians, obstetricians, public health practitioners, nurses, microbiologists, data management and information technology personnel collaborated to address this public health emergency. A five-point plan was implemented This comprised leadership and training of a core group of paediatric/perinatal HIVprofessionals to serve Greater Kingston and St Catherine and be a model for the rest of Jamaica. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS is prevented by counselling and HIV-testing women in the antenatal clinics, giving azidothymidine (AZT) to HIV pregnant women beginning at 28 weeks gestation, throughout labour and to the HIV-exposed infants for the first six weeks of life. A unified parallel programme for identifying the HIV-infected infant and delivering paediatric HIV care at the major paediatric centres was implemented In three years, over 30,000 pregnant women are being tested for HIV; 600 HIV-exposed babies are being identified and about 140 paediatric HIV infections will be prevented The team is building research capacity which emphasizes a strong outcomes-based research agenda and implementation of clinical trials. We are collaborating, locally, regionally and internationally. Collaboratively, the mission of reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS and improving the quality of life for those already living and affected by HIV/AIDS can be achieved.

  3. Oral lesions in HIV+/AIDS adolescents perinatally infected undergoing HAART.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaitán-Cepeda, Luis-Alberto; Domínguez-Sánchez, Anitza; Pavía-Ruz, Noris; Muñoz-Hernández, Rocío; Verdugo-Díaz, Roberto; Valles-Medina, Ana-María; Meráz-Acosta, Héctor

    2010-07-01

    To assess the prevalence of the oral lesions related to HIV-infection (HIV-OL) in HIV+/AIDS adolescents (=13 years old), and the differences with HIV+/AIDS children (=3 - 0.05). Oral candidiasis was the most prevalent oral lesion in both groups. Association (p<0.05) of a high prevalence of HIV-OL and oral candidiasis with a high viral load was observed in both study groups. Adolescents perinatally HIV-infected have a high prevalence of HIV-OL. Oral Candidiasis still is the most frequent oral opportunistic infection. Oral lesions could have association to viral failure in HIV+/AIDS adolescents undergoing HAART.

  4. Antiretroviral Resistance and Pregnancy Characteristics of Women with Perinatal and Nonperinatal HIV Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gweneth B. Lazenby

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To compare HIV drug resistance in pregnant women with perinatal HIV (PHIV and those with nonperinatal HIV (NPHIV infection. Methods. We conducted a multisite cohort study of PHIV and NPHIV women from 2000 to 2014. Sample size was calculated to identify a fourfold increase in antiretroviral (ARV drug resistance in PHIV women. Continuous variables were compared using Student’s t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Categorical variables were compared using χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests. Univariate analysis was used to determine factors associated with antiretroviral drug resistance. Results. Forty-one PHIV and 41 NPHIV participants were included. Women with PHIV were more likely to have drug resistance than those with NPHIV ((55% versus 17%, p=0.03, OR 6.0 (95% CI 1.0–34.8, p=0.05, including multiclass resistance (15% versus 0, p=0.03, and they were more likely to receive nonstandard ARVs during pregnancy (27% versus 5%, p=0.01. PHIV and NPHIV women had similar rates of preterm birth (11% versus 28%, p=0.08 and cesarean delivery (47% versus 46%, p=0.9. Two infants born to a single NPHIV woman acquired HIV infection. Conclusions. PHIV women have a high frequency of HIV drug resistance mutations, leading to nonstandard ARVs use during pregnancy. Despite nonstandard ARV use during pregnancy, PHIV women did not experience increased rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  5. Qualitative Comparison of Barriers to Antiretroviral Medication Adherence Among Perinatally and Behaviorally HIV-Infected Youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fields, Errol L; Bogart, Laura M; Thurston, Idia B; Hu, Caroline H; Skeer, Margie R; Safren, Steven A; Mimiaga, Matthew J

    2017-07-01

    Medication adherence among youth living with HIV (28%-69%) is often insufficient for viral suppression. The psychosocial context of adherence barriers is complex. We sought to qualitatively understand adherence barriers among behaviorally infected and perinatally infected youth and develop an intervention specific to their needs. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 youth living with HIV (aged 14-24 years) and analyzed transcripts using the constant comparative method. Barriers were influenced by clinical and psychosocial factors. Perinatally infected youth barriers included reactance, complicated regimens, HIV fatigue, and difficulty transitioning to autonomous care. Behaviorally infected youth barriers included HIV-related shame and difficulty initiating medication. Both groups reported low risk perception, medication as a reminder of HIV, and nondisclosure, but described different contexts to these common barriers. Common and unique barriers emerged for behaviorally infected and perinatally infected youth reflecting varying HIV experiences and psychosocial contexts. We developed a customizable intervention addressing identified barriers and their psychosocial antecedents.

  6. 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

  7. 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…

  8. Dynamics of CD4 Lymphocytes and Viral Load at the Natural History of Perinatal HIV-infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. A. Daminov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the analysis of indicators of CD4 lymphocyte count and viral load in the natural history (in the absence of ART in perinatally HIV-infected children. It was revealed that perinatal way of transmission is characterized by a higher rate of immunodeficiency progression. It may be associated with intrauterine infection, as well as an early defeat HIV immature immune system of the child. The concentration of virus in perinatally infected children since the beginning of the observation and in 30 months after infection is more than in parenterally infected children in 5 and 2 times, respectively, which determines a infavourable version of the disease in perinatally infected children.

  9. State infants after perinatal complications prevention by mother with the association of HIV and herpes virus infection

    OpenAIRE

    Zhdanovich O.I.; Anoshyna T.M.; Kolomiichenko T.V.

    2016-01-01

    Relevance. Complicated and little studied issue is the perinatal complications prevention in pregnant women with HIV and herpes virus infections (GI) The goal — to evaluate the effectiveness of the system of perinatal complications prevention during the association of HIV and herpes infection. Materials and methods. Selected 60 HIV-infected pregnant women with the GI, which divided into 2 groups: primary — 30 pregnant women with the use of recommended prophylaxis complex (specific immunogl...

  10. Uso recomendado de antirretrovíricos en embarazadas infectadas por el VIH-1 para reducir la transmisión perinatal del virus Recommendations on the use of antiretroviral agents in pregnant women infected with HIV-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2001-05-01

    Full Text Available In February 1994, a clinical trial by the Pediatrics AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG 076 demonstrated, for the first time, that it was possible to reduce the risk of vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 by nearly 70% by means of a triple therapeutic regimen: 1 oral zidovudine (ZDV beginning anytime between the 14th and 34th week of gestation until the end of pregnancy; 2 intravenous ZDV during pregnancy, and 3 administration of oral ZDV to neonates during the first 6 weeks of life. Later, epidemiologic studies performed in the United States of America and France showed that this regimen drastically reduced perinatal transmission in clinical practice. Since then, important strides have been made, not only in terms of treatment (new drugs and highly effective therapeutic regimens and diagnosis (tests that can measure the viral load, but also in terms of an increased understanding of the pathogenesis of perinatal transmission of HIV-1. This report contains: a a review of special considerations to be kept in mind when administering antiretroviral agents to pregnant women; b a current overview of the results of clinical and epidemiologic trials dealing with the prevention of perinatal transmission of HIV-1; c a look at the use of tests for measuring HIV-1 RNA (viral load during pregnancy; d the most recent recommendations on the use of antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis and elective cesarean section for reducing perinatal viral transmission. These recommendations apply to the United States, and other countries may prefer to use different approaches.

  11. "I don't feel shy because I will be among others who are just like me…": The role of support groups for children perinatally infected with HIV in Zimbabwe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mupambireyi, Zivai; Bernays, Sarah; Bwakura-Dangarembizi, Mutsa; Cowan, Frances M

    2014-10-01

    As access to paediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART) continues to improve in sub-Saharan Africa, a new historically specific cohort of HIV-perinatally infected children surviving into adolescent has emerged. Although remarkable successes have been made clinically in keeping this cohort alive and in reasonable health, their social support experiences are still unknown. The research being reported here sought to explore peer social support experiences of HIV-perinatally infected children in Harare, Zimbabwe. In this article, we draw on 56 repeat in-depth interviews (IDIs) conducted in three phases and two focus group discussions (FGDs) with HIV-infected children (11-13 years). Additional interviews were held with 10 carers. Study findings suggested that both children and carers perceive support groups as a safe social space for learning and acquiring HIV information as well as gaining confidence. Additionally, findings highlighted the importance of consistency of participation. Structural and personal barriers to access and participation in support group were also identified. We conclude that support groups are a useful resource for HIV-infected children and therefore should be supported by stable funding.

  12. Bone health in children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puthanakit, Thanyawee; Siberry, George K

    2013-01-01

    The long-term impact on bone health of lifelong HIV infection and prolonged ART in growing and developing children is not yet known. Measures of bone health in youth must be interpreted in the context of expected developmental and physiologic changes in bone mass, size, density and strength that occur from fetal through adult life. Low bone mineral density (BMD) appears to be common in perinatally HIV-infected youth, especially outside of high-income settings, but data are limited and interpretation complicated by the need for better pediatric norms. The potential negative effects of tenofovir on BMD and bone mass accrual are of particular concern as this drug may be used more widely in younger children. Emphasizing good nutrition, calcium and vitamin D sufficiency, weight-bearing exercise and avoidance of alcohol and smoking are effective and available approaches to maintain and improve bone health in all settings. More data are needed to inform therapies and monitoring for HIV-infected youth with proven bone fragility. While very limited data suggest lack of marked increase in fracture risk for youth with perinatal HIV infection, the looming concern for these children is that they may fail to attain their expected peak bone mass in early adulthood which could increase their risk for fractures and osteoporosis later in adulthood. PMID:23782476

  13. State infants after perinatal complications prevention by mother with the association of HIV and herpes virus infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhdanovich O.I.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Relevance. Complicated and little studied issue is the perinatal complications prevention in pregnant women with HIV and herpes virus infections (GI The goal — to evaluate the effectiveness of the system of perinatal complications prevention during the association of HIV and herpes infection. Materials and methods. Selected 60 HIV-infected pregnant women with the GI, which divided into 2 groups: primary — 30 pregnant women with the use of recommended prophylaxis complex (specific immunoglobulins, interferon α-2β, flavonoids, probiotics, arginine glutamat, the comparison group — 30 pregnant women with the knowledge of the pregnancy according to the Ministry of Health reports. Results. After recommended treatment course significantly improving the condition of children at birth: in satisfactory condition (without asphyxia was born 60.0 against 37.9% of children (p<0.05. Relatively better and during the period of early neonatal adaptation: 1.5–2 times lower than the frequency of jaundice, hemorrhagic syndrome, and gastrointestinal. Significantly reduces the incidence of life-threatening syndromes and further development of the child as neurological (up 23.3% vs. 44.8%, p<0.05 and RDS (up 16.7% vs. 37.9%, p<0.05. Conclusions. Security and high efficiency of the proposed complex of perinatal complications prevention for HIV-infected pregnant women with herpes infection can be recommended for implementation in antenatal clinics and maternity homes.

  14. Psychosocial challenges facing women living with HIV during the perinatal period in rural Uganda.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scholastic Ashaba

    Full Text Available The complexities of navigating pregnancy while living with HIV predispose women to additional stress. Finding ways to minimize psychosocial challenges during the perinatal period may maximize the well-being of mothers living with HIV and their children. The goal of this study was to explore psychosocial challenges experienced by women living with HIV (WLWH during pregnancy and the postpartum. We conducted individual in-depth interviews with 20 WLWH recruited from an HIV treatment cohort study in Mbarara, Uganda as part of a larger study exploring perinatal depression. We conducted content analyses to identify themes related to challenges of WLWH during pregnancy and the postpartum. Participants had a median age of 33 years [IQR: 28-35], a median of 3 living children [IQR: 2-5], and 95% had achieved HIV-RNA suppression. Challenges were organized around the following themes: HIV -related stigma from health professionals, HIV status disclosure dilemma, unintended pregnancy and intimate partner violence, HIV and environmental structural barriers and distress and fear related to maternal and child health. Stigma centered on discrimination by health care professionals and personal shame associated with being pregnant as a WLWH. This led to difficulty engaging in HIV care, particularly when coupled with structural barriers, such as lack of transportation to clinic. Participants experienced intimate partner violence and lacked support from their partners and family members. Distress and fear about the health and uncertainty about the future of the unborn baby due to maternal deteriorating physical health was common. The perinatal period is a time of stress for WLWH. Challenges experienced by WLWH may compromise successful engagement in HIV care and may reduce quality of life for women and their children. Strategies aimed at alleviating the challenges of WLWH should involve the larger structural environment including partners, family and community member

  15. Psychosocial challenges facing women living with HIV during the perinatal period in rural Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashaba, Scholastic; Kaida, Angela; Coleman, Jessica N; Burns, Bridget F; Dunkley, Emma; O'Neil, Kasey; Kastner, Jasmine; Sanyu, Naomi; Akatukwasa, Cecilia; Bangsberg, David R; Matthews, Lynn T; Psaros, Christina

    2017-01-01

    The complexities of navigating pregnancy while living with HIV predispose women to additional stress. Finding ways to minimize psychosocial challenges during the perinatal period may maximize the well-being of mothers living with HIV and their children. The goal of this study was to explore psychosocial challenges experienced by women living with HIV (WLWH) during pregnancy and the postpartum. We conducted individual in-depth interviews with 20 WLWH recruited from an HIV treatment cohort study in Mbarara, Uganda as part of a larger study exploring perinatal depression. We conducted content analyses to identify themes related to challenges of WLWH during pregnancy and the postpartum. Participants had a median age of 33 years [IQR: 28-35], a median of 3 living children [IQR: 2-5], and 95% had achieved HIV-RNA suppression. Challenges were organized around the following themes: HIV -related stigma from health professionals, HIV status disclosure dilemma, unintended pregnancy and intimate partner violence, HIV and environmental structural barriers and distress and fear related to maternal and child health. Stigma centered on discrimination by health care professionals and personal shame associated with being pregnant as a WLWH. This led to difficulty engaging in HIV care, particularly when coupled with structural barriers, such as lack of transportation to clinic. Participants experienced intimate partner violence and lacked support from their partners and family members. Distress and fear about the health and uncertainty about the future of the unborn baby due to maternal deteriorating physical health was common. The perinatal period is a time of stress for WLWH. Challenges experienced by WLWH may compromise successful engagement in HIV care and may reduce quality of life for women and their children. Strategies aimed at alleviating the challenges of WLWH should involve the larger structural environment including partners, family and community member as well as policy

  16. Predicting Arrest in a Sample of Youth Perinatally Exposed to HIV: The Intersection of HIV and Key Contextual Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkington, Katherine S; Peters, Zachary; Choi, C Jean; Bucek, Amelia; Leu, Cheng-Shiun; Abrams, Elaine J; Mellins, Claude A

    2017-11-22

    We examined the role of youth HIV status and other key factors on past-year arrest in perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected (PHIV-) and perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) youth using data from a multi-site study of psychosocial behaviors in PHIV-exposed urban youth (N = 340; 61% PHIV+; 51% female; ages 9-16 at baseline). Youth and caregivers were administered 5 interviews, spanning approximately 7.5 years. Using longitudinal logistic mixed-effect models, we explored the association between past year arrest, internal [e.g., substance use disorder (SUD)] and external (e.g., neighborhood arrest rates) contextual factors, and social-regulation processes (e.g., in-school/work). Arrest rates increased from 2.6 to 19.7% across follow-ups; there were no differences in arrest over time by HIV status. In the final model, odds of arrest were greater for youth who were male, with SUD, ≥ 18 years old, with high levels of city stress, and neither in school nor employed. PHIV-exposed, urban youth have much higher rates of arrest than national samples. Lack of differences in arrest by HIV status suggests key contextual factors are more important in promoting arrest.

  17. Predictors and Evolution of Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Perinatally HIV-Infected Adolescents in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Côté, José; Delmas, Philippe; de Menezes Succi, Regina Célia; Galano, Eliana; Auger, Patricia; Sylvain, Hélène; Colson, Sebastien; Machado, Daisy Maria

    2016-09-01

    Antiretroviral therapy medication adherence is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple factors. This study examines its evolution and predictors among perinatally HIV-infected youths in São Paulo, Brazil. During a 1-year longitudinal cohort study, perinatally HIV-infected youths aged 13-21 years taking antiretroviral therapy were recruited in hospitals and HIV/AIDS reference centers. Data were collected at baseline and after 12 months. Variables assessed were adherence, self-efficacy regarding medication intake, social support, stress level, depression, CD4 cell count, viral load, and symptoms. Adherence was defined as taking ≥95% of prescribed HIV medication in the past 7 days. Generalized estimating equation and analysis of variance methods were used. A total of 268 adolescents participated in the study (59% female; mean age of 16 years). At baseline, 63.06% of the sample was adherent to their HIV medication, and 52.99% had an undetectable viral load. All participants, regardless of adherence, reported: low levels of stress and symptoms of depression; high perception of medication self-efficacy and social support; and a mean of 6.8 symptoms related to their HIV medication. Predictors of adherence were: high perception of medication self-efficacy (odds ratio = 2.81; 95% confidence interval: 1.94-4.05) and low number of reported medication side effects (odds ratio = .97; 95% confidence interval: .95-.99]. Between baseline and follow-up, 49.6% remained adherent, 22.3% remained nonadherent, and the adherence level changed over time for 28.2%. These findings suggest the need to develop interventions to enhance self-efficacy toward medication and to help youth better manage HIV medication symptoms. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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.

  1. 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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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...

  2. Reproductive health and lifestyle factors associated with health-related quality of life among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbalinda, Scovia Nalugo; Kiwanuka, Noah; Kaye, Dan K; Eriksson, Lars E

    2015-10-21

    With increased survival of perinatally HIV - infected adolescents due to antiretroviral therapy (ART), the focus of HIV care has shifted to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as a measure of disease progression, effects of ART co-morbidity and prognosis. We assessed factors associated with better HRQoL in perinatally HIV -infected adolescents in Uganda by determining the associations between sexual and reproductive health (SRH) or lifestyle experiences on HRQoL. In a cross-sectional study, data on SRH, lifestyle experiences, socio demographic factors, communication with parents on sexuality and satisfaction of SRH services in ART clinics were collected from 614 HIV perinatally infected adolescents aged 10-19 using an interviewer-administered survey questionnaire. HRQoL data were collected using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey instrument (MOS-HIV). Factors associated with better HRQoL were analysed using multiple logistic regression. The mean age was 16.2 ± 2.1 years, 362 (58.8 %) were females and 210 (34.2 %) were sexually active. Adolescents on ART were twice likely to present with better physical health (AOR = 2.07, 95 % CI: 1.24-3.46) and four times more likely to present with better mental health (AOR = 3.9, 95 % CI: 2.22-6.92) than those who were not on ART. There were no statistically significant associations between SRH (ever had sex, ever been pregnant, condom use, contraceptive use) or life style factors and physical health or mental health. Those with secondary or tertiary education were more likely to present with a better mental health (AOR = 5.3, 95 % CI: 1.86-15.41) compared those who had attained primary or no education. Participants who desired to have a child in future more likely (AOR 1.7, 95 % CI: 1.05-3.00) to present with a better mental health. Lack of communication with guardians on sexuality (AOR = 0.6, 95 % CI: 0.40-0.89), or dissatisfaction with SRH services (AOR 0.34, 95 % CI: 0.18-0.62) were

  3. Characteristics of pregnancy with human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and perinatal transmission in Nakornping Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomutbutra, Vorapin

    2008-02-01

    The HIV infected pregnancy delivered at Nakornping Hospital was common. To reduce and prevent HIV infection in pregnancy and perinatal transmission, the understanding of characteristics of HIV pregnancy and neonatal infective outcome were needed for proper strategy and policy making. To study the characteristics of HIV pregnancy and neonatal infective outcome in a hospital in the northern part of Thailand. This retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Medical records of HIV infected pregnancy from the labor unit during October 2002 and September 2005 was scrutinized. The relevant data of the characteristics of HIV infected mother, pregnancy and neonatal infective outcome were collected and analyzed. There were 172 HIV infected mothers among 7,872 parturients (2.2%). The mean age was 28.2 years (range 14-44 years). Most of the cases were between 25-29 years (40%). 45 pregnancies (26%) delivered before 37 weeks. About half (50.6%) delivered via cesarean section. 22% of their newborn weighted below 2,500 grams. With antiviral regimen of Navirapine and Zidovudine for both mothers and their neonate the overall perinatal transmission rate was 4%. In mothers having ANC group the transmission rate was 3.2% compared to 11.7% in no ANC group. (X2 = 1.092 p = 0.296 Cl 0.04-1.4) RR of ANC group = 0.274 compare to no ANC. Many of HIV infected mothers were in the young age group. High preterm labor rate was observed. The no ANC group had about 4 folds infective neonate compared to the ANC group. No antiviral drug during pregnancy in no ANC group may be a factor. This information was vital for strategic ANC planning to prevent and reduce this problem.

  4. Pilot Assessment of Brain Metabolism in Perinatally HIV-Infected Youths Using Accelerated 5D Echo Planar J-Resolved Spectroscopic Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Zohaib; Wilson, Neil E; Keller, Margaret A; Michalik, David E; Church, Joseph A; Nielsen-Saines, Karin; Deville, Jaime; Souza, Raissa; Brecht, Mary-Lynn; Thomas, M Albert

    2016-01-01

    To measure cerebral metabolite levels in perinatally HIV-infected youths and healthy controls using the accelerated five dimensional (5D) echo planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging (EP-JRESI) sequence, which is capable of obtaining two dimensional (2D) J-resolved spectra from three spatial dimensions (3D). After acquisition and reconstruction of the 5D EP-JRESI data, T1-weighted MRIs were used to classify brain regions of interest for HIV patients and healthy controls: right frontal white (FW), medial frontal gray (FG), right basal ganglia (BG), right occipital white (OW), and medial occipital gray (OG). From these locations, respective J-resolved and TE-averaged spectra were extracted and fit using two different quantitation methods. The J-resolved spectra were fit using prior knowledge fitting (ProFit) while the TE-averaged spectra were fit using the advanced method for accurate robust and efficient spectral fitting (AMARES). Quantitation of the 5D EP-JRESI data using the ProFit algorithm yielded significant metabolic differences in two spatial locations of the perinatally HIV-infected youths compared to controls: elevated NAA/(Cr+Ch) in the FW and elevated Asp/(Cr+Ch) in the BG. Using the TE-averaged data quantified by AMARES, an increase of Glu/(Cr+Ch) was shown in the FW region. A strong negative correlation (r 0.6) were shown between Asp/(Cr+Ch) and CD4 counts in the FG and BG. The complimentary results using ProFit fitting of J-resolved spectra and AMARES fitting of TE-averaged spectra, which are a subset of the 5D EP-JRESI acquisition, demonstrate an abnormal energy metabolism in the brains of perinatally HIV-infected youths. This may be a result of the HIV pathology and long-term combinational anti-retroviral therapy (cART). Further studies of larger perinatally HIV-infected cohorts are necessary to confirm these findings.

  5. Perinatal Outcomes in HIV Positive Pregnant Women with Concomitant Sexually Transmitted Infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin Burnett

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate whether HIV infected pregnant women with concomitant sexually transmitted infection (STIs are at increased risk of adverse perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Methods. We conducted a cohort study of HIV positive women who delivered at an inner-city hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, from 2003 to 2013. Demographics, presence of concomitant STIs, prenatal care information, and maternal and neonatal outcomes were collected. The outcomes examined were the association of the presence of concomitant STIs on the risk of preterm birth (PTB, postpartum hemorrhage, chorioamnionitis, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, small for gestational age, low Apgar scores, and neonatal intensive care admission. Multiple logistic regression was performed to adjust for potential confounders. Results. HIV positive pregnant women with concomitant STIs had an increased risk of spontaneous PTB (odds ratio (OR 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12–3.97. After adjusting for a history of preterm birth, maternal age, and low CD4+ count at prenatal care entry the association between concomitant STIs and spontaneous PTB persisted (adjusted OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.01–3.78. Conclusions. HIV infected pregnant women with concomitant STIs relative to HIV positive pregnant women without a concomitant STI are at increased risk of spontaneous PTB.

  6. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV-2 infection from 1986 to 2007 in the ANRS French Perinatal Cohort EPF-CO1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgard, M; Jasseron, C; Matheron, S; Damond, F; Hamrene, K; Blanche, S; Faye, A; Rouzioux, C; Warszawski, J; Mandelbro, L

    2010-10-01

    Management of pregnant women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 2 infection remains unclear because of its low prevalence and important differences from HIV-1. Pregnant women monoinfected with HIV-2 or HIV-1 and their infants enrolled in the prospective, national, multicenter French Perinatal Cohort between 1986 and 2007. Overall, 2.6% (223/8660) of mothers were infected with HIV-2, and they accounted for 3.1% (367/ 11841) of the total births. Most were born in sub-Saharan Africa. A higher proportion of HIV-2-infected mothers than HIV-1-infected mothers had no symptoms, had received no antiretroviral therapy at conception (85.9% vs 66.7%), and had received no antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy (42.8% vs 19.9%), particularly highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (79.7% vs 46.1%), and they had higher CD4 cell counts near delivery (median, 574 vs 452 cells/mm3; P < .01). If antiretroviral therapy was used, it was started at a later gestational age for HIV- 2-infected mothers (median, 28 vs 25 weeks; P < .01). HIV-2-infected mothers were more likely to deliver vaginally (67.9% vs 49.3%) and to breastfeed (3.6% vs 0.6%; P < .01), and their infants less frequently received postexposure prophylaxis. In the period 2000-2007, the proportion with viral load <100 copies/mL at delivery was 90.5% of HIV-2-infected mothers, compared with 76.2% of HIV-1-infected mothers (P=.1). There were 2 cases of transmission: 1 case in 1993 occurred following maternal primary infection, and the other case occurred postnatally in 2002 and involved a mother with severe immune deficiency. The mother-to-child transmission rate for HIV-2 was 0.6% (95% confidence interval, 0.07%-2.2%). Care for HIV-2-infected pregnant women rests on expert opinion. The mother-to-child transmission residual rate (0.07%-2.2%) argues for systematic treatment: protease inhibitor-based HAART for women requiring antiretrov

  7. Changes in Substance Use Symptoms Across Adolescence in Youth Perinatally Infected with HIV

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkington, K. S.; Bauermeister, J. A.; Bucek, A.; Dolezal, C.; Leu, C. S.; Mellins, C. A.

    2016-01-01

    The paper utilizes data collected at three time points in a longitudinal study of perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) and a comparison group of perinatally exposed but HIV-uninfected (PHEU) youths in the United States (N = 325). Using growth curve modeling, the paper examines changes in substance use symptoms among PHIV+ and PHEU youths as they transition through adolescence, and assesses the individual and contextual factors associated with the rate of change in substance use symptoms. Findings indicate that substance use symptoms increased over time among PHIV+ youths, but not among PHEU youths. The rate of change in these symptoms was positively associated with an increasing number of negative life events. Study findings underscore the need for early, targeted interventions for PHIV+ youths, and interventions to reduce adversities and their deleterious effects in vulnerable populations. PMID:27371136

  8. HIV-1 virological remission lasting more than 12 years after interruption of early antiretroviral therapy in a perinatally infected teenager enrolled in the French ANRS EPF-CO10 paediatric cohort: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frange, Pierre; Faye, Albert; Avettand-Fenoël, Véronique; Bellaton, Erianna; Descamps, Diane; Angin, Mathieu; David, Annie; Caillat-Zucman, Sophie; Peytavin, Gilles; Dollfus, Catherine; Le Chenadec, Jerome; Warszawski, Josiane; Rouzioux, Christine; Sáez-Cirión, Asier

    2016-01-01

    Durable HIV-1 remission after interruption of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been reported in some adults who started treatment during primary infection; however, whether long-term remission in vertically infected children is possible was unknown. We report a case of a young adult perinatally infected with HIV-1 with viral remission despite long-term treatment interruption. The patient was identified in the ANRS EPF-CO10 paediatric cohort among 100 children infected with HIV perinatally who started ART before 6 months of age. HIV RNA viral load and CD4 cell counts were monitored from birth. Ultrasensitive HIV RNA, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-associated HIV DNA, HIV-specific T-cell responses (ie, production of cytokines and capacity to suppress HIV infection), reactivation of the CD4 cell reservoir (measured by p24 ELISA and HIV RNA in supernatants upon phytohaemagglutinin activation of purified CD4 cells), and plasma concentrations of antiretroviral drugs were assessed after 10 years of documented control off therapy. The infant was born in 1996 to a woman with uncontrolled HIV-1 viraemia and received zidovudine-based prophylaxis for 6 weeks. HIV RNA and DNA were not detected 3 days and 14 days after birth. HIV DNA was detected at 4 weeks of age. HIV RNA reached 2·17× 10(6) copies per mL at 3 months of age and ART was started. HIV RNA was undetectable 1 month later. ART was discontinued by the family at some point between 5·8 and 6·8 years of age. HIV RNA was undetectable at 6·8 years of age and ART was not resumed. HIV RNA has remained below 50 copies per mL and CD4 cell counts stable through to 18·6 years of age. After 11·5 years of control off treatment, HIV RNA was below 4 copies per mL and HIV DNA was 2·2 log10 copies per 10(6) PBMCs. The HLA genotype showed homozygosity at several loci (A*2301-, B*1503/4101, C*0210/0802, DRB1*1101-, and DQB1*0602-). HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses and T-cell activation were weak. Findings

  9. Long-term outcomes in adolescents perinatally infected with HIV-1 and followed up since birth in the French perinatal cohort (EPF/ANRS CO10).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dollfus, C; Le Chenadec, J; Faye, A; Blanche, S; Briand, N; Rouzioux, C; Warszawski, J

    2010-07-15

    BACKGROUND. Increasing numbers of children perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are reaching adolescence, largely because of advances in treatment over the past 10 years, but little is known about their current health status. We describe here the living conditions and clinical and immunovirologic outcomes at last evaluation among this pioneering generation of adolescents who were born before the introduction of prophylaxis for vertical transmission and whose infections were diagnosed at a time when treatment options were limited. METHODS. The eligible population consisted of HIV-1-infected children who were born before December 1993 and who were included at birth in the prospective national French Perinatal Cohort (EPF/ANRS CO10). RESULTS. Of the 348 eligible children, 210 (60%; median age, 15 years) were still alive and regularly followed up. Current treatment was highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 77% and 2 nucleoside analogues in 5.0%; 16% had stopped treatment, and 2% had never been treated. The median CD4 cell count was 557 cells/microL, and 200 cells/microL was exceeded in 94% of patients. The median viral load was 200 copies/mL. Viral load was undetectable in 43% of the adolescents and in 54.5% of those receiving HAART. Median height, weight, and body mass index were similar to French reference values for age, and school achievement was similar to nationwide statistics. Better immunologic status was associated with being younger and with having begun HAART earlier. Undetectable viral load was associated with maternal geographic origin and current HAART. CONCLUSIONS. Given the limited therapeutic options available during the early years of these patients' lives and the challenge presented by treatment adherence during adolescence, the long-term outcomes among this population are encouraging.

  10. 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.

  11. "Don't tell him you have HIV unless he's 'the one'": romantic relationships among adolescents and young adults with perinatal HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fair, Cynthia; Albright, Jamie

    2012-12-01

    Individuals with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) are surviving into young adulthood. Previous literature has explored the sexual behavior of those with PHIV. However, their perspectives on navigating romantic relationships are not well understood. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 young adults living with PHIV recruited from two pediatric infectious disease clinics in the southeast United States. The majority of participants were African American (n=27, 77.2%), female (n=23, 65.7%), and the mean age was 20.7 (range 15-30) years. Questions focused on experiences with dating and romantic relationships as well as relationship advice for others living with HIV. Transcribed interviews were coded for emergent themes. Qualitative analyses revealed that the majority of participants have dated and struggled with their HIV status in their intimate relationships. The majority of those who disclosed their HIV status to past partners had experienced some form of rejection. However, several participants reported receiving support upon disclosure. Some individuals had never disclosed to a romantic partner, but carefully managed intimacy by delaying dating, terminating relationships, and "taking it slow." Advice fell into two broad categories: "be safe" which referred to the physical protection of self and partners, as well as emotional protection from possible rejection. The second advice category was basic encouragement which stressed the importance for young adults living with HIV to have hope that they would find a supportive partner and to be patient. The focus of education must include not only transmission risk factors, but also developing and maintaining healthy relationships in the context of a highly stigmatized illness.

  12. A stable latent reservoir for HIV-1 in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes in infected children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persaud, Deborah; Pierson, Theodore; Ruff, Christian; Finzi, Diana; Chadwick, Karen R.; Margolick, Joseph B.; Ruff, Andrea; Hutton, Nancy; Ray, Stuart; Siliciano, Robert F.

    2000-01-01

    HIV-1 persists in a latent state in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes of infected adults despite prolonged highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). To determine whether a latent reservoir for HIV-1 exists in infected children, we performed a quantitative viral culture assay on highly purified resting CD4+ T cells from 21 children with perinatally acquired infection. Replication-competent HIV-1 was recovered from all 18 children from whom sufficient cells were obtained. The frequency of latently infected resting CD4+ T cells directly correlated with plasma virus levels, suggesting that in children with ongoing viral replication, most latently infected cells are in the labile preintegration state of latency. However, in each of 7 children who had suppression of viral replication to undetectable levels for 1–3 years on HAART, latent replication-competent HIV-1 persisted with little decay, owing to a stable reservoir of infected cells in the postintegration stage of latency. Drug-resistance mutations generated by previous nonsuppressive regimens persisted in this compartment despite more than 1 year of fully suppressive HAART, rendering untenable the idea of recycling drugs that were part of failed regimens. Thus the latent reservoir for HIV-1 in resting CD4+ T cells will be a major obstacle to HIV-1 eradication in children. PMID:10749578

  13. Childhood adversity increases the risk of onward transmission from perinatal HIV-infected adolescents and youth in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidman, Rachel; Nachman, Sharon; Dietrich, Janan; Liberty, Afaaf; Violari, Avy

    2018-05-01

    Repeated exposure to childhood adversity (abuse, neglect and other traumas experienced before age 18) can have lifelong impacts on health. For HIV-infected adolescents and youth, such impacts may include onward transmission of HIV. To evaluate this possibility, the current study measured the burden of childhood adversity and its influence on risky health behaviors among perinatally-infected adolescents and youth. We surveyed 250 perinatally-infected adolescents and youth (13-24 years) receiving care in Soweto, South Africa. Both male and female participants reported on childhood adversity (using the ACE-IQ), sexual behavior, and psychosocial state. Viral load was also abstracted from their charts. We used logistic regressions to test the association between cumulative adversity and behavioral outcomes. Half the sample reported eight or more adversities. Overall, 72% experienced emotional abuse, 59% experienced physical abuse, 34% experienced sexual abuse, 82% witnessed domestic violence, and 91% saw someone being attacked in their community. A clear gradient emerged between cumulative adversities and behavioral risk. Having experienced one additional childhood adversity raised the odds of risky sexual behavior by almost 30% (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.48). Viral suppression was poor overall (31% had viral loads >400 copies/ml), but was not related to adversity. Adversity showed a robust relationship to depression and substance abuse. Childhood adversity is common, influences the current health of HIV-positive adolescents and youth, and puts their sexual partners at risk for HIV infection. Greater primary prevention of childhood adversity and increased access to support services (e.g., mental health) could reduce risk taking among HIV-positive adolescents and youth. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Disadvantaged Neighborhood Influences on Depression and Anxiety in Youth with Perinatally Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus: How Life Stressors Matter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Ezer; Mellins, Claude A.; Dolezal, Curtis; Elkington, Katherine S.; Abrams, Elaine J.

    2011-01-01

    Children living with perinatal HIV illness (PHIV+) disproportionately reside in disadvantaged neighborhoods and contend with persistent mental health challenges. This study examined the influences of disadvantaged residential neighborhood on anxiety and depression, and potential resources that buffer against internalizing problems when youths were…

  15. mtct regimen choice, drug resistance and the treatment of hiv

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    risk of transmission is highest during labour and delivery, ... will have a major impact on controlling perinatally acquired HIV infection. ... could result in the development of drug resistance with potential .... dosing, pharmacokinetics and safety.

  16. Uso recomendado de antirretrovíricos en embarazadas infectadas por el VIH-1 para reducir la transmisión perinatal del virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2001-05-01

    Full Text Available In February 1994, a clinical trial by the Pediatrics AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG 076 demonstrated, for the first time, that it was possible to reduce the risk of vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 by nearly 70% by means of a triple therapeutic regimen: 1 oral zidovudine (ZDV beginning anytime between the 14th and 34th week of gestation until the end of pregnancy; 2 intravenous ZDV during pregnancy, and 3 administration of oral ZDV to neonates during the first 6 weeks of life. Later, epidemiologic studies performed in the United States of America and France showed that this regimen drastically reduced perinatal transmission in clinical practice. Since then, important strides have been made, not only in terms of treatment (new drugs and highly effective therapeutic regimens and diagnosis (tests that can measure the viral load, but also in terms of an increased understanding of the pathogenesis of perinatal transmission of HIV-1. This report contains: a a review of special considerations to be kept in mind when administering antiretroviral agents to pregnant women; b a current overview of the results of clinical and epidemiologic trials dealing with the prevention of perinatal transmission of HIV-1; c a look at the use of tests for measuring HIV-1 RNA (viral load during pregnancy; d the most recent recommendations on the use of antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis and elective cesarean section for reducing perinatal viral transmission. These recommendations apply to the United States, and other countries may prefer to use different approaches.

  17. Seroprevalence of HIV, HTLV-I/II and other perinatally-transmitted pathogens in Salvador, Bahia Soroprevalência do HIV, HTLV-I/II e outros patógenos de transmissão perinatal em Salvador, Bahia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jairo Ivo dos Santos

    1995-08-01

    Full Text Available Generation of epidemiological data on perinatally-transmitted infections is a fundamental tool for the formulation of health policies. In Brazil, this information is scarce, particularly in Northeast, the poorest region of the country. In order to gain some insights of the problem we studied the seroprevalence of some perinatally-transmitted infections in 1,024 low income pregnant women in Salvador, Bahia. The prevalences were as follow: HIV-1 (0.10%, HTLV-I/II (0.88%, T.cruzi (2.34%. T.pallidum (3.91%, rubella virus (77.44%. T.gondii IgM (2.87% and IgG (69.34%, HBs Ag (0.6% and anti-HBs (7.62%. Rubella virus and T.gondii IgG antibodies were present in more than two thirds of pregnant women but antibodies against other pathogens were present at much lower rates. We found that the prevalence of HTLV-I/II was nine times higher than that found for HIV-1. In some cases such as T.cruzi and hepatitis B infection there was a decrease in the prevalence over the years. On the other hand, there was an increase in the seroprevalence of T.gondii infection. Our data strongly recommend mandatory screening tests for HTLV-I/II, T.gondii (IgM, T.pallidum and rubella virus in prenatal routine for pregnant women in Salvador. Screening test for T.cruzi, hepatitis and HIV-1 is recommended whenever risk factors associated with these infections are suspected. However in areas with high prevalence for these infections, the mandatory screening test in prenatal care should be considered.A obtenção de dados epidemiológicos é de fundamental importância para o estabelecimento de políticas em Saúde Pública. No Brasil, essas informações são escassas, principalmente na região Nordeste. Para se obter alguns destes dados, avaliamos a soroprevalência de algumas infecções de transmissão perinatal, em cerca de 1024 gestantes de baixa renda, em Salvador, Bahia. Os resultados encontrados foram os seguintes: HIV-1 (0,10%, HTLV-I/II (0,88%, T.cruzi (2,34%, T.pallidum (3

  18. HIV status disclosure to perinatally-infected adolescents in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study of adolescent and healthcare worker perspectives.

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    Khameer K Kidia

    Full Text Available Due to the scale up of antiretroviral therapy, increasing numbers of HIV-infected children are living into adolescence. As these children grow and surpass the immediate threat of death, the issue of informing them of their HIV status arises. This study aimed to understand how perinatally-infected adolescents learn about their HIV-status as well as to examine their preferences for the disclosure process.In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 (14 male, 17 female perinatally-infected adolescents aged 16-20 at an HIV clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, and focused on adolescents' experiences of disclosure. In addition, 15 (1 male, 14 female healthcare workers participated in two focus groups that were centred on healthcare workers' practices surrounding disclosure in the clinic. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. A coding frame was developed and major themes were extracted using grounded theory methods.Healthcare workers encouraged caregivers to initiate disclosure in the home environment. However, many adolescents preferred disclosure to take place in the presence of healthcare workers at the clinic because it gave them access to accurate information as well as an environment that made test results seem more credible. Adolescents learned more specific information about living with an HIV-positive status and the meaning of that status from shared experiences among peers at the clinic.HIV-status disclosure to adolescents is distinct from disclosure to younger children and requires tailored, age-appropriate guidelines. Disclosure to this age group in a healthcare setting may help overcome some of the barriers associated with caregivers disclosing in the home environment and make the HIV status seem more credible to an adolescent. The study also highlights the value of peer support among adolescents, which could help reduce the burden of psychosocial care on caregivers and healthcare workers.

  19. Analysis of HIV early infant diagnosis data to estimate rates of perinatal HIV transmission in Zambia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwasi Torpey

    Full Text Available Mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT remains the most prevalent source of pediatric HIV infection. Most PMTCT (prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programs have concentrated monitoring and evaluation efforts on process rather than on outcome indicators. In this paper, we review service data from 28,320 children born to HIV-positive mothers to estimate MTCT rates.This study analyzed DNA PCR results and PMTCT data from perinatally exposed children zero to 12 months of age from five Zambian provinces between September 2007 and July 2010.The majority of children (58.6% had a PCR test conducted between age six weeks and six months. Exclusive breastfeeding (56.8% was the most frequent feeding method. An estimated 45.9% of mothers were below 30 years old and 93.3% had disclosed their HIV status. In terms of ARV regimen for PMTCT, 32.7% received AZT+single dose NVP (sdNVP, 30.9% received highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART, 19.6% received sdNVP only and 12.9% received no ARVs. Transmission rates at six weeks when ARVs were received by both mother and baby, mother only, baby only, and none were 5.8%, 10.5%, 15.8% and 21.8% respectively. Transmission rates at six weeks where mother received HAART, AZT+sd NVP, sdNVP, and no intervention were 4.2%, 6.8%, 8.7% and 20.1% respectively. Based on adjusted analysis including ARV exposures and non ARV-related parameters, lower rates of positive PCR results were associated with 1 both mother and infant receiving prophylaxis, 2 children never breastfed and 3 mother being 30 years old or greater. Overall between September 2007 and July 2010, 12.2% of PCR results were HIV positive. Between September 2007 and January 2009, then between February 2009 and July 2010, proportions of positive PCR results were 15.1% and 11% respectively, a significant difference.The use of ARV drugs reduces vertical transmission of HIV in a program setting. Non-chemoprophylactic factors also play a significant

  20. Maternal Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Use During Pregnancy Is Not Associated With Adverse Perinatal Outcomes Among HIV-infected East African Women: A Prospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pintye, Jillian; Baeten, Jared M; Celum, Connie; Mugo, Nelly; Ngure, Kenneth; Were, Edwin; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; John-Stewart, Grace; Heffron, Renee A

    2017-12-19

    Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is commonly used in antiretroviral treatment (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis regimens. We evaluated the relationship between adverse perinatal outcomes and prenatal TDF use. Longitudinal data were analyzed from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women who became pregnant during 2 HIV prevention studies conducted among HIV-serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda. Pregnancies included were singleton, not terminated by an induced abortion, and had documented 3-drug ART use. Multivariate generalized estimating equation models were used to determine the association of prenatal TDF and perinatal outcomes. The most frequent ART regimens were TDF/3TC/EFV (39%) and AZT/3TC/NVP (34%); 49% of pregnancies had prenatal TDF exposure and 6% used a protease inhibitor. Neonatal death, preterm birth, and pregnancy loss occurred in 2%, 8%, and 12% of pregnancies, respectively. No differences were observed between pregnancies with and without exposure to TDF in the frequency of pregnancy loss (adjusted prevalence rate ratio [aPRR] 1.19, P = .8) or neonatal death (aPRR 0.68, P = .6). Preterm birth occurred less frequently among pregnancies exposed to TDF (aPRR, 0.34, P = .02). Maternal TDF use did not adversely affect perinatal outcomes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. High Maternal HIV-1 Viral Load During Pregnancy Is Associated With Reduced Placental Transfer of Measles IgG Antibody

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farquhar, Carey; Nduati, Ruth; Haigwood, Nancy; Sutton, William; Mbori-Ngacha, Dorothy; Richardson, Barbra; John-Stewart, Grace

    2012-01-01

    Background Studies among HIV-1–infected women have demonstrated reduced placental transfer of IgG antibodies against measles and other pathogens. As a result, infants born to women with HIV-1 infection may not acquire adequate passive immunity in utero and this could contribute to high infant morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population. Methods To determine factors associated with decreased placental transfer of measles IgG, 55 HIV-1–infected pregnant women who were enrolled in a Nairobi perinatal HIV-1 transmission study were followed. Maternal CD4 count, HIV-1 viral load, and HIV-1–specific gp41 antibody concentrations were measured antenatally and at delivery. Measles IgG concentrations were assayed in maternal blood and infant cord blood obtained during delivery to calculate placental antibody transfer. Results Among 40 women (73%) with positive measles titers, 30 (75%) were found to have abnormally low levels of maternofetal IgG transfer (<95%). High maternal HIV-1 viral load at 32 weeks’ gestation and at delivery was associated with reductions in placental transfer (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0056, respectively) and infant measles IgG concentrations in cord blood (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0073, respectively). High maternal HIV-1–specific gp41 antibody titer was also highly correlated with both decreased placental transfer (P = 0.0080) and decreased infant IgG (P < 0.0001). Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate the relationship between maternal HIV-1 viremia, maternal HIV-1 antibody concentrations, and passive immunity among HIV-1–exposed infants. These data support the hypothesis that high HIV-1 viral load during the last trimester may impair maternofetal transfer of IgG and increases risk of measles and other serious infections among HIV-1–exposed infants. PMID:16280707

  2. Focal perinatal acquired brain injury - a sonographic study of the course

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Franek, A.

    1985-06-01

    A case of a perinatal acquired focal brain lesion is reported, and the process of resorption and healing demonstrated by ultrasound. Within four weeks a cortical area of increased echogenicity was resorbed. After two months, the resulting porencephalic cyst had been transformed into glial tissue of very high echogenicity. The neurologic development of two children with such glial focus was good. These cases demonstrate that porencephalic cysts are not always the final state after resorption of a focal brain lesion. They are no reliable prognostic indicator of poor neurological outcome. Traumatic and complicated delivery, asphyxia and coagulopathy are conditions which have been found several times in connection with a focal brain lesion. In contrast to periventricular injury, prematurity does not seem to be a factor of higher risk.

  3. Factors associated with conversion of long-term non-progressors to progressors: A prospective study of HIV perinatally infected paediatric survivors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muttineni Radhakrishna

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives : Survival pattern among children infected with the human immune deficiency virus (HIV follows a bimodel distribution. Some children survive beyond 9 years age and are known as long term survivers (LTS while others had a more rapid course to death during the first few years of life. In the LTS group of children, two sub-populations have emerged, the long term non-progressors (LTNP who have remained asymptomatic over a period of years and those who have survived despite clinical and laboratory evidence of disease progression, the long term progressors (LTP. The aim of the present study was to determine the factors influencing the conversion of LTNPs to LTPs in a group of perinatally HIV infected children who were followed up for five years. Methods : A total of 26 HIV seropositive paediatric patients were monitored from 2006 to 2011 with CD4 cell counts, onset of clinical manifestations, body weight, biochemical, haematological and immunological parameters. Statistical analyses, both qualitative and quantitative, were used to determine the degree of conversion of non-progressors to progressors. Results : All 26 (13 female and 13 male perinatally HIV infected children, born during1991-1996 were healthy until 2006. But by 2011, 18 were placed in progressors group with antiretroviral therapy (ART, while six remained in non progressors group and two died. As per the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, AIDS free median survival period (years in LTP group (CD4 count of the cohort was 10΁0.66 (350, P=<0.05. Intercurrent and opportunistic infections (OIs were observed in LTPs only. The incidence of OI in LTPs was higher when compared to general paediatric population. Interpretation & conclusions : Our findings show that CD4 counts and OIs play an important role in influencing the survival chances of perinatally HIV infected children.

  4. Knowledge and Behavioural Factors Associated with Gender Gap in Acquiring HIV Among Youth in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patra, Shraboni; Singh, Rakesh Kumar

    2015-07-16

    The increasing prevalence of HIV in Uganda during the last decade (7.5% in 2004-05 to 8.3% in 2011 among women and 5.0% in 2004-05 to 6.1% among men in 2011 of 15 to 49 years) clearly shows that women are disproportionately affected by HIV epidemic. Hence, we assessed the prevalence of HIV and focused on differences in risky sexual behaviour and knowledge of HIV among Ugandan youth. Uganda AIDS Indicator Survey 2011 data was used. The total samples of men and women (15 to 24 years), interviewed and tested for HIV, were 3450 and 4504 respectively. The analysis of risky sexual behaviour was based on 1941 men and 3127 women who had ever had sex and were tested for HIV. Pearson's Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used. Findings showed that young women were almost two times more vulnerable than young men in acquiring HIV (OR=1.762, Pgap in risky sexual behaviour and new transmission of HIV in Uganda. Significance for public healthThe present study represents the evidence of a recent increase in HIV infection in Uganda from the latest round of AIDs indicator survey. This manuscript describes how young women (15-24 years-old) are disproportionately HIV-infected compared to young men in Uganda. They are more vulnerable to HIV than young men. Moreover, it is also observed that young women are at greater risk of acquiring HIV because of their risky sexual behaviour and inappropriate knowledge of HIV transmission. Some educational programmes, growing gender equity in HIV/AIDS activities and services, dropping violence and coercion, addressing male norms and behaviours, improving women's legal protection, and rising women's access to income and productive resources can be very effective in minimising the vulnerability of young women to HIV/AIDS.

  5. Association of previous severe low birth weight with adverse perinatal outcomes in a subsequent pregnancy among HIV-prevalent urban African women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smid, Marcela C; Ahmed, Yusuf; Stoner, Marie C D; Vwalika, Bellington; Stringer, Elizabeth M; Stringer, Jeffrey S A

    2017-02-01

    To evaluate the association between severity of prior low birth weight (LBW) delivery and adverse perinatal outcomes in the subsequent delivery among an HIV-prevalent urban African population. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 41 109 women who had undergone two deliveries in Lusaka, Zambia, between February 1, 2006, and May 31, 2013. The relationship between prior LBW delivery (<2500 g) and a composite measure of adverse perinatal outcome in the second pregnancy was assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Women with prior LBW delivery (n=4259) had an increased risk of LBW in the second delivery versus those without prior LBW delivery (n=37 642). Such risk correlated with the severity of first delivery LBW. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was 2.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.05-4.09) for a birth weight of 1000-1499 g, 3.05 (95% CI 2.42-3.86) for a birth weight of 1500-1999 g, and 2.02 (95% CI 1.81-2.27) for a birth weight of 2000-2499 g. Previous LBW delivery also increased the risk of adverse perinatal outcome, with an AOR of 1.4 (95% CI 1.2-1.7). Severe prior LBW delivery conferred substantial risk for adverse perinatal outcomes in a subsequent pregnancy. © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

  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. Psychological symptoms among 2032 youth living with HIV: a multisite study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Larry K; Whiteley, Laura; Harper, Gary W; Nichols, Sharon; Nieves, Amethys

    2015-04-01

    This study determined the prevalence and patterns of psychological symptoms in adolescents and young adults living with HIV (YLWH) in medical care and relationships between psychological symptoms, route and duration of infection, and antiretroviral treatment (ART). A clinic-based sample of 2032 YLWH (mean age 20.3 years), recruited from 20 adolescent medicine HIV clinics, completed a cross-sectional survey of health behaviors and psychological symptoms using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Overall, 17.5% of youth reported psychological symptoms greater than the normative threshold on the Global Severity Index. A wide variety of symptoms were reported. The prevalence of clinical symptoms was significantly greater in youth with behaviorally acquired HIV compared to those with perinatally acquired infection (20.6% vs. 10.8%, OR=2.06 in Multiple Logistic Regression (MLR)), and in those not taking ART that had been prescribed (29. 2% vs. 18.8%, OR=1.68 in MLR). Knowing one's HIV status for more than one year and disclosure of HIV status were not associated with fewer symptoms. A large proportion of YLWH have psychological symptoms and the prevalence is greatest among those with behaviorally acquired infection. The high rate of psychological symptoms for youth not taking ART that is prescribed is a cause for concern. Symptoms do not appear to be a transient reaction to diagnosis of HIV.

  8. Molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 associated neurodegeneration

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Since identification of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), numerous studies suggest a link between neurological impairments, in particular dementia, with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with alarming occurrence worldwide. Approximately, 60% of HIV-infected people show some form of neurological ...

  9. Factors associated with high rates of antiretroviral medication adherence among youth living with perinatal HIV in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Ezer; Delzell, Darcie A P; Chhabra, Manik; Oberdorfer, Peninnah

    2015-07-01

    Antiretroviral medication adherence behaviour among Thai youth with perinatal HIV in Thailand has received growing attention. However, few studies have examined individual predictors of antiretroviral adherence using multiple self-reports. A convenience sample of 89 Thai youth (interquartile range 14-16 years) with perinatal HIV at three paediatric programmes in Chiang Mai completed a structured questionnaire and reported their antiretroviral adherence in the past one, seven and 30 days using count-based recall and a visual analog scale. Mean self-reported adherence rates ranged from 83.5% (past 30 days) to 99.8% (yesterday) of the time. One-inflated beta regression models were used to examine the associations between antiretroviral adherence outcomes, treatment self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, social support and beliefs/attitudes about medications. Higher percentage of medications taken in the past 30 days was independently associated with higher treatment self-efficacy and fewer symptoms of depression. Adherence monitoring would benefit from focal assessment of youth depression and perceived capacity to follow their antiretroviral regimen. © The Author(s) 2014.

  10. "Let's talk about sex": A qualitative study of Rwandan adolescents' views on sex and HIV

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Nuil, J.I.; Mutwa, P.R.; Asiimwe-Kateera, B.; Kestelyn, E.; Vyankandondera, J.; Pool, R.; Ruhirimbura, J.; Kanakuze, C.; Reiss, P.; Geelen, S.P.M.; van de Wijgert, J.H.; Boer, K.R.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study explored the views and experiences of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV in Kigali, Rwanda, regarding sex, love, marriage, children and hope for the future. DESIGN: The study enrolled 42 adolescents who had received combination antiretroviral therapy for at

  11. Pregnancy and HIV infection

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    Mete Sucu

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV infection is progressing rapidly. In developed countries, the perinatal transmission rates have decreased from 20-30% to 1-2% with the use of antiretroviral therapy and cesarean section. Interventions for the prevention of prenatal transmission has made the prenatal care of pregnant patients with HIV infection more complex. Rapid development of standard care and continuing increase in the distribution of HIV infection has required clinicians taking care of pregnants to have current information. Therefore, in our review we aimed to summarize the prenatal course, treatment and preventive methods for perinatal transmission of HIV. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2016; 25(4.000: 522-535

  12. Perinatal HIV-infection in Sankt Petersburg and Modern Therapy Concomitant Viral Infections

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    V. N. Timchenko

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The study included 338 HIV-infected children (B-23 and 350 children with perinatal contact HIV infection (R-75, consisting on the dispensary in the department of maternal and child the St. Petersburg City AIDS Center. In 32 persons (9.5% diagnosed with secondary infections. In the structure of viral opportunistic infections (herpesvirus, SARS amounted to 39.8%, bacterial (bronchitis, tonsillitis, pyoderma, tuberculosis — 34.8%, fungal and parasitic (candidiasis of the oral mucosa, PCP — 25.4 %. Combined therapy (causal, pathogenetic, symptomatic SARS in children with B-23 and R-75, allows you to get in early (6th d. Treatment regress the main symptoms of acute respiratory diseases. Modern therapy of congenital cytomegalovirus infection (VTSMI in children with B-23 and R-75 of the first year of life with antitsitomegalovirusnogo immunoglobulin and preparation of human recombinant interferon alfa-2b in the form of rectal suppositories — VIFERON, causes persistent normalization of clinical and laboratory parameters.

  13. HIV-1 drug resistance prevalence, drug susceptibility and variant characterization in the Jacobi Medical Center paediatric cohort, Bronx, NY, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Mulder, M; York, V A; Wiznia, A A; Michaud, H A; Nixon, D F; Holguin, A; Rosenberg, M G

    2014-03-01

    With the advent of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), perinatally HIV-infected children are surviving into adolescence and beyond. However, drug resistance mutations (DRMs) compromise viral control, affecting the long-term effectiveness of ART. The aims of this study were to detect and identify DRMs in a HIV-1 infected paediatric cohort. Paired plasma and dried blood spots (DBSs) specimens were obtained from HIV-1 perinatally infected patients attending the Jacobi Medical Center, New York, USA. Clinical, virological and immunological data for these patients were analysed. HIV-1 pol sequences were generated from samples to identify DRMs according to the International AIDS Society (IAS) 2011 list. Forty-seven perinatally infected patients were selected, with a median age of 17.7 years, of whom 97.4% were carrying subtype B. They had a mean viral load of 3143 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL and a mean CD4 count of 486 cells/μL at the time of sampling. Nineteen patients (40.4%) had achieved undetectable viraemia (40.5% had a CD4 count of > 500 cells/μL. Most of the patients (97.9%) had received cART, including protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimens in 59.6% of cases. The DRM prevalence was 54.1, 27.6 and 27.0% for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), PIs and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), respectively. Almost two-thirds (64.9%) of the patients harboured DRMs to at least one drug class and 5.4% were triple resistant. The mean nucleotide similarity between plasma and DBS sequences was 97.9%. Identical DRM profiles were present in 60% of plasma-DBS paired sequences. A total of 30 DRMs were detected in plasma and 26 in DBSs, with 23 present in both. Although more perinatally HIV-1-infected children are reaching adulthood as a result of advances in cART, our study cohort presented a high prevalence of resistant viruses, especially viruses resistant to NRTIs. DBS specimens can be used for DRM detection. © 2013 British HIV Association.

  14. "Let's talk about sex": a qualitative study of Rwandan adolescents' views on sex and HIV

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Nuil, Jennifer Ilo; Mutwa, Philippe; Asiimwe-Kateera, Brenda; Kestelyn, Evelyne; Vyankandondera, Joseph; Pool, Robert; Ruhirimbura, John; Kanakuze, Chantal; Reiss, Peter; Geelen, Sibyl P. M.; van de Wijgert, Janneke H.; Boer, Kimberly R.

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study explored the views and experiences of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV in Kigali, Rwanda, regarding sex, love, marriage, children and hope for the future. The study enrolled 42 adolescents who had received combination antiretroviral therapy for at least 12 months, and

  15. Effect of antiretroviral drugs on maternal CD4 lymphocyte counts, HIV-1 RNA levels, and anthropometric parameters of their neonates Efeito das drogas anti-retrovirais sobre os valores dos linfócitos TCD4, RNA do HIV-1 e parâmetros antropométricos de neonatos de gestantes portadoras do HIV-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia El Beitune

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To study the effect of antiretroviral drugs administered during pregnancy on CD4 lymphocyte counts and HIV-1 RNA levels of pregnant women and on the anthropometric parameters of their neonates. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 57 pregnant women and their neonates divided into 3 groups: ZDV Group, HIV-infected mothers taking zidovudine (n = 20; triple therapy (TT Group, mothers taking zidovudine + lamivudine + nelfinavir (n = 25, and Control Group, normal women (n = 12. CD4 lymphocyte counts and HIV-1 RNA levels of pregnant women were analyzed during two periods of pregnancy. The perinatal prognosis took into account preterm rates, birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, perinatal death, and vertical transmission of HIV-1. Data were analyzed statistically using the nonparametric chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Friedman, Kruskal-Wallis, and Wilcoxon matched pairs tests, with the level of significance set at P OBJETIVOS: Estudar o efeito das drogas anti-retrovirais sobre a quantificação dos linfócitos TCD4 e RNA do HIV-1 de gestantes portadoras do HIV-1 e parâmetros antropométricos de seus neonatos. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo avaliando 57 gestantes e seus neonatos em três grupos: Grupo AZT, gestantes portadoras do HIV utilizando zidovudina (n=20; Grupo TT, mães utilizando zidovudina+lamivudina+nelfinavir (n=25, e Grupo Controle, mulheres saudáveis (n=12. A quantificação dos linfócitos TCD4 e RNA do HIV-1 de gestantes portadoras do HIV foi analisada em dois períodos durante a gestação. O prognóstico perinatal levou em consideração as taxas de pré-termos, restrição de crescimento intra-útero, mortalidade perinatal e transmissão vertical do HIV-1. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se testes não paramétricos de qui-quadrado, Mann-Whitney, Friedman, Kruskal-Wallys e Wilcoxon para amostras pareadas, considerando-se significativos valores associados a p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Observou-se homogeneidade entre

  16. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antiretroviral management, reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual risk behavior among perinatally HIV-infected youth in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lolekha, Rangsima; Boon-Yasidhi, Vitharon; Leowsrisook, Pimsiri; Naiwatanakul, Thananda; Durier, Yuitiang; Nuchanard, Wipada; Tarugsa, Jariya; Punpanich, Warunee; Pattanasin, Sarika; Chokephaibulkit, Kulkanya

    2015-01-01

    More than 30% of perinatally HIV-infected children in Thailand are 12 years and older. As these youth become sexually active, there is a risk that they will transmit HIV to their partners. Data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of HIV-infected youth in Thailand are limited. Therefore, we assessed the KAP of perinatally HIV-infected youth and youth reporting sexual risk behaviors receiving care at two tertiary care hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand and living in an orphanage in Lopburi, Thailand. From October 2010 to July 2011, 197 HIV-infected youth completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview to assess their KAP regarding antiretroviral (ARV) management, reproductive health, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A majority of youth in this study correctly answered questions about HIV transmission and prevention and the importance of taking ARVs regularly. More than half of the youth in this study demonstrated a lack of family planning, reproductive health, and STI knowledge. Girls had more appropriate attitudes toward safe sex and risk behaviors than boys. Although only 5% of the youth reported that they had engaged in sexual intercourse, about a third reported sexual risk behaviors (e.g., having or kissing boy/girlfriend or consuming an alcoholic beverage). We found low condom use and other family planning practices, increasing the risk of HIV and/or STI transmission to sexual partners. Additional resources are needed to improve reproductive health knowledge and reduce risk behavior among HIV-infected youth in Thailand.

  17. Genetic factors associated with slow progression of HIV among perinatally-infected Indian children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhuri, Riya Pal; Neogi, Ujjwal; Rao, Shwetha D; Shet, Anita

    2014-10-01

    To study the association between common AIDS restriction genes and slow disease progression among perinatally-infected children in India. ART-naïve children were identified and selected host factors including CCR5-∆32, SDF1-3'A, CCR5-59029G, HLA-B*27, B*57 were studied using allele-specific PCR-RFLP and SSPGo HLA typing kits. Among 165 children, 10 (6%) long-term non-progressors and 8 (5%) slow progressors were identified. For comparison, 12 children with normal progression of HIV were included. The frequencies of CCR5-∆32 deletion, SDF1-3'A and CCR5-59029G did not differ significantly. HLA-B*27 and B*57 were observed only in long-term non-progressors or slow progressors, who also harbored either SDF1-3'A and/or CCR5-59029G. There is an association between host genetic factors and slow disease progression in this population.

  18. The uptake of integrated perinatal prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programs in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tudor Car, Lorainne; Brusamento, Serena; Elmoniry, Hoda; van Velthoven, Michelle H M M T; Pape, Utz J; Welch, Vivian; Tugwell, Peter; Majeed, Azeem; Rudan, Igor; Car, Josip; Atun, Rifat

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this review was to assess the uptake of WHO recommended integrated perinatal prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV interventions in low- and middle-income countries. We searched 21 databases for observational studies presenting uptake of integrated PMTCT programs in low- and middle-income countries. Forty-one studies on programs implemented between 1997 and 2006, met inclusion criteria. The proportion of women attending antenatal care who were counseled and who were tested was high; 96% (range 30-100%) and 81% (range 26-100%), respectively. However, the overall median proportion of HIV positive women provided with antiretroviral prophylaxis in antenatal care and attending labor ward was 55% (range 22-99%) and 60% (range 19-100%), respectively. The proportion of women with unknown HIV status, tested for HIV at labor ward was 70%. Overall, 79% (range 44-100%) of infants were tested for HIV and 11% (range 3-18%) of them were HIV positive. We designed two PMTCT cascades using studies with outcomes for all perinatal PMTCT interventions which showed that an estimated 22% of all HIV positive women attending antenatal care and 11% of all HIV positive women delivering at labor ward were not notified about their HIV status and did not participate in PMTCT program. Only 17% of HIV positive antenatal care attendees and their infants are known to have taken antiretroviral prophylaxis. The existing evidence provides information only about the initial PMTCT programs which were based on the old WHO PMTCT guidelines. The uptake of counseling and HIV testing among pregnant women attending antenatal care was high, but their retention in PMTCT programs was low. The majority of women in the included studies did not receive ARV prophylaxis in antenatal care; nor did they attend labor ward. More studies evaluating the uptake in current PMTCT programs are urgently needed.

  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. Antiretroviral treatment, viral load of mothers & perinatal HIV transmission in Mumbai, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swati P Ahir

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT is the most significant route of HIV transmission in children below the age of 15 yr. In India, perinatal HIV transmission, even after treatment, accounts for 5.4 per cent of HIV cases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of anti-retro viral therapy (ART or prophylactic treatment (PT to control maternal viral load in HIV positive women, and its effect on vertical HIV transmission to their infants. Methods: A total of 58 HIV positive women were enrolled at the time of delivery and their plasma samples were obtained within 24 h of delivery for estimation of viral load. Viral load analysis was completed in 38 women. Infants received single dose nevirapine within 2 h of birth and zidovudine for 6 wk. At the end of 18 month follow up, HIV positive or negative status was available in 28 infants. Results: Results revealed undetectable levels of viral load in 58.3 per cent of women with ART compared to 30.7 per cent of women with PT. No women on ART had viral load more than 10,000 copies/ml, whereas seven (26.9%, P=0.07 women receiving PT had this viral load. Median CD4 count of women on PT (483 cells/μl was high compared to the women on ART (289 cells/ μl. At the end of 18 months follow up, only two children were HIV positive, whose mothers were on PT. One had in utero transmission; infection detected within 48 h of delivery, while the other child was infected post partum as HIV was detected at six months follow up. Interpretation & conclusions: Women who received a single dose of nevirapine during delivery had higher levels of viral load than women on ART. Combination drug therapy for pregnant women is now a standard of care in most of the western countries; use of nevirapine monotherapy at the time of delivery in our settings is not effective in controlling viral load. This highlights initiation of ART in pregnant women to control their viral load and thus to inhibit

  1. 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.

  2. Resilience in perinatal HIV+ adolescents in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhana, Arvin; Mellins, Claude A; Small, Latoya; Nestadt, Danielle F; Leu, Cheng-Shiun; Petersen, Inge; Machanyangwa, Sphindile; McKay, Mary

    2016-03-01

    Increasing numbers of perinatally HIV (PHIV+)-infected youth are surviving into adulthood with better access to treatment. However, few studies examine positive outcomes in the face of adversity (resilience) for PHIV+ youth. Social Action Theory (SAT) provided the theoretical framework for this study of PHIV + youth in South Africa (SA), allowing examination of contextual, social, and self-regulatory factors that influence behavioral health. Data were from youth and caregiver baseline interviews, simply pooled from a pilot (N=66) and larger (n=111) randomized control trial (RCT) of the VUKA Family program. For this analysis, outcomes included emotional and behavioral functioning (total difficulties), and prosocial behaviors. Potential SAT correlates included socio-demographics; caregiver health and mental health; parent-child relationship factors; stigma, and child coping, support; and self-esteem. Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and study revealed significant associations at the contextual, social, and self-regulation level. Lower total child difficulties scores were associated with lower caregiver depression (β = 3.906,p communication about difficult issues (β = 1.882, p = .009) and higher youth self-esteem (β = -0.119, p = .020). Greater prosocial behaviors were associated with greater caregiver-reported communication (β = 0.722, p = .020) and child use of wishful thinking for coping (β = 5.532, p = .009). Less youth depression was associated with higher caregiver education (β =-0.399, p = .010), greater caregiver supervision (β = -1.261, p = .012), more social support seeking (β = -0.453, p = .002), higher youth self-esteem (β = -0.067, p self-regulation skills to enhance the health and mental health of PHIV+ youth.

  3. HIV Drug Resistance-Associated Mutations in Antiretroviral Naïve HIV-1-Infected Latin American Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis E. Soto-Ramirez

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Our goal was to describe the presence of HIV drug resistance among HIV-1-infected, antiretroviral (ARV naïve children and adolescents in Latin America and to examine resistance in these children in relation to drug exposure in the mother. Genotyping was performed on plasma samples obtained at baseline from HIV-1-infected participants in a prospective cohort study in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico (NISDI Pediatric Study. Of 713 HIV-infected children enrolled, 69 were ARV naïve and eligible for the analysis. At enrollment, mean age was 7.3 years; 81.2% were infected with HIV perinatally. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs were detected in 6 (8.7%; 95% confidence interval 3.1–18.2% ARV-naïve subjects; none of the mothers of these 6 received ARVs during their pregnancies and none of the children received ARV prophylaxis. Reverse transcriptase mutations K70R and K70E were detected in 3 and 2 subjects, respectively; protease mutation I50 V was detected in 1 subject. Three of the 6 children with DRMs initiated ARV therapy during followup, with a good response in 2. The overall rate of primary drug resistance in this pediatric HIV-infected population was low, and no subjects had more than 1 DRM. Mutations associated with resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors were the most prevalent.

  4. The uptake of integrated perinatal prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programs in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorainne Tudor Car

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The objective of this review was to assess the uptake of WHO recommended integrated perinatal prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT of HIV interventions in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We searched 21 databases for observational studies presenting uptake of integrated PMTCT programs in low- and middle-income countries. Forty-one studies on programs implemented between 1997 and 2006, met inclusion criteria. The proportion of women attending antenatal care who were counseled and who were tested was high; 96% (range 30-100% and 81% (range 26-100%, respectively. However, the overall median proportion of HIV positive women provided with antiretroviral prophylaxis in antenatal care and attending labor ward was 55% (range 22-99% and 60% (range 19-100%, respectively. The proportion of women with unknown HIV status, tested for HIV at labor ward was 70%. Overall, 79% (range 44-100% of infants were tested for HIV and 11% (range 3-18% of them were HIV positive. We designed two PMTCT cascades using studies with outcomes for all perinatal PMTCT interventions which showed that an estimated 22% of all HIV positive women attending antenatal care and 11% of all HIV positive women delivering at labor ward were not notified about their HIV status and did not participate in PMTCT program. Only 17% of HIV positive antenatal care attendees and their infants are known to have taken antiretroviral prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: The existing evidence provides information only about the initial PMTCT programs which were based on the old WHO PMTCT guidelines. The uptake of counseling and HIV testing among pregnant women attending antenatal care was high, but their retention in PMTCT programs was low. The majority of women in the included studies did not receive ARV prophylaxis in antenatal care; nor did they attend labor ward. More studies evaluating the uptake in current PMTCT programs are urgently needed.

  5. Long Term Follow-up of HIV-1 Exposed Children in Nairobi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ndinya-Achola, J.O; Datta, P.; Maitha, G.; Embree, J.E.; Kreiss, J.K.; Achola, P.S.; Holmes, K.K.; Plummer, F.A.

    1992-01-01

    Transmission of HIV-1 from an infected mother to her infant is the major route of transmission of this infection to children. In sub-Saharan Africa where heterosexual transmission of HIV is the commonest mode of spread, high prevalence of HIV infection in women of child bearing age is bound to lead to increased paediatric AIDS as a result of vertical transmission. In recognizing these epidemiological factors, the University of Nairobi HIV-1 Perinatal Transmission and Paediatric AIDS Project was initiated in 1986. Antenatal mothers attending Pumwani Maternity Hospital were enrolled during labour and screened for HIV-1 infection by ELISA. Those reacting positive were to participate in the study. An equal number of negative controls were also recruited. The mothers and babies of both groups were followed for varying periods over the next five years. A total of 360 babies born to HIV infected mothers and 360 babies born to HIV negative mothers were examined. The mortality rate observed in the HIV-1 exposed was substantially higher than that observed in controls (RR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-6.1). Common causes of death among infected infants were pneumonia, measles, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and septicaemia. The five year survival was 85% among HIV infected children. Maternal risk factors associated with transmission were marital status, duration of sexual activity and the age of the first intercourse

  6. Long Term Follow-up of HIV-1 Exposed Children in Nairobi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ndinya-Achola, J O; Datta, P; Maitha, G [Department of Microbiology, University of Nairobi, (Kenya); Embree, J E; Kreiss, J K; Achola, P S [Health Department, Nairobi City Commission, Nairobi, (Kenya); Holmes, K K [Dept. of Medicine, Harboview Medical Centre, University of Washington, Seattle (United States); Plummer, F A [Dept. of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba (Canada)

    1992-05-15

    Transmission of HIV-1 from an infected mother to her infant is the major route of transmission of this infection to children. In sub-Saharan Africa where heterosexual transmission of HIV is the commonest mode of spread, high prevalence of HIV infection in women of child bearing age is bound to lead to increased paediatric AIDS as a result of vertical transmission. In recognizing these epidemiological factors, the University of Nairobi HIV-1 Perinatal Transmission and Paediatric AIDS Project was initiated in 1986. Antenatal mothers attending Pumwani Maternity Hospital were enrolled during labour and screened for HIV-1 infection by ELISA. Those reacting positive were to participate in the study. An equal number of negative controls were also recruited. The mothers and babies of both groups were followed for varying periods over the next five years. A total of 360 babies born to HIV infected mothers and 360 babies born to HIV negative mothers were examined. The mortality rate observed in the HIV-1 exposed was substantially higher than that observed in controls (RR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-6.1). Common causes of death among infected infants were pneumonia, measles, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and septicaemia. The five year survival was 85% among HIV infected children. Maternal risk factors associated with transmission were marital status, duration of sexual activity and the age of the first intercourse.

  7. 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

  8. A cross-sectional study of the magnitude, barriers, and outcomes of HIV status disclosure among women participating in a perinatal HIV transmission study, "the Nevirapine Repeat Pregnancy study".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiweewa, Flavia M; Bakaki, Paul M; McConnell, Michelle S; Musisi, Maria; Namirembe, Constance; Nakayiwa, Frances; Kusasira, Fiona; Nakintu, Dorothy; Mubiru, Michael C; Musoke, Philippa; Fowler, Mary Glenn

    2015-09-29

    HIV status disclosure is a difficult emotional task for HIV-infected persons and may create the opportunity for both social support and rejection. In this study, we evaluated the proportions, patterns, barriers and outcomes of HIV- 1 status disclosure among a group of women in Uganda. An exit interview was conducted one year post-partum for 85 HIV-infected women who participated in a study of HIV-1 transmission rates among NVP-experienced compared with NVP-naïve women in "The Nevirapine Repeat Pregnancy (NVP-RP) Study" at the Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala-Uganda, between June 2004 and June 2006. Of the 85 women interviewed, 99 % had disclosed their HIV status to at least one other person. Disclosure proportions ranged between 1 % to employer(s) and 69 % to a relative other than a parent. Only 38 % of the women had disclosed to their sex partners. Women with an HIV-infected baby were more likely than those with an uninfected baby to disclose to their sex partner, OR 4.9 (95 % CI, 2.0 -11.2), and women were less likely to disclose to a partner if they had previously disclosed to another relative than if they had not, OR 0.19 (95 % CI, 0.14-0.52). The most common reasons for non-disclosure included fear of separation from the partner and subsequent loss of financial support 34 %, and not living with the partner (not having opportunities to disclose) 26 %. While most women (67 %) reported getting social support following disclosure, 22 % reported negative outcomes (neglect, separation from their partners, and loss of financial support). Following disclosure of HIV status, 9 % of women reported that their partner (s) decided to have an HIV test. Results from this study show high overall HIV disclosure proportions and how this disclosure of HIV status can foster social support. However, proportions of disclosure specifically to male sex partners were low, which suggests the need for interventions aimed at increasing male

  9. Effect of cytomegalovirus co-infection on normalization of selected T-cell subsets in children with perinatally acquired HIV infection treated with combination antiretroviral therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suad Kapetanovic

    Full Text Available We examined the effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV co-infection and viremia on reconstitution of selected CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets in perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+ children ≥ 1-year old who participated in a partially randomized, open-label, 96-week combination antiretroviral therapy (cART-algorithm study.Participants were categorized as CMV-naïve, CMV-positive (CMV+ viremic, and CMV+ aviremic, based on blood, urine, or throat culture, CMV IgG and DNA polymerase chain reaction measured at baseline. At weeks 0, 12, 20 and 40, T-cell subsets including naïve (CD62L+CD45RA+; CD95-CD28+, activated (CD38+HLA-DR+ and terminally differentiated (CD62L-CD45RA+; CD95+CD28- CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were measured by flow cytometry.Of the 107 participants included in the analysis, 14% were CMV+ viremic; 49% CMV+ aviremic; 37% CMV-naïve. In longitudinal adjusted models, compared with CMV+ status, baseline CMV-naïve status was significantly associated with faster recovery of CD8+CD62L+CD45RA+% and CD8+CD95-CD28+% and faster decrease of CD8+CD95+CD28-%, independent of HIV VL response to treatment, cART regimen and baseline CD4%. Surprisingly, CMV status did not have a significant impact on longitudinal trends in CD8+CD38+HLA-DR+%. CMV status did not have a significant impact on any CD4+ T-cell subsets.In this cohort of PHIV+ children, the normalization of naïve and terminally differentiated CD8+ T-cell subsets in response to cART was detrimentally affected by the presence of CMV co-infection. These findings may have implications for adjunctive treatment strategies targeting CMV co-infection in PHIV+ children, especially those that are now adults or reaching young adulthood and may have accelerated immunologic aging, increased opportunistic infections and aging diseases of the immune system.

  10. Effect of cytomegalovirus co-infection on normalization of selected T-cell subsets in children with perinatally acquired HIV infection treated with combination antiretroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapetanovic, Suad; Aaron, Lisa; Montepiedra, Grace; Anthony, Patricia; Thuvamontolrat, Kasalyn; Pahwa, Savita; Burchett, Sandra; Weinberg, Adriana; Kovacs, Andrea

    2015-01-01

    We examined the effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) co-infection and viremia on reconstitution of selected CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets in perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) children ≥ 1-year old who participated in a partially randomized, open-label, 96-week combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)-algorithm study. Participants were categorized as CMV-naïve, CMV-positive (CMV+) viremic, and CMV+ aviremic, based on blood, urine, or throat culture, CMV IgG and DNA polymerase chain reaction measured at baseline. At weeks 0, 12, 20 and 40, T-cell subsets including naïve (CD62L+CD45RA+; CD95-CD28+), activated (CD38+HLA-DR+) and terminally differentiated (CD62L-CD45RA+; CD95+CD28-) CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were measured by flow cytometry. Of the 107 participants included in the analysis, 14% were CMV+ viremic; 49% CMV+ aviremic; 37% CMV-naïve. In longitudinal adjusted models, compared with CMV+ status, baseline CMV-naïve status was significantly associated with faster recovery of CD8+CD62L+CD45RA+% and CD8+CD95-CD28+% and faster decrease of CD8+CD95+CD28-%, independent of HIV VL response to treatment, cART regimen and baseline CD4%. Surprisingly, CMV status did not have a significant impact on longitudinal trends in CD8+CD38+HLA-DR+%. CMV status did not have a significant impact on any CD4+ T-cell subsets. In this cohort of PHIV+ children, the normalization of naïve and terminally differentiated CD8+ T-cell subsets in response to cART was detrimentally affected by the presence of CMV co-infection. These findings may have implications for adjunctive treatment strategies targeting CMV co-infection in PHIV+ children, especially those that are now adults or reaching young adulthood and may have accelerated immunologic aging, increased opportunistic infections and aging diseases of the immune system.

  11. Perinatal outcomes in pregnant women presenting with preterm ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There was no statistical significance in sepsis rates, the need for ventilation and the ... complicated by PPROM between HIV-negative and HIV-positive women on ART except ... School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa ... of preterm deliveries, low birth weights and perinatal deaths as.

  12. Clinical Management and Follow-up of Hypercholesterolemia Among Perinatally HIV-Infected Children Enrolled in the PACTG 219C Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Denise L.; Williams, Paige; Tassiopoulos, Katherine; Melvin, Ann; Hazra, Rohan; Farley, John

    2011-01-01

    Background Hypercholesterolemia is common in perinatally HIV-infected (HIV+) children, but little is known about the clinical course and management in this population. Methods We studied HIV+ children in a multisite prospective cohort study (PACTG 219C) and considered follow-up for two years after development of hypercholesterolemia. We estimated the time to and factors associated with resolution of hypercholesterolemia and described changes in ARV regimen and use of lipid-lowering medications. We defined incident hypercholesterolemia as entry total cholesterol (cholesterol) hypercholesterolemia as two consecutive cholesterol hypercholesterolemia. Results Among 240 incident hypercholesterolemia cases, 81 (34%) had resolution to normal cholesterol within two years of follow-up (median follow-up = 1.9 years). The median age of cases was 10.3 years with 54% Non-Hispanic black and 53% male. Resolution to normal cholesterol was more likely in children who changed ARV regimen (adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) = 2.37, 95%CI 1.45, 3.88) and who were ≥ 13 years old (aHR=2.39, 95%CI 1.33, 4.27). Types of regimen changes varied greatly and 15 children began statins. Conclusions The majority of children who develop hypercholesterolemia maintain elevated levels over time, potentially placing them at risk for premature cardiovascular morbidity. PMID:21602698

  13. 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

  14. Acquired Long QT Syndrome and Torsade de Pointes Associated with HIV Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Shimabukuro-Vornhagen

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Here, we report the case of an HIV infected patient that was treated for pneumonia with a macrolid antibiotic. The patient experienced a prolongation of the already pathologic QTc interval resulting in repeated torsades de pointes necessitating CPR and implantation of an AICD. This case exemplifies that torsades de pointes due to acquired long QT syndrome is a serious and potentially fatal complication in HIV-positive patients.

  15. “That’s True Love:” Lived Experiences of Puerto Rican Perinatally HIV-Infected Youth within Their Families’ Context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgina Silva-Suárez

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The burden of HIV affects not only HIV-infected patients but also their families and caregivers. It is also known that family support is crucial for people living with HIV. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the life experiences, within the family context, of perinatally HIV-infected (pHIV-I youth in Puerto Rico. Twenty in-depth interviews were performed and audio-recorded. Within the family context, study participants experienced acceptance, love and support but also stigma and discrimination. They reported that family is an essential component in their lives and treatment. Losing one or both parents at a young age was considered more difficult than having HIV. Most participants who lost their parents lived with other family members. This was a challenging situation for both pHIV-I youth and their caregivers. Participants described their healthcare providers as part of their families and would like to keep in touch as they transition to adult care. Despite the challenges, participants expressed a desire to have children. Services targeted to this population should stress social support, incorporate family members into the medical process, provide special guidance and support while transitioning to adult care, and provide them with the latest information regarding HIV and reproductive options.

  16. Factors associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 despite a maternal viral load EPF-ANRS CO1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tubiana, Roland; Le Chenadec, Jerome; Rouzioux, Christine; Mandelbrot, Laurent; Hamrene, Karima; Dollfus, Catherine; Faye, Albert; Delaugerre, Constance; Blanche, Stephane; Warszawski, Josiane

    2010-02-15

    The rate of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 is as low as 0.5% in non-breast-feeding mothers who delivered at term while receiving antiretroviral therapy with a plasma viral load <500 copies/mL. This situation accounted for 20% of the infected children born during the period 1997-2006 in the French Perinatal Cohort. We aimed to identify factors associated with such residual transmission risk. We performed a case-control study nested in the aforementioned subpopulation of the French Perinatal Cohort. Nineteen case patients (transmitters) and 60 control subjects (nontransmitters) were included. Case patients and control subjects did not differ by geographical origin, gestational age at HIV diagnosis, type of antiretroviral therapy received, or elective Cesarean delivery. Case patients were less often receiving treatment at the time that they conceived pregnancy than control subjects (16% vs 45%; P=.017). A lower proportion of case patients had a viral load <500 copies/mL, compared with control subjects, at 14 weeks (0% vs 38.1%; P=.02), 28 weeks (7.7% vs 62.1%; P=.005), and 32 weeks: (21.4% vs 71.1%; P=.004). The difference remained significant when we restricted analysis to the 10 of 16 intrapartum transmission cases. In a multivariate analysis at 30+/-4 weeks adjusted for viral load, CD4(+) T cell count, and time at antiretroviral therapy initiation, viral load was the only factor independently associated with MTCT of HIV (adjusted odds ratio, 23.2; 95% confidence interval, 3.5-553; P<.001). Early and sustained control of viral load is associated with a decreasing residual risk of MTCT of HIV-1. Guidelines should take into account not only CD4(+) T cell count and risk of preterm delivery, but also baseline HIV-1 load for deciding when to start antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy.

  17. [Impact of maternal HIV status on family constructions and the infant's relational environment during the perinatal period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trocmé, N; Courcoux, M-F; Tabone, M-D; Leverger, G; Dollfus, C

    2013-01-01

    To assess whether maternal HIV-positive status negatively affects family construction and the child's psychological environment. Could this be responsible for behavioral problems observed in children infected with or affected by HIV? Interviews were conducted with 60 HIV+ mothers and their infants during the perinatal period, within 3 months of delivery, collected at the time of a pediatric outpatient visit within a PMTCT program. Half of the 60 mothers did not live with the infant's father, 56% of multiparous mothers were separated from their previous children. Sixty-five percent of the fathers were informed of the mother's HIV-positive status, although 90% of fathers who lived with the mothers were informed. During pregnancy, 80% of mothers reported psychological stress; after delivery, 72% of mothers suffered from not being allowed to breastfeed their infants, 43.5% expressed a fear of transmitting the infection to the child, and 40% avoided contacts with the infant. The impact of the mother's psychological stress and anxiety related to the risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding and casual contacts were already noticeable in the first mother-child interrelations. Although the risk of MTC transmission in now very small, psychological troubles related to maternal HIV status may negatively affect the children's well-being and behavior, psychological support should be provided for mothers and children as part of comprehensive services. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Pregnancy and HIV infection

    OpenAIRE

    Mete Sucu; Cihan Cetin; Mehmet Ozsurmeli; Ghanim Khatib; Ceren Cetin; Cuneyt Evruke

    2016-01-01

    The management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is progressing rapidly. In developed countries, the perinatal transmission rates have decreased from 20-30% to 1-2% with the use of antiretroviral therapy and cesarean section. Interventions for the prevention of prenatal transmission has made the prenatal care of pregnant patients with HIV infection more complex. Rapid development of standard care and continuing increase in the distribution of HIV infection has required clinician...

  19. HIV and Pregnancy in Resource-Poor Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Jennifer; Nour, Nawal M

    2010-01-01

    There are 33.4 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Globally, HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. In the United States and other developed countries, aggressive efforts to treat HIV-positive pregnant women with highly active antiretroviral therapy have decreased the maternal-to-child transmission (MTCT) from over 20% to less than 2%. However, in resource-poor settings, access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not readily available, and perinatal transmission rates remain as high as 45%. Women are at greater risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV, which is compounded by lack of condom use, imbalance of social power, and the high fertility rate. Prevention programs are needed to empower and educate women and engender community awareness for condom use. Prenatal screening and treatment, intrapartum ART, and postpartum prophylaxis must be made available to all women and children to prevent MTCT. PMID:20842284

  20. Prevalence of Drug-Resistance Mutations and Non–Subtype B Strains Among HIV-Infected Infants From New York State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karchava, Marine; Pulver, Wendy; Smith, Lou; Philpott, Sean; Sullivan, Timothy J.; Wethers, Judith; Parker, Monica M.

    2010-01-01

    Summary Prevalence studies indicate that transmission of drug-resistant HIV has been rising in the adult population, but data from the perinatally infected pediatric population are limited. In this retrospective study, we sequenced the pol region of HIV from perinatally infected infants diagnosed in New York State in 2001–2002. Analyses of drug resistance, subtype diversity, and perinatal antiretroviral exposure were conducted, and the results were compared with those from a previous study of HIV-infected infants identified in 1998–1999. Eight of 42 infants (19.1%) had provirus carrying at least 1 drug-resistance mutation, an increase of 58% over the 1998–1999 results. Mutations conferring resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors were detected in 7.1%, 11.9%, and 2.4% of specimens, respectively. Consistent with previous results, perinatal antiretroviral exposure was not associated with drug resistance (P = 0.70). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 16.7% of infants were infected with a non–subtype B strain of HIV. It seems that drug-resistant and non–subtype B strains of HIV are becoming increasingly common in the perinatally infected population. Our results highlight the value of resistance testing for all HIV-infected infants upon diagnosis and the need to consider subtype diversity in diagnostic and treatment strategies. PMID:16868498

  1. Reproductive health decision-making in perinatally HIV-infected adolescents and young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fair, Cynthia; Wiener, Lori; Zadeh, Sima; Albright, Jamie; Mellins, Claude Ann; Mancilla, Michael; Tepper, Vicki; Trexler, Connie; Purdy, Julia; Osherow, Janet; Lovelace, Susan; Kapetanovic, Suad

    2013-07-01

    With widespread access to antiretroviral therapy in the United States, many perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) children are surviving into adolescence and adulthood, becoming sexually active and making decisions about their reproductive health. The literature focusing on the reproductive decisions of individuals behaviorally infected with HIV can serve as a springboard for understanding the decision-making process of PHIV+ youth. Yet, there are many differences that critically distinguish reproductive health and related decision-making of PHIV+ youth. Given the potential public health implications of their reproductive decisions, better understanding of factors influencing the decision-making process is needed to help inform the development of salient treatment and prevention interventions. To begin addressing this understudied area, a "think tank" session, comprised of clinicians, medical providers, and researchers with expertise in the area of adolescent HIV, was held in Bethesda, MD, on September 21, 2011. The focus was to explore what is known about factors that influence the reproductive decision-making of PHIV+ adolescents and young adults, determine what important data are needed in order to develop appropriate intervention for PHIV+ youth having children, and to recommend future directions for the field in terms of designing and carrying out collaborative studies. In this report, we summarize the findings from this meeting. The paper is organized around the key themes that emerged, including utilizing a developmental perspective to create an operational definition of reproductive decision-making, integration of psychosocial services with medical management, and how to design future research studies. Case examples are presented and model program components proposed.

  2. Discordant HIV Test Results: Implications on Perinatal and Haemotransfusion Screening for HIV Infection, Cape Coast, Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tetteh, Ato Kwamena; Agyarko, Edward

    2017-01-01

    Screening results of 488 pregnant women aged 15-44 years whose blood samples had been tested on-site, using First Response® HIV 1/2, and confirmed with INNO-LIA™ HIV I/II Score were used. Of this total, 178 were reactive (HIV I, 154; HIV II, 2; and HIV I and HIV II, 22). Of the 154 HIV I-reactive samples, 104 were confirmed to be HIV I-positive and 2 were confirmed to be HIV II-positive, while 48 were confirmed to be negative [false positive rate = 17.44% (13.56-21.32)]. The two HIV II samples submitted were confirmed to be negative with the confirmatory test. For the 22 HIV I and HIV II samples, 7 were confirmed to be HIV I-positive and 1 was confirmed to be HIV I- and HIV II-positive, while 14 were confirmed to be negative. Of the 310 nonreactive samples, 6 were confirmed to be HIV I-positive and 1 was confirmed to be HIV II-positive [false negative rate = 5.79% (1.63-8.38)], while 303 were negative. False negative outcomes will remain unconfirmed, with no management options for the client. False negative rate of 5.79% requires attention, as its resultant implications on control of HIV/AIDS could be dire.

  3. Reticence in disclosure of HIV infection and reasons for bereavement: impact on perinatally infected adolescents' mental health and understanding of HIV treatment and prevention in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woollett, Nataly; Black, Vivian; Cluver, Lucie; Brahmbhatt, Heena

    2017-07-01

    Survival rates of perinatally infected HIV-positive adolescents (PIA) are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a gap in understanding how disclosure and bereavement have an impact on PIA beliefs and understanding of their HIV infection and its management. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 purposively selected adolescents aged 13-19 years from 5 public health clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa. Data were analysed using NVivo 10 using a thematic approach. PIA experience incomplete disclosure both of their HIV status and reasons for their bereavements, which limits their understanding of how they became infected, vertical transmission and prevention options like prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Most participants were orphaned and were experiencing complicated grieving (i.e., engaged in unresolved tasks of grieving) which had a negative impact on their mental health, and ability to accept their HIV status and adhere to treatment. PIA need improved communication regarding vertical transmission and how they became HIV-positive, as well as reasons for death of their loved ones to properly understand their HIV status and engage effectively in management. Honest communication about how relatives died and truthful engagement in the process of disclosure of HIV status is necessary to reduce stigma and complicated grieving, and improve mental health in this population.

  4. Dominance of HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE in sexually acquired cases leads to a new epidemic in Yunnan province of China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Zhang

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Dating back to the first epidemic among injection drug users in 1989, the Yunnan province has had the highest number of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infections in China. However, the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in Yunnan has not been fully characterized.Using immunoassays, we identified 103,015 accumulated cases of HIV-1 infections in Yunnan between 1989 and 2004. We studied 321 patients representing Yunnan's 16 prefectures from four risk groups, 11 ethnic populations, and ten occupations. We identified three major circulating subtypes: C/CRF07_BC/CRF08_BC (53%, CRF01_AE (40.5%, and B (6.5% by analyzing the sequence of p17, which is part of the gag gene. For patients with known risk factors, 90.9% of injection drug users had C/CRF07_BC/CRF08_BC viruses, whereas 85.4% of CRF01_AE infections were acquired through sexual transmission. No distinct segregation of CRF01_AE viruses was found among the Dai ethnic group. Geographically, C/CRF07_BC/CRF08_BC was found throughout the province, while CRF01_AE was largely confined to the prefectures bordering Myanmar. Furthermore, C/CRF07_BC/CRF08_BC viruses were found to consist of a group of viruses, including C, CRF08_BC, CRF07_BC, and new BC recombinants, based on the characterization of their reverse transcriptase genes.This is the first report of a province-wide HIV-1 molecular epidemiological study in Yunnan. While C/CRF07_BC/CRF08_BC and CRF01_AE are codominant, the discovery of many sexually transmitted CRF01_AE cases is new and suggests that this subtype may lead to a new epidemic in the general Chinese population. We discuss implications of our results for understanding the evolution of the HIV-1 pandemic and for vaccine development.

  5. Manifestações neurológicas em crianças e adolecentes infectados e expostos ao HIV-1 Neurological findings in a group of children and adolescents exposed and infected by HIV-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristiane Rocha

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available O envolvimento do sistema nervoso central SNC na infecção pelo HIV-1 em crianças pode estar evidente desde o início ou demorar muitos anos para se manifestar. Microcefalia, rebaixamento cognitivo, sinais piramidais, distúrbios do humor e do comportamento e complicações pelo uso da terapia antiretroviral são comuns. Este é um trabalho observacional, descritivo e seccional cuja finalidade é descrever as alterações do exame neurológico em um grupo de crianças e adolescentes expostos pelo HIV-1 durante o período perinatal. Foram avaliados 173 pacientes. Muitos pacientes tinham superposição de alterações de exame neurológico e/ou mais de um diagnóstico. As alterações mais comuns foram: retardo do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor, atraso de linguagem, deficiência mental, síndrome piramidal, hiporreflexia. O exame neurológico foi alterado em 67% dos casos, mesmo naqueles pacientes soro-revertidos. Sugerimos que existe alto risco para doença neurológica nesse grupo de pacientes e que a progressão da infecção pelo HIV-1 acentua o aparecimento de co-morbidades e comprometimento de seu prognóstico.The CNS infection by HIV-1 in infancy could be present immediately after infection or became manifest later. Microcephalia, mental retardation, pyramidal signs, humor and behavioral disorders and antiretroviral therapy complications are common. This is an observational, sectional and descriptive study about findings on neurological examination of 173 patients in a group of children and adolescents infected and exposed to HIV-1 in perinatal period. Most of them had more than one neurological finding or different diagnosis. The more common findings were: encephalopathy, mental retardation, language delay, pyramidal signs, hyporreflexia. The neurological examination was abnormal in 67% of all patients even in sororeverters. We sugest that this group has a high risk to neurological disease and the development of co-morbidity is directly

  6. 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

  7. Focus on adolescents with HIV and AIDS

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2014-12-01

    Dec 1, 2014 ... equating to ~720 000 adolescents and young ... has led to a massive reduction in perinatal ... to address HIV testing and access to care in ... This article discusses HIV management in adolescents including the following ... mental health professionals and counsellors ... Approach to an ... stage assessment.

  8. Predictors of HIV/AIDS confirmation and differences by guardian status in HIV+ adolescents in Jamaica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilgrim, N; Kershaw, T; Pierre, R B; Moore, J; Palmer, P; Davis, D; Christie, C D C

    2008-06-01

    Approximately 25% of the cumulative AIDS cases in Jamaica involve adolescents and young adults. However the lives of adolescents living with HIV within Jamaica and the Caribbean have been understudied. (1) To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of HIV+ Jamaican adolescents who have ever been a part of the Kingston Paediatric/Perinatal HIV Programme (KPAIDS) from September 1, 2002 to August 31, 2006 (2). To identify predictors of HIV/AIDS confirmation as well as factors associated or uniquely present in these adolescents by their guardian status. Seventy-two HIV+ adolescents, ages 10-19 years, were included. Factors studied included demographics as well as time to and time between HIV and AIDS confirmation. Data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate statistics. The mean age of the adolescents was 12.6 +/- 2.8 years with slightly more males (52.8%) in the programme. There were equal proportions of adolescents living with HIV as with AIDS (43.1%). There were equal proportions who were lost to follow-up or deceased (8.3%). Twenty-two of them lived with parents, 25 with guardians and 18 in residential institutions. The primary mode of transmission was perinatal infection (68.1%), followed by sexual (20.8%), blood transfusion (2.9%) and unknown (8.3%). The mean time from HIV exposure to HIV confirmation and AIDS confirmation in mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) cases were 8.0 +/- 2.9 years and 9.6 +/- 3.3 years, respectively. In the multivariate analysis model, age and gender were significant in predicting time from HIV exposure to HIV confirmation. The majority of HIV-positive adolescents reside with parents and guardians and this might indicate support in spite of stigma and discrimination. However; the mean time to HIV confirmation in MTCT cases is quite long and must be reduced.

  9. Epidemiological Profile and Risk Factors for Acquiring HBV and/or HCV in HIV-Infected Population Groups in Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattarai, Manjula; Baniya, Jagat Bahadur; Aryal, Nirmal; Shrestha, Bimal; Rauniyar, Ramanuj; Adhikari, Anurag; Koirala, Pratik; Oli, Pardip Kumar; Pandit, Ram Deo; Stein, David A; Gupta, Birendra Prasad

    2018-01-01

    HBV and HCV infections are widespread among the HIV-infected individuals in Nepal. The goals of this study were to investigate the epidemiological profile and risk factors for acquiring HBV and/or HCV coinfection in disadvantaged HIV-positive population groups in Nepal. We conducted a retrospective study on blood samples from HIV-positive patients from the National Public Health Laboratory at Kathmandu to assay for HBsAg, HBeAg, and anti-HCV antibodies, HIV viral load, and CD4+ T cell count. Among 579 subjects, the prevalence of HIV-HBV, HIV-HCV, and HIV-HBV-HCV coinfections was 3.62%, 2.93%, and 0.34%, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that spouses of HIV-positive migrant labourers were at significant risk for coinfection with HBV infection, and an age of >40 years in HIV-infected individuals was identified as a significant risk factor for HCV coinfection. Overall our study indicates that disadvantaged population groups such as intravenous drug users, migrant workers and their spouses, female sex workers, and men who have sex with HIV-infected men are at a high and persistent risk of acquiring viral hepatitis. We conclude that Nepalese HIV patients should receive HBV and HCV diagnostic screening on a regular basis.

  10. A universal real-time PCR assay for the quantification of group-M HIV-1 proviral load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malnati, Mauro S; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Gatto, Francesca; Salvatori, Francesca; Cassina, Giulia; Rutigliano, Teresa; Volpi, Rosy; Lusso, Paolo

    2008-01-01

    Quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) proviral DNA is increasingly used to measure the HIV-1 cellular reservoirs, a helpful marker to evaluate the efficacy of antiretroviral therapeutic regimens in HIV-1-infected individuals. Furthermore, the proviral DNA load represents a specific marker for the early diagnosis of perinatal HIV-1 infection and might be predictive of HIV-1 disease progression independently of plasma HIV-1 RNA levels and CD4(+) T-cell counts. The high degree of genetic variability of HIV-1 poses a serious challenge for the design of a universal quantitative assay capable of detecting all the genetic subtypes within the main (M) HIV-1 group with similar efficiency. Here, we describe a highly sensitive real-time PCR protocol that allows for the correct quantification of virtually all group-M HIV-1 strains with a higher degree of accuracy compared with other methods. The protocol involves three stages, namely DNA extraction/lysis, cellular DNA quantification and HIV-1 proviral load assessment. Owing to the robustness of the PCR design, this assay can be performed on crude cellular extracts, and therefore it may be suitable for the routine analysis of clinical samples even in developing countries. An accurate quantification of the HIV-1 proviral load can be achieved within 1 d from blood withdrawal.

  11. Growing up with perinatal human immunodeficiency virus-A life not expected.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Elaine Fay; Ferrer, Kathleen; Lee, Marlene A; Bright, Kimberly; Williams, Keetra; Rakhmanina, Natella Y

    2017-12-01

    To describe the lived experience of young adults with perinatally acquired HIV (PaHIV). With the advancement of the highly active antiretroviral treatment, PaHIV infection has transformed into a chronic lifelong illness that is faced by young adults who grew up with HIV. The known challenges that are associated with HIV are poverty, stigma and social and emotional isolation. This was a qualitative single-interview study of a convenience sample of PaHIV-infected young adults receiving care at a large metropolitan pediatric hospital. The participants had individual face-to-face interviews which were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Themes were developed to describe their living space, and Max Van Manen's lifeworld guide was used to describe their lived experience. Seventeen participants (eight males/nine females) were enrolled. Four major themes emerged: (i) limited social capital, especially when orphaned participants reflected on a life void of parental guidance; (ii) incomplete education and unemployment, participants described an idle existence; (iii) a harsh life, described as participants facing difficulties meeting their life's milestones; (iv) unanticipated adult issues, where participants described their limited ability to care for themselves and their children. Van Manen lifeworld themes also described the space they occupied, their memories growing up with PaHIV, their health care and relationships. Our study provides a valuable insight into the social and emotional difficulties faced by youth with PaHIV. The findings underscore the importance of extensive support and coordination of services between adult and pediatric providers to optimize long-term outcomes among young adults with PaHIV. The young adults with PaHIV require close attention and support from the healthcare providers, who can offer them a safe space to discuss lived experiences and support their ability to achieve full lives. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Effects of CCR5-delta32 and CCR2-64I alleles on disease progression of perinatally HIV-1-infected children: an international meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ioannidis, John P A; Contopoulos-Ioannidis, Despina G; Rosenberg, Philip S; Goedert, James J; De Rossi, Anita; Espanol, Teresa; Frenkel, Lisa; Mayaux, Marie-Jeanne; Newell, Marie-Louise; Pahwa, Savita G; Rousseau, Christine; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Sei, Shizuko; Sen, Luisa; O'Brien, Thomas R

    2003-07-25

    Among perinatally infected children, the effects of certain alleles of the CCR5 and CCR2 genes on the rate of disease progression remain unclear. We addressed the effects of CCR5-delta32 and CCR2-64I in an international meta-analysis. Genotype data were contributed from 10 studies with 1317 HIV-1-infected children (7263 person-years of follow-up). Time-to-event analyses were performed stratified by study and racial group. Endpoints included progression to clinical AIDS, death, and death after the diagnosis of clinical AIDS. The time-dependence of the genetic effects was specifically investigated. There was large heterogeneity in the observed rates of disease progression between different cohorts. For progression to clinical AIDS, both CCR5-delta32 and CCR2-64I showed overall non-significant trends for protection [hazard ratios 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-1.23; and 0.87, 95% CI 0.67-1.14, respectively]. However, analyses of survival showed statistically significant time-dependence. No deaths occurred among CCR5-delta32 carriers in the first 3 years of life, whereas there was no protective effect (hazard ratio 0.95; 95% CI 0.43-2.10) in later years (P=0.01 for the time-dependent model). For CCR2-64I, the hazard ratio for death was 0.69 (95% CI 0.39-1.21) in the first 6 years of life and 2.56 (95% CI 1.26-5.20) in subsequent years (P<0.01 for the time-dependent model). CCR5-delta32 and CCR2-64I offered no clear protection after clinical AIDS had developed. The CCR5-delta32 and CCR2-64I alleles are associated with a decreased risk of death among perinatally infected children, but only for the first years of life.

  13. Psychosocial Challenges Associated with Caregiving in the Context of Pediatric HIV in Rural Eastern Cape

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio G. Lentoor

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundWhile survival among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected children has increased due to combination antiretroviral therapy, many children remain vulnerable to the adverse effects of poverty and family disruptions as a result of the loss of one or both biological parents to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The aim of this qualitative study was to develop an understanding of the psychosocial challenges experienced by caregivers caring for a child with perinatally acquired HIV.MethodA series of interviews were conducted with 44 HIV-positive and -negative primary caregivers of HIV+ children. Data were analyzed through interpretative phenomenological analysis using NVivo8 software.FindingsThe findings suggest that caregiving is compromised by inadequate, financial resources and single-headed households where mainly grandparents assume the role of primary caregivers of HIV+ children. HIV remains a stigmatized illness that weakens support networks, as well as timeous and free accessibility to healthcare. This has a negative impact on the mental health of caregivers, with the majority of women in the study displaying symptoms of depression.ConclusionThe findings highlight the contextual challenges of caregiving in the presence of HIV, which impacts negatively on social ecology of the families. The need for interventions to enhance resilience and coping in families confronted with HIV is indicated.

  14. Knowledge and behavioural factors associated with gender gap in acquiring HIV among youth in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shraboni Patra

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background. The increasing prevalence of HIV in Uganda during the last decade (7.5% in 2004-05 to 8.3% in 2011 among women and 5.0% in 2004-05 to 6.1% among men in 2011 of 15 to 49 years clearly shows that women are disproportionately affected by HIV epidemic. Hence, we assessed the prevalence of HIV and focused on differences in risky sexual behaviour and knowledge of HIV among Ugandan youth. Design and Methods. Uganda AIDS Indicator Survey 2011 data was used. The total samples of men and women (15 to 24 years, interviewed and tested for HIV, were 3450 and 4504 respectively. The analysis of risky sexual behaviour was based on 1941 men and 3127 women who had ever had sex and were tested for HIV. Pearson’s Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used. Results. Findings showed that young women were almost two times more vulnerable than young men in acquiring HIV (OR=1.762, P<0.001. Women who had first sex under age 15 (7.3%, had more than 2 sexual partners (9.2% and did not use condom during last sex (6.4% were more HIV-positive. Higher risk was found among women (6.3% than men (2.2%. Significantly (P<0.01 less percentage (81.3% of women as compared to men (83.8% perceived that the probability of HIV transmission may be reduced by correct and consistent use of the condom during sex. Conclusions. Hence, there is an urgent need for effective strategies and programmes to raise awareness on sexual health and risky behaviour, particularly targeting the youth, which will reduce the gender gap in risky sexual behaviour and new transmission of HIV in Uganda.

  15. Antiviral Therapy by HIV-1 Broadly Neutralizing and Inhibitory Antibodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhiqing Zhang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS, a global epidemic for more than three decades. HIV-1 replication is primarily controlled through antiretroviral therapy (ART but this treatment does not cure HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, there is increasing viral resistance to ART, and side effects associated with long-term therapy. Consequently, there is a need of alternative candidates for HIV-1 prevention and therapy. Recent advances have discovered multiple broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1. In this review, we describe the key epitopes on the HIV-1 Env protein and the reciprocal broadly neutralizing antibodies, and discuss the ongoing clinical trials of broadly neutralizing and inhibitory antibody therapy as well as antibody combinations, bispecific antibodies, and methods that improve therapeutic efficacy by combining broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs with latency reversing agents. Compared with ART, HIV-1 therapeutics that incorporate these broadly neutralizing and inhibitory antibodies offer the advantage of decreasing virus load and clearing infected cells, which is a promising prospect in HIV-1 prevention and treatment.

  16. HIV-Infected Ugandan Women on Antiretroviral Therapy Maintain HIV-1 RNA Suppression Across Periconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Periods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Lynn T; Ribaudo, Heather B; Kaida, Angela; Bennett, Kara; Musinguzi, Nicholas; Siedner, Mark J; Kabakyenga, Jerome; Hunt, Peter W; Martin, Jeffrey N; Boum, Yap; Haberer, Jessica E; Bangsberg, David R

    2016-04-01

    HIV-infected women risk sexual and perinatal HIV transmission during conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. We compared HIV-1 RNA suppression and medication adherence across periconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods, among women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Uganda. We analyzed data from women in a prospective cohort study, aged 18-49 years, enrolled at ART initiation and with ≥1 pregnancy between 2005 and 2011. Participants were seen quarterly. The primary exposure of interest was pregnancy period, including periconception (3 quarters before pregnancy), pregnancy, postpartum (6 months after pregnancy outcome), or nonpregnancy related. Regression models using generalized estimating equations compared the likelihood of HIV-1 RNA ≤400 copies per milliliter, pregnancy, and 89% of postpartum visits, and was more likely during periconception (adjusted odds ratio, 2.15) compared with nonpregnant periods. Average ART adherence was 90% [interquartile range (IQR), 70%-98%], 93% (IQR, 82%-98%), 92% (IQR, 72%-98%), and 88% (IQR, 63%-97%) during nonpregnant, periconception, pregnant, and postpartum periods, respectively. Average adherence pregnancy were virologically suppressed at most visits, with an increased likelihood of suppression and high adherence during periconception follow-up. Increased frequency of 72-hour gaps suggests a need for increased adherence support during postpartum periods.

  17. Low-cost HIV-1 diagnosis and quantification in dried blood spots by real time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Nishaki; Trzmielina, Sonia; Nonyane, Bareng A S; Eliot, Melissa N; Lin, Rongheng; Foulkes, Andrea S; McNeal, Kristina; Ammann, Arthur; Eulalievyolo, Vindu; Sullivan, John L; Luzuriaga, Katherine; Somasundaran, Mohan

    2009-06-05

    Rapid and cost-effective methods for HIV-1 diagnosis and viral load monitoring would greatly enhance the clinical management of HIV-1 infected adults and children in limited-resource settings. Recent recommendations to treat perinatally infected infants within the first year of life are feasible only if early diagnosis is routinely available. Dried blood spots (DBS) on filter paper are an easy and convenient way to collect and transport blood samples. A rapid and cost effective method to diagnose and quantify HIV-1 from DBS is urgently needed to facilitate early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection and monitoring of antiretroviral therapy. We have developed a real-time LightCycler (rtLC) PCR assay to detect and quantify HIV-1 from DBS. HIV-1 RNA extracted from DBS was amplified in a one-step, single-tube system using primers specific for long-terminal repeat sequences that are conserved across all HIV-1 clades. SYBR Green dye was used to quantify PCR amplicons and HIV-1 RNA copy numbers were determined from a standard curve generated using serially diluted known copies of HIV-1 RNA. This assay detected samples across clades, has a dynamic range of 5 log(10), and %CV real-time systems demonstrated similar performance. The accuracy, reliability, genotype inclusivity and affordability, along with the small volumes of blood required for the assay suggest that the rtLC DBS assay will be useful for early diagnosis and monitoring of pediatric HIV-1 infection in resource-limited settings.

  18. Impact of HIV Type 1 DNA Levels on Spontaneous Disease Progression: A Meta-Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tsiara, Chrissa G; Nikolopoulos, Georgios K; Bagos, Pantelis G

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Several studies have reported the prognostic strength of HIV-1 DNA with variable results however. The aims of the current study were to estimate more accurately the ability of HIV-1 DNA to predict progression of HIV-1 disease toward acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or death...... of primary studies indicated that HIV-1 DNA was a significantly better predictor than HIV-1 RNA of either AIDS alone (ratio of RRs=1.47, 95% CI: 1.05-2.07) or of combined (AIDS or death) progression outcomes (ratio of RRs=1.51, 95% CI: 1.11-2.05). HIV-1 DNA is a strong predictor of HIV-1 disease progression...

  19. Negative life events and depression in adolescents with HIV: a stress and coping analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Jennifer V; Abramowitz, Susan; Koenig, Linda J; Chandwani, Sulachni; Orban, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    The prevalence of negative life events (NLE) and daily hassles, and their direct and moderated associations with depression, were examined among HIV-infected adolescents. Specifically, we examined whether the negative association with depression of NLE, daily hassles, and/or passive coping were moderated by social support or active coping strategies. Demographic characteristics, depression, coping, social support, NLE, and daily hassles were collected at baseline as part of the Adolescent Impact intervention via face-to-face and computer-assisted interviews. Of 166 HIV-infected adolescents, 53% were female, 72.9% black, 59.6% with perinatally acquired HIV (PIY), the most commonly reported NLE were death in family (81%), violence exposure (68%), school relocation (67%), and hospitalization (61%); and for daily hassles "not having enough money (65%)". Behaviorally infected youth (BIY--acquired HIV later in life) were significantly more likely to experience extensive (14-21) lifetime NLE (38.8% vs. 16.3%, p effect of NLE, such that NLE were associated with greater depression when social support was low, although the effect did not remain statistically significant when main effects of other variables were accounted for. Daily hassles, poor coping, and limited social support can adversely affect the psychological well-being of HIV-infected adolescents, particularly sexual minority youth with behaviorally acquired HIV. Multimodal interventions that enhance social support and teach adaptive coping skills may help youth cope with environmental stresses and improve mental health outcomes.

  20. Association of Adolescent- and Caregiver-Reported Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence with HIV Viral Load Among Perinatally-infected South African Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brittain, Kirsty; Asafu-Agyei, Nana Akua; Hoare, Jacqueline; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Rabie, Helena; Nuttall, James; Roux, Paul; Stein, Dan J; Zar, Heather J; Myer, Landon

    2018-03-01

    Accurate measurement of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence remains challenging and there are few data assessing the validity of self-reported adherence among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents. We examined adolescent and caregiver reports of adolescent adherence among perinatally-infected adolescents aged 9-14 years in Cape Town, South Africa, and explored factors that may modify associations between reported adherence and elevated viral load (VL). Among 474 adolescents (median age 12.0 years; median duration of ART use 7.5 years), elevated VL and caregiver- and adolescent-report of missed ART doses were common. Elevated VL was particularly prevalent among older, male adolescents. Low-moderate concordance was observed between caregiver and adolescent report. Among adolescents aged ≥ 12 years, caregiver- and adolescent-reported adherence was associated with elevated VL across most items assessed, but few significant associations were observed among adolescents adolescents who require adherence interventions are needed in this context.

  1. Morbidity and Mortality of a Cohort of Peruvian HIV-infected Children 2003-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Amira N; Bayer, Angela M; Viani, Rolando M; Kolevic, Lenka; Sim, Myung-Shin; Deville, Jaime G

    2018-06-01

    Data on pediatric HIV in Peru are limited. The National Institute of Child Health (Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño: INSN) cares for the most HIV-infected children under the age of 18 years in the country. We describe the outcomes of children seen at INSN's HIV clinic over the 10 years when antiretroviral therapy and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions became available in 2004. We conducted a retrospective review of INSN HIV clinic patients between 2003 and 2012. Deidentified data were collected and analyzed. A total of 280 children were included: 50.0% (140/280) were male; 80.0% (224/280) lived in metropolitan Lima. Perinatal transmission was the mode of HIV infection in 91.4% (256/280) of children. Only 17% (32/191) of mothers were known to be HIV-infected at delivery; of these mothers, 41% (13/32) were receiving antiretroviral therapy at delivery, 72% (23/32) delivered by Cesarean section and 47% (15/32) of their infants received antiretroviral prophylaxis. Median age at HIV diagnosis for all children was 35.7 months (interquartile range 14.5-76.8 months), and 67% (143/213) had advanced disease (clinical stage C). After HIV diagnosis, the most frequent hospitalization discharge diagnoses were bacterial pneumonia, chronic malnutrition, diarrhea, anemia and tuberculosis. Twenty-four patients (8.6%) died at a median age of 77.4 months. Most cases of pediatric HIV were acquired via perinatal transmission; few mothers were diagnosed before delivery; and among mothers with known HIV status, PMTCT was suboptimal even after national PMTCT policy was implemented. Most children were diagnosed with advanced disease. These findings underscore the need for improving early pediatric HIV diagnosis and treatment, as well as PMTCT strategies.

  2. "How Do We Start? And How Will They React?" Disclosing to Young People with Perinatally Acquired HIV in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namukwaya, Stella; Paparini, Sara; Seeley, Janet; Bernays, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    Despite great advances in pediatric HIV care, rates and the extent of full disclosure of HIV status to infected children remain low especially in resource-constrained setting. The World Health Organisation recommends that, by the age of 10-12 years old, children should be made fully aware of their HIV-positive status. However, this awareness is often delayed until much later in their adolescence. Few studies have been conducted to investigate what influences caregivers' decision-making process in this regard in low-income settings. In this article, we present an analysis of care dyads of caregivers and HIV-positive young people in Kampala, Uganda, as part of the findings of a longitudinal qualitative study about young people's adherence to antiretroviral therapy embedded in an international clinical trial (BREATHER). Repeat in-depth interviews were conducted with 26 young people living with HIV throughout the course of the trial, and once-off interviews with 16 of their caregivers were also carried out toward the end of the trial. In this article, we examine why and how caregivers decide to disclose a young person's HIV status to them and explore their feelings and dilemmas toward disclosure, as well as how young people reacted and the influence it had on their relationships with and attitudes toward their caregivers. Caregivers feared the consequences of disclosing the young person's positive status to them and disclosure commonly occurred hurriedly in response to a crisis, rather than as part of an anticipated and planned process. A key impediment to disclosure was that caregivers feared that disclosing would damage their relationships with the young people and commonly used this as a reason to continue to postpone disclosure. However, young people did not report prolonged feelings of blame or anger toward their caregivers about their own infection, but they did express frustration at the delay and obfuscation surrounding the disclosure process. Our findings

  3. Dating Violence Against HIV-Infected Youth in South Africa: Associations With Sexual Risk Behavior, Medication Adherence, and Mental Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidman, Rachel; Violari, Avy

    2018-01-01

    As perinatal HIV-infected youth become sexually active, the potential for onward transmission becomes an increasing concern. In other populations, intimate partner violence (IPV) is a risk factor for HIV acquisition. We build on this critical work by studying the role of IPV in facilitating onward transmission among HIV-infected youth-an important step toward effective intervention. Soweto, South Africa. Self-report surveys were completed by 129 perinatal HIV-infected female youth (aged 13-24 years). We calculated the IPV prevalence and used logistic models to capture the association between IPV and health outcomes known to facilitate onward HIV transmission (eg, risky sex, poor medication adherence, depression, and substance abuse). A fifth of perinatal HIV-infected participants reported physical and/or sexual IPV in the past year; one-third reported lifetime IPV. Childhood adversity was common and positively associated with IPV. Past-year physical and/or sexual IPV was positively correlated with high-risk sex [odds ratio (OR) = 8.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.78 to 28.90], pregnancy (OR = 6.56; 95% CI: 1.91 to 22.54), poor medication adherence to antiretroviral therapy (OR = 5.37; 95% CI: 1.37 to 21.08), depression (OR = 4.25; 95% CI: 1.64 to 11.00), and substance abuse (OR = 4.11; 95% CI: 1.42 to 11.86). Neither past-year nor lifetime IPV was associated with viral load or HIV status disclosure to a partner. We find that IPV may increase risk for onward HIV transmission in perinatal HIV-infected youth by both increasing engagement in risky sexual behaviors and lowering medication adherence. HIV clinics should consider integrating primary IPV prevention interventions, instituting routine IPV screening, and collocating services for victims of violence.

  4. Refugee maternal and perinatal health in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective population-based study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakya, Yogendra; Gagnon, Anita J; Cole, Donald C; Rashid, Meb; Blake, Jennifer; Dastoori, Parisa; Moineddin, Rahim; Ray, Joel G; Urquia, Marcelo L

    2018-01-01

    Objectives Immigrants are thought to be healthier than their native-born counterparts, but less is known about the health of refugees or forced migrants. Previous studies often equate refugee status with immigration status or country of birth (COB) and none have compared refugee to non-refugee immigrants from the same COB. Herein, we examined whether: (1) a refugee mother experiences greater odds of adverse maternal and perinatal health outcomes compared with a similar non-refugee mother from the same COB and (2) refugee and non-refugee immigrants differ from Canadian-born mothers for maternal and perinatal outcomes. Design This is a retrospective population-based database study. We implemented two cohort designs: (1) 1:1 matching of refugees to non-refugee immigrants on COB, year and age at arrival (±5 years) and (2) an unmatched design using all data. Setting and participants Refugee immigrant mothers (n=34 233), non-refugee immigrant mothers (n=243 439) and Canadian-born mothers (n=615 394) eligible for universal healthcare insurance who had a hospital birth in Ontario, Canada, between 2002 and 2014. Primary outcomes Numerous adverse maternal and perinatal health outcomes. Results Refugees differed from non-refugee immigrants most notably for HIV, with respective rates of 0.39% and 0.20% and an adjusted OR (AOR) of 1.82 (95% CI 1.19 to 2.79). Other elevated outcomes included caesarean section (AOR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.08) and moderate preterm birth (AOR 1.08, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.17). For the majority of outcomes, refugee and non-refugee immigrants experienced similar AORs when compared with Canadian-born mothers. Conclusions Refugee status was associated with a few adverse maternal and perinatal health outcomes, but the associations were not strong except for HIV. The definition of refugee status used herein may not sensitively identify refugees at highest risk. Future research would benefit from further refining refugee status based on migration

  5. Intolerância glicêmica e o prognóstico perinatal em gestantes utilizando anti-retrovirais

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    El Beitune Patrícia

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: estudar o efeito das drogas anti-retrovirais sobre o metabolismo glicêmico em gestantes portadoras do HIV-1 e a ação dessas medicações sobre o prognóstico perinatal. MÉTODOS: estudo prospectivo realizado em 57 gestantes divididas em três grupos: grupo AZT, utilizando zidovudina (n=20; grupo TT, utilizando zidovudina+lamivudina+nelfinavir (n=25, e grupo controle, gestantes normais (n=12. Obteve-se a área sob a curva (ASC das glicemias após teste oral de tolerância à glicose com 75 g de glicose em quatro oportunidades durante a gravidez (1º=14-20 semanas, 2º=21-26 semanas, 3º=27-32 semanas e 4º=33-38 semanas. O prognóstico perinatal levou em consideração as taxas de prematuridade, restrição de crescimento intra-útero (RCIU, baixo peso ao nascer, mortalidade perinatal e transmissão vertical do HIV-1. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se os testes não paramétricos do c², de Friedman e de Kruskal-Wallis. RESULTADOS: os valores da mediana da ASC foi de 11.685 mg/dL-2h para o grupo controle, 13.477 mg/dL-2h para o grupo AZT e 13.650 mg/dL-2h para o grupo TT (p=0,049. Não se observou efeito deletério dos anti-retrovirais sobre as taxas de prematuridade, baixo peso ao nascer, RCIU e índices de Apgar. Não houve nenhum caso de transmissão vertical do HIV-1. CONCLUSÕES: verificou-se o desenvolvimento de intolerância glicêmica em gestantes que utilizaram tratamento tríplice, não sendo observado naquelas que utilizaram apenas AZT. Não houve efeitos deletérios dos anti-retrovirais sobre o prognóstico perinatal.

  6. The role of neuropsychology in UK pediatric HIV care: Relevance to clinical practice and research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Anita

    2017-11-01

    There has been a dramatic improvement in the survival of children with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) following the introduction of effective treatment in 1990s. The care for children living with PHIV is now focused on more accurately understanding the effects of both HIV and HIV treatment on the developing body and brain. An evaluation of current HIV neuroimaging, and neurocognitive research, when combined with clinical experience in the area of HIV, could help to inform United Kingdom (UK) PHIV service provision. This paper argues that an understanding from a neuropsychological perspective will help these young people to optimize their health, quality of life, and future functioning. The aim of the paper is to bring together research and clinical understanding of HIV and its treatment effects on the developing brain, together with an understanding of other potential neurological risk factors. It is argued here that there is a need for targeted neuropsychology assessment and preventative interventions, supported by clinical and preliminary research on the neurocognitive effects of HIV and its treatments.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  8. HIV among Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Reports Slide Sets Infographics/Posters Dear Colleague Letters Social Media Videos Software Syndicated Content HIV Service Locators Hotlines and Referrals About the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention VIH En Español Get Tested Find an HIV testing site near you. Enter ZIP ... on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Perinatal HIV ...

  9. Mortality Rate and Predictors in Children Under 15 Years Old Who Acquired HIV from Mother to Child Transmission in Paraguay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguilar, Gloria; Miranda, Angélica Espinosa; Rutherford, George W; Munoz, Sergio; Hills, Nancy; Samudio, Tania; Galeano, Fernando; Kawabata, Anibal; González, Carlos Miguel Rios

    2018-02-17

    We estimated mortality rate and predictors of death in children and adolescents who acquired HIV through mother-to-child transmission in Paraguay. In 2000-2014, we conducted a cohort study among children and adolescents aged  9 g/dL (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.01-5.10). The mortality of HIV-infected children and adolescents in Paraguay is high, and anemia is associated with mortality. Improving prenatal screening to find cases earlier and improving pediatric follow-up are needed.

  10. Utilization of free dental health care services provided to the perinatally infected human immunodeficiency virus children in Bangalore: longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parvathy, Beena Javaregowda

    2014-01-01

    Use of Highly active anti-retroviral therapy have increased the life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients and hence it is imperative that all efforts have to be made by Pediatric dentists to provide a better oral health for these children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of utilization of free dental treatment provided to these perinatally infected HIV positive children who were previously screened as a part of oral health survey. Purposive sampling was used. Perinatally infected HIV children screened for oral health status. Patients not screened during the oral health survey. Attendance records of 319 perinatally HIV infected children consisting of 178 males and 141 females attending a specialized pediatric outpatient clinic at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health were examined to compare treatment compliance rates. The number of patients in the severe category who completed treatment was significantly less compared with mild and advanced categories (P 0.05). The results show that children with HIV have significantly lower compliance. Even though all dental treatment provided to them was free of the cost it still had no impetus to encourage them to go through with the treatment.

  11. Use of etanercept in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ting, Patricia T; Koo, John Y

    2006-06-01

    Etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA), a soluble p75 tumor necrosis factor receptor:FC (TNFR:FC) fusion protein for plasma cytokines, specifically tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), is used in the treatment of immune-mediated rheumatic diseases. To our knowledge, the use of etanercept in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is relatively uncommon. The main purpose of this short review is to examine the safety of etanercept in patients with HIV/AIDS. A Medline search was conducted using the keywords etanercept and HIV and/or AIDS for any published articles between 1966 to the present (September 2004). A case report, one case series, and one clinical trial pertained to the use of etanercept in HIV patients. No reports were found on the use of etanercept in AIDS. In addition, two case reports were found documenting the use of infliximab in HIV patients. Preliminary reports indicate that the administration of etanercept does not appear to increase the morbidity or mortality rates in HIV. The inhibition of TNF-alpha may actually improve the symptoms of HIV/AIDS-associated aphthous ulcers, cachexia, dementia, fatigue, and fever, as well as help manage concomitant rheumatic diseases and psoriasis. The use of etanercept shows promise for applications in disease management in patients with HIV/AIDS. Continued research efforts are necessary to establish the long-term safety and efficacy of etanercept and other biologic agents in this patient population.

  12. 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.

  13. Prevalence of Drug-Resistance Mutations and Non–Subtype B Strains Among HIV-Infected Infants From New York State

    OpenAIRE

    Karchava, Marine; Pulver, Wendy; Smith, Lou; Philpott, Sean; Sullivan, Timothy J.; Wethers, Judith; Parker, Monica M.

    2006-01-01

    Prevalence studies indicate that transmission of drug-resistant HIV has been rising in the adult population, but data from the perinatally infected pediatric population are limited. In this retrospective study, we sequenced the pol region of HIV from perinatally infected infants diagnosed in New York State in 2001–2002. Analyses of drug resistance, subtype diversity, and perinatal antiretroviral exposure were conducted, and the results were compared with those from a previous study of HIV-inf...

  14. HBV or HCV Coinfection in HIV-1-Infected Pregnant Women in France: Prevalence and Pregnancy Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benhammou, Valérie; Tubiana, Roland; Matheron, Sophie; Sellier, Pierre; Mandelbrot, Laurent; Chenadec, Jérôme Le; Marel, Emmanuelle; Khoshnood, Babak; Warszawski, Josiane

    2018-04-15

    Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is frequent in HIV-infected persons but their impact on pregnant HIV-infected women is understudied. We explored whether these coinfections are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and lower response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Pregnancies in HIV-1-infected women included in the ANRS French Perinatal Cohort between 2005 and 2013 were analyzed if HBV and HCV infection statuses were available. Among 4236 women, the prevalence of HBV (HBs Ag+) and HCV (RNA+) were 6.2% (95% confidence interval: 5.4 to 6.8) and 1.7% (1.3 to 2.1), respectively. HCV coinfection was strongly associated with a history of drug use; HBV coinfection was 6 times more frequent in women born in Sub-Saharan Africa than in European France. Baseline HIV viral load, CD4 count, and HIV care during pregnancy were similar in coinfected and monoinfected HIV mothers, except that 90% of HBV/HIV women were receiving tenofovir and/or lamivudine or emtricitabine. HCV coinfection was significantly associated with cholestasis [adjusted odds ratio: 4.1 (1.5-10.8), P = 0.005], preterm delivery [3.0 (1.6-5.7), P HIV-infected women, chronic HBV infection, mostly treated using targeted ART, had no major impact on the course of pregnancy. By contrast, chronic HCV infection was associated with a higher risk of obstetrical complications and a poorer immune-virological response to ART. It is yet unknown whether cure of HCV infection before conception can limit these adverse outcomes.

  15. Comparison of cigarette smoking knowledge, attitudes, and practices among staff in perinatal and other substance abuse treatment settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller-Thomas, Tonya; Leoutsakos, Jeannie-Marie S; Terplan, Mishka; Brigham, Emily P; Chisolm, Margaret S

    2014-01-01

    Despite the high prevalence and known morbidity and mortality caused by cigarette smoking, 60% to 70% of substance abuse treatment programs lack smoking cessation counseling or fail to offer pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, including those programs designed to meet the needs of drug-dependent pregnant patients. Previous studies of staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices (S-KAP) at general substance abuse/HIV treatment programs have suggested that staff may contribute to the deficiency in smoking cessation treatment in these settings. It is not known whether similar deficiencies exist at perinatal substance abuse treatment programs. This study compared cigarette S-KAP in perinatal substance abuse (n = 41) and general substance abuse/HIV treatment (Veterans Affairs [VA] medical center, hospital-, and community-based) workforce samples (n = 335). Significant differences were seen between the 2 groups on all measures, but perinatal staff compared favorably to general staff only on measures of barriers to smoking cessation services. Perinatal staff compared unfavorably on all other measures: knowledge, beliefs/attitudes, self-efficacy, and smoking cessation practices. Pair-wise comparisons of knowledge and beliefs/attitudes revealed a significant difference between perinatal and VA staff; of self-efficacy, between perinatal and staff at all other settings; and of smoking cessation practices, between perinatal and VA and community-based staff. These results-showing deficiencies of perinatal staff on most S-KAP measures-are concerning and suggest that identifying gaps in and improving S-KAP in perinatal substance abuse programs is urgently needed, for which the VA may provide an efficacious model.

  16. Psychosocial outcomes in a cohort of perinatally HIV-infected adolescents in Western Jamaica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans-Gilbert, Tracy; Kasimbie, Kazie; Reid, Gail; Williams, Shelly Ann

    2018-02-05

    Background Psychosocial factors interact with adolescent development and affect the ability of HIV-infected adolescents to cope with and adhere to treatment. Aim To evaluate psychosocial outcomes in perinatally HIV-infected adolescents (PHIVAs) in Western Jamaica after psychosocial intervention. Methods The Bright Futures Paediatric Symptom Checklist (BF-PSC) was used for psychological screening of PHIVAs in Western Jamaica. Referred patients were evaluated using the Youth version of the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS). Demographic, laboratory and clinical data obtained between July 2014 and June 2016 were evaluated retrospectively and outcomes were reviewed before and after psychosocial intervention. Results Sixty PHIVAs were enrolled and 36 (60%) had a positive BF-PSC score that necessitated referral. The BF-PSC correctly identified 89% of patients with impaired psychosocial assessment by CIS scores. Referred patients were less likely to adhere to treatment, to be virologically suppressed or to have a CD4+ count of >500 cells/μl, and were more likely to be in the late teenage group or to be of orphan status. After intervention, the prevalence of viral suppression increased and median viral load decreased. A difference in mean CD4+ cell count was detected before but not after intervention in teenage and orphan groups. Conclusions The BF-PSC identified at-risk PHIVAs with impaired psychosocial functioning. Increased vulnerability was noted in orphans and older teenagers. Psychosocial interventions (including family therapy) reduced psychosocial impairment and improved virological suppression. Mental health intervention should be instituted to facilitate improved clinical outcomes, autonomy of care and transition to adult care.

  17. An Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitor in a Patient with HIV and HCV: A Case Presentation and Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. B. Zeichner

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Despite its low incidence, acquired factor VIII inhibitor is the most common autoantibody affecting the clotting cascade. The exact mechanism of acquisition remains unclear, but postpartum patients, those with autoimmune conditions or malignancies, and those with exposure to particular drugs appear most susceptible. There have been several case reports describing acquired FVIII inhibitors in patients receiving interferon alpha for HCV treatment and in patients being treated for HIV. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a patient with HCV and HIV who was not actively receiving treatment for either condition. Case Presentation. A 57-year-old Caucasian male with a history of HIV and HCV was admitted to our hospital for a several day history of progressively worsening right thigh bruising and generalized weakness. CTA of the abdominal arteries revealed large bilateral retroperitoneal hematomas. Laboratory studies revealed the presence of a high titer FVIII inhibitor. Conclusion. Our case of a very rare condition highlights the importance of recognizing and understanding the diagnosis of acquired FVIII inhibitor. Laboratory research and clinical data on the role of newer agents are needed in order to better characterize disease pathogenesis, disease associations, genetic markers, and optimal disease management.

  18. Neuropsychological performance in patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Banfi, Martha; Vélez, Jorge I; Perea, M Victoria; García, Ricardo; Puentes-Rozo, Pedro J; Mebarak Chams, Moises; Ladera, Valentina

    2018-05-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) lead to neurocognitive disorders; however, there is still much knowledge to be gained regarding HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the cognitive performance, instrumental activities of daily living, depression, and anxiety in patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infections compared with seronegative participants without neurocognitive impairment. We studied a sample consisted of 60 patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infections and 60 seronegative participants without neurocognitive impairment from the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, with a mean age of 36.07 years. A protocol of neuropsychological and psychopathological tests was applied to the participants. The group of patients with asymptomatic HIV infections significantly underperformed on tasks that assessed global cognitive screening, attention span, learning, phonemic verbal fluency, auditory-verbal comprehension, information processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and motor skills compared to the group of seronegative participants. No significant differences were found in memory, visual confrontation naming, vocabulary, inhibition, and instrumental activities of daily living. Additionally, the patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection had a higher anxiety index than the seronegative participants, but no significant difference was found in depression. A correlation was found between depression and anxiety. In conclusion, the patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection had lower cognitive performances than the seronegative participants in the cognitive functions mentioned above and more anxiety but still performed the instrumental activities of daily living.

  19. Community capacity to acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence: a survey of Ontario's HIV/AIDS sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rourke Sean B

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Community-based organizations (CBOs are important stakeholders in health systems and are increasingly called upon to use research evidence to inform their advocacy, program planning, and service delivery. To better support CBOs to find and use research evidence, we sought to assess the capacity of CBOs in the HIV/AIDS sector to acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence in their work. Methods We invited executive directors of HIV/AIDS CBOs in Ontario, Canada (n = 51 to complete the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation's "Is Research Working for You?" survey. Findings Based on responses from 25 organizations that collectively provide services to approximately 32,000 clients per year with 290 full-time equivalent staff, we found organizational capacity to acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence to be low. CBO strengths include supporting a culture that rewards flexibility and quality improvement, exchanging information within their organization, and ensuring that their decision-making processes have a place for research. However, CBO Executive Directors indicated that they lacked the skills, time, resources, incentives, and links with experts to acquire research, assess its quality and reliability, and summarize it in a user-friendly way. Conclusion Given the limited capacity to find and use research evidence, we recommend a capacity-building strategy for HIV/AIDS CBOs that focuses on providing the tools, resources, and skills needed to more consistently acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence. Such a strategy may be appropriate in other sectors and jurisdictions as well given that CBO Executive Directors in the HIV/AIDS sector in Ontario report low capacity despite being in the enviable position of having stable government infrastructure in place to support them, benefiting from long-standing investment in capacity building, and being part of an active provincial network. CBOs in other

  20. “How Do We Start? And How Will They React?” Disclosing to Young People with Perinatally Acquired HIV in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stella Namukwaya

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite great advances in pediatric HIV care, rates and the extent of full disclosure of HIV status to infected children remain low especially in resource-constrained setting. The World Health Organisation recommends that, by the age of 10–12 years old, children should be made fully aware of their HIV-positive status. However, this awareness is often delayed until much later in their adolescence. Few studies have been conducted to investigate what influences caregivers’ decision-making process in this regard in low-income settings. In this article, we present an analysis of care dyads of caregivers and HIV-positive young people in Kampala, Uganda, as part of the findings of a longitudinal qualitative study about young people’s adherence to antiretroviral therapy embedded in an international clinical trial (BREATHER. Repeat in-depth interviews were conducted with 26 young people living with HIV throughout the course of the trial, and once-off interviews with 16 of their caregivers were also carried out toward the end of the trial. In this article, we examine why and how caregivers decide to disclose a young person’s HIV status to them and explore their feelings and dilemmas toward disclosure, as well as how young people reacted and the influence it had on their relationships with and attitudes toward their caregivers. Caregivers feared the consequences of disclosing the young person’s positive status to them and disclosure commonly occurred hurriedly in response to a crisis, rather than as part of an anticipated and planned process. A key impediment to disclosure was that caregivers feared that disclosing would damage their relationships with the young people and commonly used this as a reason to continue to postpone disclosure. However, young people did not report prolonged feelings of blame or anger toward their caregivers about their own infection, but they did express frustration at the delay and obfuscation surrounding the

  1. Utilization of free dental health care services provided to the perinatally infected human immunodeficiency virus children in Bangalore: Longitudinal study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beena Javaregowda Parvathy

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Use of Highly active anti-retroviral therapy have increased the life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infected patients and hence it is imperative that all efforts have to be made by Pediatric dentists to provide a better oral health for these children. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of utilization of free dental treatment provided to these perinatally infected HIV positive children who were previously screened as a part of oral health survey. Design: Purposive sampling was used. Inclusion criteria: Perinatally infected HIV children screened for oral health status. Exclusion criteria: Patients not screened during the oral health survey. Materials and Methods: Attendance records of 319 perinatally HIV infected children consisting of 178 males and 141 females attending a specialized pediatric outpatient clinic at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health were examined to compare treatment compliance rates. Results: The number of patients in the severe category who completed treatment was significantly less compared with mild and advanced categories (P 0.05. Conclusion: The results show that children with HIV have significantly lower compliance. Even though all dental treatment provided to them was free of the cost it still had no impetus to encourage them to go through with the treatment.

  2. Pathogenesis and treatment of HIV-1 infection: recent developments (Y2K update).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewhurst, S L; da Cruz, R L; Whetter, L

    2000-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the etiologic agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The pathogenesis of HIV-1-induced disease is complex and characterized by the interplay of both viral and host factors, which together determine the outcome of infection. An improved understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of AIDS, combined with recent insights into the dynamics of viral infection may provide powerful new opportunities for therapeutic intervention against this virus.

  3. Management of HIV Infection during Pregnancy in the United States: Updated Evidence-Based Recommendations and Future Potential Practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bassam H. Rimawi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available All HIV-infected women contemplating pregnancy should initiate combination antiretroviral therapy (cART, with a goal to achieve a maternal serum HIV RNA viral load beneath the laboratory level of detection prior to conceiving, as well as throughout their pregnancy. Successfully identifying HIV infection during pregnancy through screening tests is essential in order to prevent in utero and intrapartum transmission of HIV. Perinatal HIV transmission can be less than 1% when effective cART, associated with virologic suppression of HIV, is given during the ante-, intra-, and postpartum periods. Perinatal HIV guidelines, developed by organizations such as the World Health Organization, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the US Department of Health and Human Services, are constantly evolving, and hence the aim of our review is to provide a useful concise review for medical providers caring for HIV-infected pregnant women, summarizing the latest and current recommendations in the United States.

  4. Preventing perinatal HIV transmission - nowisthe time to act!

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    been met with denial, procrastination and bungling. From a public health point of view this has been a disaster. Will we again miss the chance to act decisively when it comes to perinatal transmission? For African scientists to try to politicise criticism of placebo trials as intervention from the. West is wrong. Rather, they must ...

  5. National HIV Testing Day at CDC-funded HIV counseling, testing, and referral sites--United States, 1994-1998.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-06-23

    CDC-funded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling, testing, and referral sites are an integral part of national HIV prevention efforts (1). Voluntary counseling, testing, and referral opportunities are offered to persons at risk for HIV infection at approximately 11,000 sites, including dedicated HIV counseling and testing sites, sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics, drug-treatment centers, hospitals, and prisons. Services also are offered to women in family planning and prenatal/obstetric clinics to increase HIV prevention efforts among women and decrease the risk for perinatal HIV transmission. To increase use of HIV counseling, testing, and referral services by those at risk for HIV infection, in 1995, the National Association of People with AIDS designated June 27 each year as National HIV Testing Day. This report compares use of CDC-funded counseling, testing, and referral services the week before and the week of June 27 from 1994 through 1998 and documents the importance of a national public health campaign designed to increase knowledge of HIV serostatus.

  6. Changes in HIV-1 subtypes B and C genital tract RNA in women and men after initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiscus, Susan A; Cu-Uvin, Susan; Eshete, Abel Tilahun; Hughes, Michael D; Bao, Yajing; Hosseinipour, Mina; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Badal-Faesen, Sharlaa; Dragavon, Joan; Coombs, Robert W; Braun, Ken; Moran, Laura; Hakim, James; Flanigan, Timothy; Kumarasamy, N; Campbell, Thomas B

    2013-07-01

    Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) reduces genital tract human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) load and reduces the risk of sexual transmission, but little is known about the efficacy of cART for decreasing genital tract viral load (GTVL) and differences in sex or HIV-1 subtype. HIV-1 RNA from blood plasma, seminal plasma, or cervical wicks was quantified at baseline and at weeks 48 and 96 after entry in a randomized clinical trial of 3 cART regimens. One hundred fifty-eight men and 170 women from 7 countries were studied (men: 55% subtype B and 45% subtype C; women: 24% subtype B and 76% subtype C). Despite similar baseline CD4(+) cell counts and blood plasma viral loads, women with subtype C had the highest GTVL (median, 5.1 log10 copies/mL) compared to women with subtype B and men with subtype C or B (4.0, 4.0, and 3.8 log10 copies/mL, respectively; P female genital tract may serve as a reservoir of persistent HIV-1 replication during cART and affect the use of cART to prevent sexual and perinatal transmission of HIV-1.

  7. Impact of Clinical Parameters in the Intrahost Evolution of HIV-1 Subtype B in Pediatric Patients: A Machine Learning Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas Sánchez, Patricia; Cobos, Alberto; Navaro, Marisa; Ramos, José Tomas; Pagán, Israel

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Determining the factors modulating the genetic diversity of HIV-1 populations is essential to understand viral evolution. This study analyzes the relative importance of clinical factors in the intrahost HIV-1 subtype B (HIV-1B) evolution and in the fixation of drug resistance mutations (DRM) during longitudinal pediatric HIV-1 infection. We recovered 162 partial HIV-1B pol sequences (from 3 to 24 per patient) from 24 perinatally infected patients from the Madrid Cohort of HIV-1 infected children and adolescents in a time interval ranging from 2.2 to 20.3 years. We applied machine learning classification methods to analyze the relative importance of 28 clinical/epidemiological/virological factors in the HIV-1B evolution to predict HIV-1B genetic diversity (d), nonsynonymous and synonymous mutations (dN, dS) and DRM presence. Most of the 24 HIV-1B infected pediatric patients were Spanish (91.7%), diagnosed before 2000 (83.3%), and all were antiretroviral therapy experienced. They had from 0.3 to 18.8 years of HIV-1 exposure at sampling time. Most sequences presented DRM. The best-predictor variables for HIV-1B evolutionary parameters were the age of HIV-1 diagnosis for d, the age at first antiretroviral treatment for dN and the year of HIV-1 diagnosis for ds. The year of infection (birth year) and year of sampling seemed to be relevant for fixation of both DRM at large and, considering drug families, to protease inhibitors (PI). This study identifies, for the first time using machine learning, the factors affecting more HIV-1B pol evolution and those affecting DRM fixation in HIV-1B infected pediatric patients. PMID:29044435

  8. Transmissão vertical do HIV: expectativas e ações da gestante soropositiva Transmisión vertical del VHI: expectativas y acciones de la gestante seropositiva HIV perinatal transmission: expectations and actions of hiv-positive pregnant women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edilene Lins de Moura

    2006-06-01

    of HIV positive children caused by perinatal transmission. The aim of this study was to identify HIV-infected pregnant women's expectations and actions concerning the pregnancy and the fetus. The sample consisted of 14 HIV-infected, asymptomatic pregnant women, in their third month, who were aware of their condition before getting pregnant. An interview was carried out from 2001 to 2002 in order to collect data. The Collective Subject Discourse Method was adopted for data analysis. It was observed that the pregnant women had similar expectations concerning motherhood. They got used to pregnancy and believed their baby would be HIV negative and that treatment would be effective. There is a need to implement counseling about women's health with a focus on perinatal HIV/aids transmission.

  9. Anaemia among pregnant women in northern Tanzania: prevalence, risk factors and effect on perinatal outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Msuya, Sia E; Hussein, Tamara H; Uriyo, Jacqueline; Sam, Noel E; Stray-Pedersen, Babill

    2011-01-01

    Anaemia during pregnancy is associated with negative maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, there is limited data regarding prevalence and effects of anaemia during pregnancy in northern Tanzania. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and possible risk factors for anaemia and its effect on perinatal outcomes among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Moshi Municipality in northern Tanzania. A cohort of pregnant women aged 14-43 years and in their 3rd trimester, was recruited from two primary health care clinics between June 2002 and March 2004. Interviews, anthropometric measurements and haematological examinations were conducted on 2654 consenting women. Perinatal outcomes were recorded during delivery and at 1 week after delivery. Of the 2654 participants, 47.4% had anaemia (haemoglobin [Hb] anaemia (Hb= 9-10.9g/dl), 9.9% had moderate anaemia (Hb =7- 8.9g/dl), and 2.1% had severe anaemia (Hb Anaemia was significantly more prevalent in HIV-positive (56.4%) than in HIV-negative women (46.7%), (P = 0.01). In logistic regression anaemia was independently associated with maternal HIV (OR= 1.5), malaria (OR= 5.2), clinic of recruitment (OR= 1.5) and low income (OR= 1.9). Pregnant women with anaemia were more likely to have low birth weight (LBW) infants. Compared with non-anaemic women, the risk of LBW was 1.6 times and 4.8 times higher for children born to women with moderate and severe anaemia, respectively. In conclusion, anaemia in pregnancy is a severe public health problem in northern Tanzania. Control of maternal anaemia may be one important strategy to prevent LBW in this setting. Measures to prevent malaria and to control anaemia among all pregnant women irrespective of HIV status, should be strengthened. Outside of the health sector broader approaches for anaemia prevention targeting women of lower income, are required.

  10. Influence of HIV infection on the clinical presentation and outcome of adults with acute community-acquired pneumonia in Yaounde, Cameroon: a retrospective hospital-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yone Eric Walter

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The impact of HIV infection on the evolution of acute community-acquired pneumonia (CAP is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate possible differences in the clinical presentation and in-hospital outcomes of patients with CAP with and without HIV infection in a specialised service in Yaounde. Methods Medical files of 106 patients (51 men aged 15 years and above, admitted to the Pneumology service of the Yaounde Jamot Hospital between January 2008 and May 2012, were retrospectively studied. Results Sixty-two (58.5% patients were HIV infected. The median age of all patients was 40 years (interquartile range: 31.75-53 and there was no difference in the clinical and radiological profile of patients with and without HIV infection. The median leukocyte count (interquartile range was 14,600/mm3 (10,900-20,600 and 10,450/mm3 (6,400-16,850 respectively in HIV negative and HIV positive patients (p = 0.002. Median haemoglobin level (interquartile range was 10.8 g/dl (8.9-12 in HIV negative and 9.7 g/dl (8–11.6 in HIV positive patients (p = 0.025. In-hospital treatment failure on third day (39.5% vs. 25.5.1%, p = 0.137 and mortality rates (9% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.401 were similar between HIV negative and HIV positive patients. Conclusion Clinical and radiological features as well as response to treatment and in hospital fatal outcomes are similar in adult patients hospitalised with acute community-acquired pneumonia in Yaounde. In contrast, HIV infected patients tend to be more anaemic and have lower white cell counts than HIV negative patients. Larger prospective studies are needed to consolidate these findings.

  11. Hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism: effects on bone turnover and bone mineral density among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sudjaritruk, Tavitiya; Bunupuradah, Torsak; Aurpibul, Linda; Kosalaraksa, Pope; Kurniati, Nia; Prasitsuebsai, Wasana; Sophonphan, Jiratchaya; Ananworanich, Jintanat; Puthanakit, Thanyawee

    2016-04-24

    The impact of hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism on bone mineral density (BMD) in the setting of pediatric HIV infection remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism and their effects on bone turnover and BMD among HIV-infected adolescents in Southeast Asia. A multicenter, cross-sectional study evaluating bone health and vitamin D metabolism in HIV-infected adolescents in Thailand and Indonesia. Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents aged 10-18 years on antiretroviral therapy with virologic suppression were enrolled. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone, and bone turnover markers (C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen and procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide) were assessed; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D less than 20 ng/ml and intact parathyroid hormone more than 65 pg/ml were defined as hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism, respectively. Lumbar spine (L2-L4) BMD Z-score -2 or less was defined as low BMD. Of 394 adolescents, 57% were women. The median age [interquartile range (IQR)] was 15.0 (13.3-16.9) years. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, hyperparathyroidism, and both conditions were 21% [95% confidence interval (CI): 17-25%], 17% (95% CI: 13-20%), and 5% (95% CI: 3-7%), respectively. Adolescents with hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism had the highest median bone resorption (C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen: 1610 vs. 1270 ng/l; P = 0.04) and bone formation (procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide: 572 vs. 330 μg/l; P = 0.02) markers, and the greatest proportion of low BMD (42 vs. 15%; P = 0.01) compared with the rest of the cohort. Hypovitaminosis D complicated with secondary hyperparathyroidism was associated with increased bone turnover and bone loss. Early treatment of hypovitaminosis D before hyperparathyroidism occurs may be important to prevent bone mass deterioration.

  12. Morphogenesis of the infectious HIV-1 virion

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    Jun-Ichi eSakuragi

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The virion of HIV-1 is spherical and viral glycoprotein spikes (gp120, gp41 protrude from its envelope. The characteristic cone-shaped core exists within the virion, caging the ribonucleoprotein (RNP complex, which is comprised of viral RNA, nucleocapsid (NC and viral enzymes. The HIV-1 virion is budded and released from the infected cell as an immature donut-shaped particle. During or immediately after release, viral protease (PR is activated and subsequently processes the viral structural protein Gag. Through this maturation process, virions acquire infectivity, but its mechanism and transition of morphology largely remain unclear. Recent technological advances in experimental devices and techniques have made it possible to closely dissect the viral production site on the cell, the exterior – or even the interior – of an individual virion, and many new aspects on virion morphology and maturation. In this manuscript, I review the morphogenesis of HIV-1 virions. I focus on several studies, including some of our recent findings, which examined virion formation and/or maturation processes. The story of novel compound, which inhibits virion maturation, and the importance of maturation research are also discussed.

  13. 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

  14. Chimeric peptide-mediated siRNA transduction to inhibit HIV-1 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bivalkar-Mehla, Shalmali; Mehla, Rajeev; Chauhan, Ashok

    2017-04-01

    Persistent human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection provokes immune activation and depletes CD4 +  lymphocytes, leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Uninterrupted administration of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-infected patients suppresses viral replication to below the detectable level and partially restores the immune system. However, cART-unresponsive residual HIV-1 infection and elusive transcriptionally silent but reactivatable viral reservoirs maintain a permanent viral DNA blue print. The virus rebounds within a few weeks after interruption of suppressive therapy. Adjunct gene therapy to control viral replication by ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) is a post-transcriptional gene silencing strategy that could suppress residual HIV-1 burden and overcome viral resistance. Small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs) are efficient transcriptional inhibitors, but need delivery systems to reach inside target cells. We investigated the potential of chimeric peptide (FP-PTD) to deliver specific siRNAs to HIV-1-susceptible and permissive cells. Chimeric FP-PTD peptide was designed with an RNA binding domain (PTD) to bind siRNA and a cell fusion peptide domain (FP) to enter cells. FP-PTD-siRNA complex entered and inhibited HIV-1 replication in susceptible cells, and could be a candidate for in vivo testing.

  15. Benefits and Risks of Antiretroviral Therapy for Perinatal HIV Prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Mary G; Qin, Min; Fiscus, Susan A; Currier, Judith S; Flynn, Patricia M; Chipato, Tsungai; McIntyre, James; Gnanashanmugam, Devasena; Siberry, George K; Coletti, Anne S; Taha, Taha E; Klingman, Karin L; Martinson, Francis E; Owor, Maxensia; Violari, Avy; Moodley, Dhayendre; Theron, Gerhard B; Bhosale, Ramesh; Bobat, Raziya; Chi, Benjamin H; Strehlau, Renate; Mlay, Pendo; Loftis, Amy J; Browning, Renee; Fenton, Terence; Purdue, Lynette; Basar, Michael; Shapiro, David E; Mofenson, Lynne M

    2016-11-03

    Randomized-trial data on the risks and benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) as compared with zidovudine and single-dose nevirapine to prevent transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in HIV-infected pregnant women with high CD4 counts are lacking. We randomly assigned HIV-infected women at 14 or more weeks of gestation with CD4 counts of at least 350 cells per cubic millimeter to zidovudine and single-dose nevirapine plus a 1-to-2-week postpartum "tail" of tenofovir and emtricitabine (zidovudine alone); zidovudine, lamivudine, and lopinavir-ritonavir (zidovudine-based ART); or tenofovir, emtricitabine, and lopinavir-ritonavir (tenofovir-based ART). The primary outcomes were HIV transmission at 1 week of age in the infant and maternal and infant safety. The median CD4 count was 530 cells per cubic millimeter among 3490 primarily black African HIV-infected women enrolled at a median of 26 weeks of gestation (interquartile range, 21 to 30). The rate of transmission was significantly lower with ART than with zidovudine alone (0.5% in the combined ART groups vs. 1.8%; difference, -1.3 percentage points; repeated confidence interval, -2.1 to -0.4). However, the rate of maternal grade 2 to 4 adverse events was significantly higher with zidovudine-based ART than with zidovudine alone (21.1% vs. 17.3%, P=0.008), and the rate of grade 2 to 4 abnormal blood chemical values was higher with tenofovir-based ART than with zidovudine alone (2.9% vs. 0.8%, P=0.03). Adverse events did not differ significantly between the ART groups (P>0.99). A birth weight of less than 2500 g was more frequent with zidovudine-based ART than with zidovudine alone (23.0% vs. 12.0%, P<0.001) and was more frequent with tenofovir-based ART than with zidovudine alone (16.9% vs. 8.9%, P=0.004); preterm delivery before 37 weeks was more frequent with zidovudine-based ART than with zidovudine alone (20.5% vs. 13.1%, P<0.001). Tenofovir-based ART was associated with higher rates than

  16. Perinatal transmission of human papilomavirus DNA

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    Serafini Eduardo P

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The purpose was to study the perinatal transmission of human papillomavirus DNA (HPV-DNA in 63 mother-newborn pairs, besides looking at the epidemiological factors involved in the viral DNA transmission. The following sampling methods were used: (1 in the pregnant woman, when was recruited, in cervix and clinical lesions of the vagina, vulva and perineal region; (2 in the newborn, (a buccal, axillary and inguinal regions; (b nasopharyngeal aspirate, and (c cord blood; (3 in the children, buccal was repeated in the 4th week and 6th and 12th month of life. HPV-DNA was identified using two methodologies: multiplex PCR (PGMY09 and MY11 primers and nested-PCR (genotypes 6/11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58. Perinatal transmission was considered when concordance was found in type-specific HPV between mother/newborn or mother/child. HPV-DNA genital was detected in 49 pregnant women submitted to delivery. Eleven newborns (22.4%, n = 11/49 were HPV-DNA positive. In 8 cases (16.3%, n = 8/49 there was type specific HPV concordance between mother/newborn samples. At the end of the first month of life three children (6.1%, n = 3/49 became HPV-DNA positive, while two remained positive from birth. In 3 cases (100%, n = 3/3 there was type specific HPV concordance between mother/newborn samples. In the 6th month, a child (2%, n = 1/49 had become HPV-DNA positive between the 1st and 6th month of life, and there was type specific HPV concordance of mother/newborn samples. All the HPV-DNA positive children (22.4%, n = 11/49 at birth and at the end first month of life (6.1%, n = 3/49 became HPV-DNA negative at the age of 6 months. The HPV-DNA positive child (2%, n = 1/49 from 1st to the 6th month of life became HPV-DNA negative between the 6th and 12th month of life and one child had anogenital warts. In the twelfth month all (100%, n = 49/49 the children studied were HPV-DNA negative. A positive and significant correlation was observed between perinatal

  17. Teste rápido para detecção da infecção pelo HIV-1 em gestantes Rapid test to detect HIV-1 infection among pregnant women

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    Geraldo Duarte

    2001-03-01

    Full Text Available Objetivos: avaliar os resultados do teste de diagnóstico rápido da infecção pelo HIV-1 disponibilizado pelo Ministério da Saúde, para identificação de gestantes contaminadas por este vírus. Métodos: avaliação prospectiva de 443 gestantes sem teste sorológico para HIV no pré-natal, atendidas no Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto-Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP, entre fevereiro e junho de 2000. As amostras destas pacientes foram submetidas ao teste rápido imunocromatográfico, sendo comparadas com ELISA e confirmadas pela aglutinação. Resultados: dentre as 443 gestantes submetidas ao teste rápido (20,1% dos partos no período, 16 apresentaram resultados positivos (3,6%. Nenhuma amostra negativa pelo teste rápido foi positiva pelo ELISA. Entretanto, das 16 amostras positivas pelo teste rápido, duas foram negativas pelos testes confirmatórios. Logo, a sensibilidade do teste rápido foi de 100,0%, especificidade 99,5%, valor preditivo positivo 87,5% e valor preditivo negativo 100,0%. Conclusões: os resultados obtidos na avaliação do teste para o diagnóstico rápido da infecção pelo HIV-1 em gestantes revelaram sensibilidade, especificidade e valores preditivos que o credenciam como recurso extremamente importante na indicação de medidas que reduzem a transmissão perinatal desse vírus.Purpose: to evaluate the results of a rapid diagnostic test for HIV-1 infection made available by the Health Ministry for the identification of pregnant women contaminated by this virus. Methods: we evaluated prospectively 443 pregnant women with no prenatal serologic anti-HIV test seen at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, from February to June, 2000. Samples from these patients were submitted to the rapid immunochromatographic test, which was compared with ELISA and submitted to a confirmatory

  18. Estudo cardiológico longitudinal em crianças expostas ao vírus da imunodeficiência humana tipo 1 por via perinatal Cardiac longitudinal study of children perinatally exposed to human immunodeficiency virus type 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Suely Bezerra Diógenes

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Determinação da freqüência das alterações cardíacas e sua evolução nas crianças expostas ao HIV-1 por via perinatal. MÉTODOS: Realizada avaliação seqüencial clínico-cardiológica, eletrocardiográfica e ecocardiográfica Doppler em 84 crianças expostas ao HIV-1. RESULTADOS: Grupo I (sororreversão 43 crianças (51,2%. Ausência de alterações clínicas. ECG: distúrbio de condução de ramo direito 5 casos. ECO: CIA (1 caso e CIV (1 caso. Grupo II 41 infectados (48,8% com 51,2% de alterações cardiológicas. Crianças assintomáticas ou com sintomas leves, sem imunossupressão: alterações clínico-ecocardiográficas ausentes; ECG: distúrbio de condução de ramo direito (2 casos. Crianças com comprometimento clínico-imunológico moderado e severo: Alterações encontradas: 1 Clínicas (31,7%: taquicardia isolada (1 caso, ICC (12 casos. 2 Eletrocardiográficas (43,9%: taquicardia sinusal associada a outras alterações (10 casos, distúrbio de condução de ramo direito (5 casos, BDAS (1 caso, HBAD (1 caso, alterações da repolarização ventricular (11 casos, SVD (2 casos, SVE (1 caso, desvio do AQRS para direita (1 caso, arritmias (3 casos. 3 Ecocardiográficas (26,8%: miocardiopatia dilatada (5 casos, derrame pericárdico com tamponamento (2 casos, hipertensão pulmonar (2 casos e prolapso da valva mitral (1 caso. CONCLUSÃO: O envolvimento cardíaco foi uma característica do grupo infectado. Houve maior prevalência de alterações nas crianças pertencentes à categoria clínico-imunológica mais avançada. Os achados clínicos, eletrocardiográficos e ecocardiográficos mais freqüentes foram, respectivamente, ICC, alterações da repolarização ventricular e miocardiopatia dilatada. Esta foi reversível em um caso. As alterações eletrocardiográficas foram significantemente mais freqüentes que as clínicas e ecocardiográficas.OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of cardiac abnormalities and its

  19. GRL-09510, a Unique P2-Crown-Tetrahydrofuranylurethane -Containing HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor, Maintains Its Favorable Antiviral Activity against Highly-Drug-Resistant HIV-1 Variants in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amano, Masayuki; Miguel Salcedo-Gómez, Pedro; Yedidi, Ravikiran S.; Delino, Nicole S.; Nakata, Hirotomo; Venkateswara Rao, Kalapala; Ghosh, Arun K.; Mitsuya, Hiroaki

    2017-09-25

    We report that GRL-09510, a novel HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI) containing a newly-generated P2-crown-tetrahydrofuranylurethane (Crwn-THF), a P2'-methoxybenzene, and a sulfonamide isostere, is highly active against laboratory and primary clinical HIV-1 isolates (EC50: 0.0014–0.0028 μM) with minimal cytotoxicity (CC50: 39.0 μM). Similarly, GRL-09510 efficiently blocked the replication of HIV-1NL4-3 variants, which were capable of propagating at high-concentrations of atazanavir, lopinavir, and amprenavir (APV). GRL-09510 was also potent against multi-drug-resistant clinical HIV-1 variants and HIV-2ROD. Under the selection condition, where HIV-1NL4-3 rapidly acquired significant resistance to APV, an integrase inhibitor raltegravir, and a GRL-09510 congener (GRL-09610), no variants highly resistant against GRL-09510 emerged over long-term in vitro passage of the virus. Crystallographic analysis demonstrated that the Crwn-THF moiety of GRL-09510 forms strong hydrogen-bond-interactions with HIV-1 protease (PR) active-site amino acids and is bulkier with a larger contact surface, making greater van der Waals contacts with PR than the bis-THF moiety of darunavir. The present data demonstrate that GRL-09510 has favorable features for treating patients infected with wild-type and/or multi-drug-resistant HIV-1 variants, that the newly generated P2-Crwn-THF moiety confers highly desirable anti-HIV-1 potency. The use of the novel Crwn-THF moiety sheds lights in the design of novel PIs.

  20. Perinatal stroke in Saudi children: clinical features and risk factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salih, Mustafa A.; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A.; Kentab, Anal Y.; Al-Nasser, Mohammad N.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.

    2006-01-01

    To describe the clinical features and presentations of perinatal stroke in a prospective and retrospective cohort of Saudi children and ascertain the risk factors. Patients with perinatal stroke were identified from within a cohort of 104 Saudi children who were evaluated at the Division of Pediatric Neurology at King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). Neuroimaging for suspected cases of stroke consisted of cranial CT, MRI, or both. During the study period, 23 (22%) of 104 children (aged one months to 12 years) were diagnosed to have had perinatal stroke. The male: female ratio was 1.6:1. Ten (67%) of the 15 children who had unilateral ischemic involvement had their lesion in the left hemisphere. The presentation of the ischemic result was within 24-72 hours of life in 13 (57%) patients, and in 6 children (26%), motor impairment was recognized at or after the age of 4 months. Nine children (39%) had seizures at presentation. Pregnancy, labor, and delivery risk factors were ascertained in 18 (78%) cases. The most common of these included emergency cesarean section in 5 cases, and instrumental delivery in other 5. Screening for prothrombotic risk factors detected abnormalities in 6 (26%) patients on at least one test carried out between 2 months and 9 years of age. Four children (17%) had low protein C, which was associated low protein S and raised anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) in one patient, and low antithrombin III in another. Low proteins S was detected in a 42-month-old boy. The abnormality in the sixth child was confined to raised ACA. The present study highlights the non-specific features by which stroke presents during the neonatal period. The data are in keeping with the potential role for inherited and acquired thrombophilia as being the underlying cause. However, the high prevalence of

  1. Adolescent experiences of HIV and sexual health communication ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Christine N. Soon

    2014-05-09

    May 9, 2014 ... MA, is a Social Scientist at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit, University of the. Witwatersrand .... study staff and through word-of-mouth, as they were readily ..... social media sources and innovative HIV prevention campaigns in.

  2. HIV in Pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Cheryl; Hrenchir, Pauline F; Pacheco, Christine J

    2016-01-01

    In the United States, women with HIV have the ability to make informed choices relating to their reproductive lives more now than ever before. The increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy has spurred renewed interest among many HIV-positive women in their decisions about whether to have children. It is important for perinatal nurses to understand the maternal and fetal implications of HIV in pregnancy, including parameters for treatment and the drug regimens typically used during the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum periods. © 2016 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

  3. Seventeen-year-old mother-to-child HIV type 1 transmission identified by phylogeny and signature patterns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katzenstein, T.L.; Petersen, A.B.; Jorgensen, L.B.

    2008-01-01

    A case, in which the clinical suspicion of perinatal HIV transmission of a newly diagnosed 17-year-old woman was supported by the phylogenetic analyses of pol sequences obtained for routine resistance testing and further substantiated by analyses of gag and env, is described Udgivelsesdato: 2008/8...

  4. Profiles of HIV-infected anti-retroviral therapy naïve children from Mumbai, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paranjpe, Supriya Mayur; Sarkate, Purva Pankaj; Ingole, Nayana Avinash; Raut, Shweta Sadanand; Mehta, Preeti Rajeev

    2016-11-01

    This study aimed to investigate the demographic profiles of human immunodifficiency virus (HIV) infected anti-retroviral therapy (ART) naïve children in our hospital and their relations to the clinical, immunological and nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted in an Integrated Counselling and Testing Center (ICTC) at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. ART naïve HIV positive children were enrolled in the study. The demographic profiles, clinical features, immunological (CD4%/CD4 count) and nutritional status of these children were recorded. The agreement between clinical, immunological and nutritional staging was determined using Cohen's kappa test. In 192 HIV-infected ART naive children enrolled with a median age of 9 years (range 3 months-14 years), 97.4% acquired infection through vertical transmission. The most common clinical presentation was fever (39.6 %), followed by generalized lymphadenopathy (32.3%), cough (22.4%) and diarrhoea (9.9%). Tuberculosis was seen in 22.9% of the children. The agreement was fair between clinical and immunological staging, and slight between nutritional, immunological and clinical staging. Perinatal transmission is the most common mode of acquiring HIV infection in children. The Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) program should be strengthened for lowering the transmission rate by providing extended ART to mothers during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Tuberculosis remains a major concern in HIV-infected children. The poor correlation between WHO clinical and immunological staging emphasizes the importance of making CD4 facilities available in HIV prevalent areas. Malnutrition cannot be used as a surrogate marker for predicting stage or severity as it is common at all stages of HIV disease.

  5. HIV-1 epidemiology and circulating subtypes in the countryside of South Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carina Sperotto Librelotto

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 has spread worldwide, with several subtypes and circulating recombinant forms. Brazil has an incidence of 20.5 HIV-1/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS patients per 100,000 inhabitants; however, the Southernmost State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS has more than twice the number of HIV-1-infected people (41.3/100,000 inhabitants and a different pattern of subtype frequencies, as previously reported in studies conducted in the capital (Porto Alegre and its metropolitan region. This study examined HIV-1/AIDS epidemiological and molecular aspects in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul. METHODS: Socio-demographic, clinical and risk behavioral characteristics were obtained from HIV-1-positive adult patients using a structured questionnaire. HIV-1 subtypes were determined by nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR and sequencing of the pol and env genes. RESULTS: The study sample included 149 (55% women patients with a mean age of 41.8 ± 11.9 years. Most (73.8% patients had a low education level and reported heterosexual practices as the most (91.9% probable transmission route. HIV-1 subtypes were detected in 26 patients: 18 (69.2% infected with subtype C, six (23.1% infected with subtype B and two (7.7% infected with BC recombinant forms. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight the increasing number of HIV-1 subtype C infections in the countryside of South Brazil.

  6. Controle de polidrâmnio recorrente em gestante portadora do HIV-1: relato de caso Recurrent polyhydramnios management in an HIV-1 infected pregnant woman: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geraldo Duarte

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available A redução da transmissão vertical (TV do vírus da imunodeficiência humana tipo 1 (HIV-1 utilizando a profilaxia com a zidovudina (AZT representa significativo avanço na assistência pré-natal e obstétrica destas pacientes. Condutas obstétricas invasivas são contra-indicadas em gestantes portadoras do HIV-1, em face do risco de aumento da taxa de TV deste vírus. Os autores relatam um caso de polidrâmnio recorrente em gestante portadora do HIV-1, que exigiu drenagem por amniocentese. Foram realizadas quatro punções ao longo da gestação, na 23ª, 26ª, 27ª e 29ª semanas, todas guiadas por ultra-sonografia, drenando, respectivamente, 1.800, 1.450, 1.700 e 1.960 mL de líquido amniótico claro em cada punção. Com 30 semanas e 5 dias de gestação a paciente apresentou trabalho de parto pré-termo, evoluindo para parto vaginal de recém-nato (RN pesando 1.690 g e medindo 43 cm. O RN evoluiu com diagnóstico de nefropatia perdedora de sódio, tendo três aferições de reação em cadeia de polimerase para HIV-1 negativas. Os autores ilustram uma opção no manejo de situações que envolvam gestantes portadoras do HIV-1 que necessitem de procedimentos obstétricos invasivos, utilizando AZT endovenoso (2 mg/kg previamente ao procedimento, medida que apresentou excelente resultado no caso descrito, evitando a infecção perinatal pelo HIV-1.The reduction of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT of the HIV-1 using zidovudine (ZDV represents a cornerstone in the prenatal and obstetrical care to these patients. The invasive fetal and obstetric procedures are proscribed in HIV-1 infected pregnant patients, to avoid the increased risk of MTCT of this virus. The authors present a case of an HIV-1 infected woman with recurrent polyhydramnios. Four ultrasound-guided amniotic punctures were performed in the 23rd, 26th, 27th and 29th weeks of gestation, each one draining the respective volumes of 1,800, 1,450, 1,700 and 1,960 ml of clear amniotic

  7. Epidemiology of HIV infection in Northern Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tariq, W.U.Z.; Malik, I.A.; Hassan, Z.U.; Hannan, A.; Ahmad, M.

    1993-01-01

    At the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, facilities for HIV screening are available since 1987. So far, 54, 170 individuals have been tested. These included 48235 blood donors, 3369 persons proceeding abroad, 561 patients of venereal diseases, 350 Lymphoma cases, 21 deportees from the UAE, 460 clinically suspected cases of AIDS, 735 persons who were worried about HIV infection and 439 family members of HIV positive cases. A total of 30 cases were positive for anti-HIV on a strict protocol, which included screening tests followed by confirmatory tests including Western blot for HIV antibodies. The mode of HIV transmission was ascertained after a detailed history of all seropostive cases. It was found that in 24 cases the virus was acquired through sexual contact with high risk persons, which was homosexual in 3, heterosexual in 17, and bisexual in 4 cases. In 4 cases, the infection was acquired through blood transfusion, one child was infected through breast feeding, whereas only in one case the exact mode of HIV transmission was unclear. Out of 30 HIV positive cases, only three cases acquired the disease within Pakistan, 20 had acquired HIV infection during their stay in the Gulf states, while few cases had it from other countries (Saudi Arabia 1, Greece 1, France 2, S E Asia 3). (author)

  8. Biological characterization of HIV type 1 envelope V3 regions from mothers and infants associated with perinatal transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matala, E; Hahn, T; Yedavalli, V R; Ahmad, N

    2001-12-10

    Our previous study has shown that the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope V3 region minor genotypes of infected mothers were transmitted to their infants and predominated initially as a homogeneous virus population in the infants (Ahmad N, Baroudy BM, Baker RC, et al.: J Virol 1995;69:1001-1012). Here we have characterized the biological properties, including cellular tropism, replication efficiency, cytopathic effects, and coreceptor utilization, of these V3 region isolates from mothers and infants. Nineteen V3 region sequences from three mother-infant pairs, including the minor variants of mothers and the major variants of infants as characterized in our previous study, were reciprocally inserted into an HIV-1 infectious molecular clone, pNL4-3, and chimeric viruses were generated by DNA transfections into HeLa cells. Equal amounts of chimeric viruses were then used to infect T lymphocyte cell lines (A3.01 and MT-2), primary blood lymphocytes (PBLs), primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), and coreceptor cell lines. We found that the V3 region chimeras failed to replicate in T lymphocyte cell lines but replicated in MDMs and PBLs, albeit at reduced levels compared with R5 laboratory HIV-1 strains. In addition, the V3 region chimeras were able to infect the HOS-CD4(+)CCR5(+) cell line, suggesting CCR5 coreceptor utilization. Moreover, the V3 region chimeras were unable to induce syncytia in MT-2 cells, indicative of non-syncytium-inducing (NSI) phenotypes. In conclusion, the HIV-1 minor genotypes of infected mothers with macrophage-tropic and NSI or R5 phenotypes are transmitted to their infants and are initially maintained with the same properties.

  9. HIV Infection and Cancer Risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... same age ( 1 ). The general term for these cancers is "HIV-associated cancers." Three of these cancers are known as " acquired ... also have an increased cumulative risk of developing HIV-associated cancers. What can people infected with HIV do to ...

  10. 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...

  11. Implications of Combined Exposure to Household Air Pollution and HIV on Neurocognition in Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Megan K. Suter

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution exposure and HIV infection can each cause neurocognitive insult in children. The purpose of this study was to test whether children with combined high air pollution exposure and perinatal HIV infection have even greater risk of neurocognitive impairment. This was a cross-sectional study of HIV-uninfected unexposed (HUU and HIV-infected children and their caregivers in Nairobi, Kenya. We used a detailed neuropsychological battery to evaluate neurocognitive functioning in several domains. We measured caregiver 24-h personal CO exposure as a proxy for child CO exposure and child urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP, a biomarker for exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs. Median 24-h caregiver CO exposure was 6.1 and 3.7 ppm for 45 HIV-infected (mean age 6.6 years and 49 HUU (mean age 6.7 years, respectively; 48.5% of HIV-infected and 38.6% of HUU had caregiver 24-h CO levels exceeding the WHO recommended level. Median 1-OHP exposure was 0.6 and 0.7 µmol/mol creatinine among HIV-infected and HUU children, respectively. HIV-infected children with high urinary 1-OHP (exceeding 0.68 µmol/mol creatinine had significantly lower global cognition (p = 0.04, delayed memory (p = 0.01, and attention scores (p = 0.003. Among HUU children, urinary 1-OHP and caregiver 24-h caregiver CO were not significantly associated with neurocognitive function. Our findings suggest that combined chronic exposure to air pollutants and perinatal HIV infection may be associated with poorer neurocognitive outcomes. High prevalence of air pollution exposure highlights the need to reduce these exposures.

  12. 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

  13. High-resolution deep sequencing reveals biodiversity, population structure, and persistence of HIV-1 quasispecies within host ecosystems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yin Li

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Deep sequencing provides the basis for analysis of biodiversity of taxonomically similar organisms in an environment. While extensively applied to microbiome studies, population genetics studies of viruses are limited. To define the scope of HIV-1 population biodiversity within infected individuals, a suite of phylogenetic and population genetic algorithms was applied to HIV-1 envelope hypervariable domain 3 (Env V3 within peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a group of perinatally HIV-1 subtype B infected, therapy-naïve children. Results Biodiversity of HIV-1 Env V3 quasispecies ranged from about 70 to 270 unique sequence clusters across individuals. Viral population structure was organized into a limited number of clusters that included the dominant variants combined with multiple clusters of low frequency variants. Next generation viral quasispecies evolved from low frequency variants at earlier time points through multiple non-synonymous changes in lineages within the evolutionary landscape. Minor V3 variants detected as long as four years after infection co-localized in phylogenetic reconstructions with early transmitting viruses or with subsequent plasma virus circulating two years later. Conclusions Deep sequencing defines HIV-1 population complexity and structure, reveals the ebb and flow of dominant and rare viral variants in the host ecosystem, and identifies an evolutionary record of low-frequency cell-associated viral V3 variants that persist for years. Bioinformatics pipeline developed for HIV-1 can be applied for biodiversity studies of virome populations in human, animal, or plant ecosystems.

  14. Non-HIV Pneumocystis pneumonia: do conventional community-acquired pneumonia guidelines under estimate its severity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asai, Nobuhiro; Motojima, Shinji; Ohkuni, Yoshihiro; Matsunuma, Ryo; Nakasima, Kei; Iwasaki, Takuya; Nakashita, Tamao; Otsuka, Yoshihito; Kaneko, Norihiro

    2012-06-11

    Non-HIV Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) can occur in immunosuppressed patients having malignancy or on immunosuppressive agents. To classify severity, the A-DROP scale proposed by the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS), the CURB-65 score of the British Respiratory Society (BTS) and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) are widely used in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Japan. To evaluate how correctly these conventional prognostic guidelines for CAP reflect the severity of non-HIV PCP, we retrospectively analyzed 21 patients with non-HIV PCP. A total of 21 patients were diagnosed by conventional staining and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for respiratory samples with chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT) findings. We compared the severity of 21 patients with PCP classified by A-DROP, CURB-65, and PSI. Also, patients' characteristics, clinical pictures, laboratory results at first visit or admission and intervals from diagnosis to start of specific-PCP therapy were evaluated in both survivor and non-survivor groups. Based on A-DROP, 18 patients were classified as mild or moderate; respiratory failure developed in 15 of these 18 (83.3%), and 7/15 (46.7%) died. Based on CURB-65, 19 patients were classified as mild or moderate; respiratory failure developed in 16/19 (84.2%), and 8 of the 16 (50%) died. In contrast, PSI classified 14 as severe or extremely severe; all of the 14 (100%) developed respiratory failure and 8/14 (57.1%) died. There were no significant differences in laboratory results in these groups. The time between the initial visit and diagnosis, and the time between the initial visit and starting of specific-PCP therapy were statistically shorter in the survivor group than in the non-survivor group. Conventional prognostic guidelines for CAP could underestimate the severity of non-HIV PCP, resulting in a therapeutic delay resulting in high mortality. The most important factor to

  15. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is highly associated with giant idiopathic esophageal ulcers in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Bei; Cheng, Xin; Gao, Jackson; Zhao, Hong; Chen, Liping; Wang, Liwei; Huang, Shaoping; Fan, Zhenyu; Zhang, Renfang; Shen, Yinzhong; Li, Lei; Liu, Baochi; Qi, Tangkai; Wang, Jing; Cheng, Jilin

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to determine whether the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exists in giant idiopathic esophageal ulcers in the patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). 16 AIDS patients with a primary complaint of epigastric discomfort were examined by gastroscopy. Multiple and giant esophageal ulcers were biopsied and analyzed with pathology staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine the potential pathogenic microorganisms, including HIV, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex viruses (HSV). HIV was detected in ulcer samples from 12 out of these 16 patients. Ulcers in 2 patients were infected with CMV and ulcers in another 2 patients were found HSV positive. No obvious cancerous pathological changes were found in these multiple giant esophageal ulcer specimens. HIV may be one of the major causative agents of multiple benign giant esophageal ulcers in AIDS patients.

  16. Contraception in HIV-positive female adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ananworanich Jintanat

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Sexual behavior of HIV-positive youths, whether infected perinatally, through risky behavior or other ways, is not substantially different from that of HIV-uninfected peers. Because of highly active antiretroviral therapy, increasing number of children, infected perinatally, are surviving into adolescence and are becoming sexually active and need reproductive health services. The objective of this article is to review the methods of contraception appropriate for HIV-positive adolescents with a special focus on hormonal contraceptives. Delaying the start of sexual life and the use of two methods thereafter, one of which is the male condom and the other a highly effective contraceptive method such as hormonal contraception or an intrauterine device, is currently the most effective option for those who desire simultaneous protection from both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Health care providers should be aware of the possible pharmacokinetic interactions between hormonal contraception and antiretrovirals. There is an urgent need for more information regarding metabolic outcomes of hormonal contraceptives, especially the effect of injectable progestins on bone metabolism, in HIV-positive adolescent girls.

  17. HIV and pregnancy: Maternal and neonatal evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Cecchini

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Data regarding epidemiological aspects, antiretroviral drug safety, and outcomes of HIV-infected pregnant women and their newborns are limited in Argentina. We underwent a retrospective analysis of registries of HIV-infected pregnant women assisted at Helios Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1997-2006. Variables associated with preterm delivery and neonatal complications were analyzed by univariate and logistic regression analyses. A total of 204 mother-child binomium were included. Maternal age (median: 29 years; 32.5% without prior diagnosis of HIV-infection. Baseline median CD4 T-cell count: 417 cell/μl; 98% received antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy [2 nucleoside analogs plus either nevirapine (55% or a protease inhibitor (32%]. Overall incidence of toxicity was 12.5%: rash (8%, anemia (3.5% and hepatotoxicity (1%. Rash was associated with exposure to nevirapine. Eighty one percent and 50% reached HIV-viral loads <1000 and <50 copies/ml at the end of pregnancy, respectively. Twenty six percent had obstetric complications and 16% had preterm delivery. Of the newborns, 1.6% had congenital defects and 9% had neonatal complications. Overall neonatal mortality was 1% and perinatal transmission was 0.7%. Protease inhibitor use and obstetric complications were associated to preterm delivery while obstetric complications were associated with neonatal complications. In our population, hepatotoxicity was low despite frequent use of nevirapine. Protease inhibitor use was associated to preterm delivery. A favorable virological response and a low rate of perinatal transmission was observed, what supports the consensus that antiretroviral therapy benefits during pregnancy outweigh risks of maternal and neonatal adverse events.

  18. HIV Disclosure: Parental dilemma in informing HIV infected Children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This was a qualitative narrative study that employed in-depth interviews with parents or guardians of children perinatally infected with HIV. A total of 20 parents and guardians of children .... observation that children are sensitive and can be inquisitive. ... intelligent she is and can anticipate the questions she would ask. This.

  19. Translational HIV-1 research: from routine diagnostics to new virology insights in Amsterdam, the Netherlands during 1983-2013

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Kuyl, Antoinette C.; Bakker, Margreet; Jurriaans, Suzanne; Back, Nicole K. T.; Pasternak, Alexander O.; Cornelissen, Marion; Berkhout, Ben

    2013-01-01

    An HIV-1 diagnostic laboratory was established in the Academic Medical Center (AMC) of the University of Amsterdam after the discovery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the cause of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The first AIDS patients were diagnosed here in 1981 and since

  20. Risky sexual behaviour and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) among healthcare workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khamisa, Natasha; Mokgobi, Maboe

    2018-01-01

    South Africa is known to have one of the highest prevalence rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) globally, with one in seven healthcare workers being HIV-positive. An HIV-positive healthcare workforce is less equipped to respond to the increasing spread of the epidemic. Assessment of the factors contributing to high HIV prevalence rates among healthcare workers is important in planning the development of human resources. This review sought to identify and understand predominant risky sexual behaviours among healthcare workers in HIV and AIDS-affected countries. This study reviewed articles focusing on sexual behaviour among healthcare workers. Major health science databases (e.g. ProQuest, Cochrane, PubMed and CINAHL) were searched for combinations of keywords including 'healthcare workers', 'risky sexual behaviour' and 'HIV and AIDS'. Articles from a range of countries met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings of the study revealed three main contributing factors: unprotected sex, multiple sex partners and sexual violence. Sexual violence emerged as the dominant risk factor in the majority of the studies. Most research was conducted in developed countries where the HIV infection rate is much lower than it is in developing countries. More research needs to be conducted in developing countries and appropriate strategies should be implemented to reduce sexual violence among healthcare workers. Appropriate procedures on reporting sexual violence coupled with education on HIV and AIDS as well as influencing attitudes and belief systems could assist in reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS within the healthcare workforce while minimising the effect on patient care.

  1. The breadth and titer of maternal HIV-1-specific heterologous neutralizing antibodies are not associated with a lower rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaillon, Antoine; Wack, Thierry; Braibant, Martine; Mandelbrot, Laurent; Blanche, Stéphane; Warszawski, Josiane; Barin, Francis

    2012-10-01

    It has been hypothesized that neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) should have broad specificity to be effective in protection against diverse HIV-1 variants. The mother-to-child transmission model of HIV-1 provides the opportunity to examine whether the breadth of maternal NAbs is associated with protection of infants from infection. Samples were obtained at delivery from 57 transmitting mothers (T) matched with 57 nontransmitting mothers (NT) enrolled in the multicenter French perinatal cohort (ANRS EPF CO1) between 1990 and 1996. Sixty-eight (59.6%) and 46 (40.4%) women were infected by B and non-B viruses, respectively. Neutralization assays were carried out with TZM-bl cells, using a panel of 10 primary isolates of 6 clades (A, B, C, F, CRF01_AE, and CRF02_AG), selected for their moderate or low sensitivity to neutralization. Neutralization breadths were not statistically different between T and NT mothers. However, a few statistically significant differences were observed, with higher frequencies or titers of NAbs toward several individual strains for NT mothers when the clade B-infected or non-clade B-infected mothers were analyzed separately. Our study confirms that the breadth of maternal NAbs is not associated with protection of infants from infection.

  2. Altered structural brain changes and neurocognitive performance in pediatric HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santosh K. Yadav

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pediatric HIV patients often suffer with neurodevelopmental delay and subsequently cognitive impairment. While tissue injury in cortical and subcortical regions in the brain of adult HIV patients has been well reported there is sparse knowledge about these changes in perinatally HIV infected pediatric patients. We analyzed cortical thickness, subcortical volume, structural connectivity, and neurocognitive functions in pediatric HIV patients and compared with those of pediatric healthy controls. With informed consent, 34 perinatally infected pediatric HIV patients and 32 age and gender matched pediatric healthy controls underwent neurocognitive assessment and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI on a 3 T clinical scanner. Altered cortical thickness, subcortical volumes, and abnormal neuropsychological test scores were observed in pediatric HIV patients. The structural network connectivity analysis depicted lower connection strengths, lower clustering coefficients, and higher path length in pediatric HIV patients than healthy controls. The network betweenness and network hubs in cortico-limbic regions were distorted in pediatric HIV patients. The findings suggest that altered cortical and subcortical structures and regional brain connectivity in pediatric HIV patients may contribute to deficits in their neurocognitive functions. Further, longitudinal studies are required for better understanding of the effect of HIV pathogenesis on brain structural changes throughout the brain development process under standard ART treatment.

  3. Curaxin CBL0100 Blocks HIV-1 Replication and Reactivation through Inhibition of Viral Transcriptional Elongation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maxime J. Jean

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Despite combination antiretroviral therapy (cART, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, predominantly caused by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1, remains incurable. The barrier to a cure lies in the virus' ability to establish a latent infection in HIV/AIDS patients. Unsurprisingly, efforts for a sterilizing cure have focused on the “shock and kill” strategy using latency-reversing agents (LRAs to complement cART in order to eliminate these latent reservoirs. However, this method faces numerous challenges. Recently, the “block and lock” strategy has been proposed. It aims to reinforce a deep state of latency and prevent sporadic reactivation (“blip” of HIV-1 using latency-promoting agents (LPAs for a functional cure. Our studies of curaxin 100 (CBL0100, a small-molecule targeting the facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT complex, show that it blocks both HIV-1 replication and reactivation in in vitro and ex vivo models of HIV-1. Mechanistic investigation elucidated that CBL0100 preferentially targets HIV-1 transcriptional elongation and decreases the occupancy of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II and FACT at the HIV-1 promoter region. In conclusion, CBL0100 is a newly identified inhibitor of HIV-1 transcription that can be used as an LPA in the “block and lock” cure strategy.

  4. Efficacy of Tenofovir 1% Vaginal Gel in Reducing the Risk of HIV-1 and HSV-2 Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher McConville

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV is a retrovirus that can result in rare opportunistic infections occurring in humans. The onset of these infections is known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS. Sexual transmission is responsible for the majority of infections 1, resulting in transmission of HIV due to infected semen or vaginal and cervical secretions containing infected lymphocytes. HIV microbicides are formulations of chemical or biological agents that can be applied to the vagina or rectum with the intention of reducing the acquisition of HIV. Tenofovir is an NRTI that is phosphorylated by adenylate kinase to tenofovir diphosphate, which in turn competes with deoxyadeosine 5′-triphosphate for incorporation into newly synthesized HIV DNA. Once incorporated, tenofovir diphosphate results in chain termination, thus inhibiting viral replication. Tenofovir has been formulated into a range of vaginal formulations, such as rings, tablets gels and films. It has been shown to safe and effective in numerous animal models, while demonstrating safety and acceptability in numerous human trials. The most encouraging results came from the CAPRISA 004 clinical trial which demonstrated that a 1% Tenofovir vaginal gel reduced HIV infection by approximately 39%.

  5. Care of HIV-exposed and HIV-infected neonates

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    However, further reduction in MTCT may be possible if newborns at high risk of acquiring HIV ... infants of breastfeeding mothers with newly diagnosed HIV infection, dual NVP/ .... birth HIV DNA PCR testing for HIV-exposed low birth weight.

  6. Safe travels? HIV transmission among Britons travelling abroad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, B; Gilbart, V L; Lawrence, J; Smith, R; Kall, M; Delpech, V

    2012-05-01

    The aim of the study was to identify and describe the characteristics of persons born in the UK who acquire HIV infection abroad. Analyses using case reports and follow-up data from the national HIV database held at the Health Protection Agency were performed. Fifteen per cent (2066 of 13 891) of UK-born adults diagnosed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland between 2002 and 2010 acquired HIV infection abroad. Thailand (534), the USA (117) and South Africa (108) were the countries most commonly reported. As compared with UK-born adults acquiring HIV infection in the UK, those acquiring HIV infection abroad were significantly (P sex with a commercial sex worker (5.6% vs. 1%, respectively). Among men infected in Thailand, 11% reported sex with a commercial sex worker. A substantial number of UK-born adults are acquiring HIV infection in countries with generalized HIV epidemics, and in common holiday destinations. Of particular concern is the high proportion of men infected reporting sex with a commercial sex worker. We recommend HIV prevention and testing efforts be extended to include travellers abroad, and that sexual health advice be provided routinely in travel health consultations and in occupational health travel advice packs, particularly to those travelling to high HIV prevalence areas and destinations for sex tourism. Safer sex messages should include an awareness of the potential detrimental health and social impacts of the sex industry. © 2012 British HIV Association.

  7. Community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy: predictors in a contemporary cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamas, Cristiane C; Coelho, Lara E; Grinsztejn, Beatriz J; Veloso, Valdilea G

    2017-12-01

    Community-acquired pneumonia represents the most frequent bacterial infection in patients with HIV/AIDS. We aimed to assess variables associated with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) among HIV-infected adults using ART. A cohort study of HIV-infected patients aged ≥18 years, enrolled from 2000 to 2015, on ART for at least 60 days, with primary outcome as the 1st episode of LRTI during follow-up. The independent variables included were sex at birth, age, race/skin color, educational level, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, cocaine use, diabetes mellitus, CD4 count, HIV viral load, influenza and pneumococcal vaccination. Extended Cox proportional hazards models accounting for time-updated variables were fitted to assess LRTI predictors. 2669 patients were included; median follow-up was 3.9 years per patient. LRTI was diagnosed in 384 patients; incidence rate was 30.7/1000 PY. In the unadjusted Cox extended models, non-white race [crude hazard ratio (cHR) 1.28, p = 0.020], cocaine use (cHR 2.01, p < 0.001), tobacco smoking (cHR 1.34, p value 0.007), and HIV viral load ≥400 copies/mL (cHR 3.40, p < 0.001) increased the risk of LRTI. Lower risk of LRTI was seen with higher educational level (cHR 0.61, p < 0.001), rise in CD4 counts (cHR 0.81, p < 0.001, per 100 cells/mm 3 increase), influenza (cHR 0.60, p = 0.002) and pneumococcal vaccination (cHR 0.57, p < 0.001). In the adjusted model, aHR for CD4 count was 0.86, for cocaine use 1.47 and for viral load ≥400 copies 2.20. LRTI has a high incidence in HIV-infected adults using ART. Higher CD4 counts and undetectable viral loads were protective, as were pneumococcal and influenza vaccines.

  8. Antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis prevents vaginal transmission of HIV-1 in humanized BLT mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul W Denton

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Worldwide, vaginal transmission now accounts for more than half of newly acquired HIV-1 infections. Despite the urgency to develop and implement novel approaches capable of preventing HIV transmission, this process has been hindered by the lack of adequate small animal models for preclinical efficacy and safety testing. Given the importance of this route of transmission, we investigated the susceptibility of humanized mice to intravaginal HIV-1 infection.We show that the female reproductive tract of humanized bone marrow-liver-thymus (BLT mice is reconstituted with human CD4+ T and other relevant human cells, rendering these humanized mice susceptible to intravaginal infection by HIV-1. Effects of HIV-1 infection include CD4+ T cell depletion in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT that closely mimics what is observed in HIV-1-infected humans. We also show that pre-exposure prophylaxis with antiretroviral drugs is a highly effective method for preventing vaginal HIV-1 transmission. Whereas 88% (7/8 of BLT mice inoculated vaginally with HIV-1 became infected, none of the animals (0/5 given pre-exposure prophylaxis of emtricitabine (FTC/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF showed evidence of infection (Chi square = 7.5, df = 1, p = 0.006.The fact that humanized BLT mice are susceptible to intravaginal infection makes this system an excellent candidate for preclinical evaluation of both microbicides and pre-exposure prophylactic regimens. The utility of humanized mice to study intravaginal HIV-1 transmission is particularly highlighted by the demonstration that pre-exposure prophylaxis can prevent intravaginal HIV-1 transmission in the BLT mouse model.

  9. Injection of new psychoactive substance snow blow associated with recently acquired HIV infections among homeless people who inject drugs in Dublin, Ireland, 2015.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Giese, Coralie

    2015-10-08

    In February 2015, an outbreak of recently acquired HIV infections among people who inject drugs (PWID) was identified in Dublin, following similar outbreaks in Greece and Romania in 2011. We compared drug and risk behaviours among 15 HIV cases and 39 controls. Injecting a synthetic cathinone, snow blow, was associated with recent HIV infection (AOR: 49; p = 0.003). Prevention and control efforts are underway among PWID in Dublin, but may also be needed elsewhere in Europe.

  10. Pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal health outcomes in eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linna, Milla S; Raevuori, Anu; Haukka, Jari; Suvisaari, Jaana M; Suokas, Jaana T; Gissler, Mika

    2014-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal health outcomes and complications in women with lifetime eating disorders. Female patients (n = 2257) who were treated at the Eating Disorder Clinic of Helsinki University Central Hospital from 1995-2010 were compared with unexposed women from the population (n = 9028). Register-based information on pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal health outcomes and complications were acquired for all singleton births during the follow-up period among women with broad anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 302 births), broad bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 724), binge eating disorder (BED; n = 52), and unexposed women (n = 6319). Women with AN and BN gave birth to babies with lower birthweight compared with unexposed women, but the opposite was observed in women with BED. Maternal AN was related to anemia, slow fetal growth, premature contractions, short duration of the first stage of labor, very premature birth, small for gestational age, low birthweight, and perinatal death. Increased odds of premature contractions, resuscitation of the neonate, and very low Apgar score at 1 minute were observed in mothers with BN. BED was associated positively with maternal hypertension, long duration of the first and second stage of labor, and birth of large-for-gestational-age infants. Eating disorders appear to be associated with several adverse perinatal outcomes, particularly in offspring. We recommend close monitoring of pregnant women with either a past or current eating disorder. Attention should be paid to children who are born to these mothers. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Risky sexual behaviour and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS among healthcare workers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natasha Khamisa

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: South Africa is known to have one of the highest prevalence rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS globally, with one in seven healthcare workers being HIV-positive. An HIV-positive healthcare workforce is less equipped to respond to the increasing spread of the epidemic. Objectives: Assessment of the factors contributing to high HIV prevalence rates among healthcare workers is important in planning the development of human resources. This review sought to identify and understand predominant risky sexual behaviours among healthcare workers in HIV and AIDS-affected countries. Methods: This study reviewed articles focusing on sexual behaviour among healthcare workers. Major health science databases (e.g. ProQuest, Cochrane, PubMed and CINAHL were searched for combinations of keywords including ‘healthcare workers’, ‘risky sexual behaviour’ and ‘HIV and AIDS’. Articles from a range of countries met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Findings of the study revealed three main contributing factors: unprotected sex, multiple sex partners and sexual violence. Sexual violence emerged as the dominant risk factor in the majority of the studies. Most research was conducted in developed countries where the HIV infection rate is much lower than it is in developing countries. Conclusion: More research needs to be conducted in developing countries and appropriate strategies should be implemented to reduce sexual violence among healthcare workers. Appropriate procedures on reporting sexual violence coupled with education on HIV and AIDS as well as influencing attitudes and belief systems could assist in reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS within the healthcare workforce while minimising the effect on patient care.

  12. Non-HIV Pneumocystis pneumonia: do conventional community-acquired pneumonia guidelines under estimate its severity?

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    Asai Nobuhiro

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Non-HIV Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP can occur in immunosuppressed patients having malignancy or on immunosuppressive agents. To classify severity, the A-DROP scale proposed by the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS, the CURB-65 score of the British Respiratory Society (BTS and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA are widely used in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP in Japan. To evaluate how correctly these conventional prognostic guidelines for CAP reflect the severity of non-HIV PCP, we retrospectively analyzed 21 patients with non-HIV PCP. Methods A total of 21 patients were diagnosed by conventional staining and polymerase chain reaction (PCR for respiratory samples with chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT findings. We compared the severity of 21 patients with PCP classified by A-DROP, CURB-65, and PSI. Also, patients’ characteristics, clinical pictures, laboratory results at first visit or admission and intervals from diagnosis to start of specific-PCP therapy were evaluated in both survivor and non-survivor groups. Results Based on A-DROP, 18 patients were classified as mild or moderate; respiratory failure developed in 15 of these 18 (83.3%, and 7/15 (46.7% died. Based on CURB-65, 19 patients were classified as mild or moderate; respiratory failure developed in 16/19 (84.2%, and 8 of the 16 (50% died. In contrast, PSI classified 14 as severe or extremely severe; all of the 14 (100% developed respiratory failure and 8/14 (57.1% died. There were no significant differences in laboratory results in these groups. The time between the initial visit and diagnosis, and the time between the initial visit and starting of specific-PCP therapy were statistically shorter in the survivor group than in the non-survivor group. Conclusions Conventional prognostic guidelines for CAP could underestimate the severity of non-HIV PCP, resulting in a therapeutic delay

  13. Phylogeny and resistance profiles of HIV-1 POL sequences from rectal biopsies and blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katzenstein, T L; Petersen, A B; Storgaard, M

    2010-01-01

    The phylogeny and resistance profiles of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) sequences were compared among six patients with HIV-1 who had received numerous treatments. RNA and DNA fractions were obtained from concurrent blood and rectal biopsy...... samples. Phylogenetic trees and resistance profiles showed that the rectal mucosa and the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) harbored different HIV-1 strains. The resistance-associated mutations found in each strain corresponded to the treatment history of the patients. The resistance mutations...... acquired during earlier treatment regimens were detected in the sequences obtained from the rectal samples and in the PBMCs in several of the patients. Also, differences in the resistance profiles were observed between anatomical sites and between RNA and DNA fractions. Thus, a single sample probably...

  14. 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.

  15. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO PERINATAL MORTALITY : OPTIMIZING OUTCOME

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    Lakshmi

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the various causes of perinatal deaths and adopt strategies to improve perinatal outcome at a referral teaching hospital in North Kerala. METHODS: A prospective observational study conducted at Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Government Medical College, Kozhikode. All perinatal deaths during the period January 2013 to December 2014 were analysed and from this factors responsible for perinatal deaths were identified. RESULTS: Out of total 30,042 deliveries , there were 966 perinatal deaths during the study period. 566 were still births and 400 early neonatal deaths. The perinatal mortality rate was 31.1 per 1000 live births. Perinatal asphyxia was the major cause of perinatal mortality. The important factors contributing to perinatal asphyxia were prematurity (39%, abruptio placenta (19% and MSAF ( 12%. Among the antenatal factors, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy leading to iatrogenic elective preterm delivery were the most important. CONCLUSION: Perinatal asphyxia due to prematurity and low birth weight emerged as the most important cause of perinatal mortality in this study and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the most important antenatal complication leading to prematurity

  16. Low rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 after nevirapine intervention in a pilot public health program in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayouba, Ahidjo; Tene, Gilbert; Cunin, Patrick; Foupouapouognigni, Yacouba; Menu, Elisabeth; Kfutwah, Anfumbom; Thonnon, Jocelyn; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Monny-Lobé, Marcel; Eteki, Nicole; Kouanfack, Charles; Tardy, Michèle; Leke, Robert; Nkam, Maurice; Nlend, Anne E; Barré-Sinoussi, Françoise; Martin, Paul M V; Nerrienet, Eric

    2003-11-01

    To determine the percentage of infected children for whom nevirapine (NVP) was used to prevent peripartum mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The study was a prospective Public Health Pilot Program covering a 3-year period (January 2000-December 2002). Counseled and consenting HIV-1-positive pregnant women were given a single dose of NVP at the onset of labor. Babies were given 2 mg/kg NVP syrup within the first 72 hours of life. NVP-treated children were regularly followed up and examined for HIV-1 infection at 6-8 weeks and 5-6 months through plasma viral load (VL) quantification with the bDNA system. One hundred twenty-three children were diagnosed with perinatal HIV-1 infection at 6-8 weeks and 5-6 months. Thirteen children (10.6% [13/123]; 95% confidence interval, 5.1-16) were infected and presented with high VLs, in general >500,000 copies/mL. Two children had intermediate VLs (between 50 and 3500 copies/mL) at both time points. One hundred seven children (87%) were considered not infected at 6-8 weeks of age. Our results indicate that the HIV-1 MTCT rate 6-8 weeks after NVP administration was not >13% (16/123), thus demonstrating the effectiveness of NVP for lowering the risk of HIV-1 MTCT in real-life settings.

  17. Zinc finger nuclease: a new approach for excising HIV-1 proviral DNA from infected human T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Xiying; Wang, Pengfei; Ding, Donglin; Wang, Xiaohui; Zhang, Gongmin; Zhou, Xin; Liu, Lin; Zhu, Xiaoli; Zeng, Hanxian; Zhu, Huanzhang

    2014-09-01

    A major reason that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cannot be completely cured is the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) provirus integrated into the human genome. Though existing therapies can inhibit replication of HIV-1, they cannot eradicate it. A molecular therapy gains popularity due to its specifically targeting to HIV-1 infected cells and effectively removing the HIV-1, regardless of viral genes being active or dormant. Now, we propose a new method which can excellently delete the HIV provirus from the infected human T cell genome. First, we designed zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) that target a sequence within the long terminal repeat (LTR) U3 region that is highly conserved in whole clade. Then, we screened out one pair of ZFN and named it as ZFN-U3. We discovered that ZFN-U3 can exactly target and eliminate the full-length HIV-1 proviral DNA after the infected human cell lines treated with it, and the frequency of its excision was about 30 % without cytotoxicity. These results prove that ZFN-U3 can efficiently excise integrated HIV-1 from the human genome in infected cells. This method to delete full length HIV-1 in human genome can therefore provide a novel approach to cure HIV-infected individuals in the future.

  18. HIV infection in pregnancy: maternal and perinatal outcomes in a tertiary care hospital in Calabar, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikpim, Ekott Mabel; Edet, Udo Atim; Bassey, Akpan Ubong; Asuquo, Otu Akaninyene; Inyang, Ekanem Etim

    2016-04-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is likely to have untoward effects on pregnancy and its outcome. This study assessed the impact of maternal HIV infection on pregnancy outcomes in a tertiary centre in Calabar, Nigeria. This retrospective study analysed delivery records of 258 HIV-positive and 257 HIV-negative women for pregnancy and delivery complications. Maternal and fetal outcomes of HIV-positive pregnancies were compared with those of HIV-negative controls. Adverse pregnancy outcomes significantly associated with HIV status were: anaemia: 33 (8.1%) vs. 8 (3.1%) in controls; puerperal sepsis: 18 (7%) vs. 2 (0.8%); and low birth weight: 56 (21.7%) vs. 37 (14.4%). Caesarean delivery was higher among HIV-positive women than controls: 96 (37.2%) vs. 58 (22.6%). Preterm births were higher in those HIV cohorts who did not receive antiretroviral therapy (ART): 13 (16.9%) vs. 7 (3.9%). HIV-positive status increased adverse birth outcome of pregnancy. ART appeared to reduce the risk of preterm births in HIV-positive cohorts. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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

  3. Brain pertechnetate SPECT in perinatal asphyxia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sfakianakis, G.; Curless, R.; Goldberg, R.; Clarke, L.; Saw, C.; Sfakianakis, E.; Bloom, F.; Bauer, C.; Serafini, A.

    1984-01-01

    Single photon emission computed tomography of the brain was performed in 6 patients with perinatal asphyxis aged 8-26 days. A single-head (LFOV) commercial SPECT system (Picker) was used and data were acquired 2-3 hr after an IV injection of 1-2 mCi Tc-99m-pertechnetate (360/sup 0/ rotation, 60 views, 64 x 64 matrix, 50K cts/view). Reconstruction in three planes was performed using MDS software (Hanning medium resolution filter, with or without attenuation correction using Sorenson's technique). For each clinical study, a ring type phantom source was used to identify the level of reconstruction noise in the tomographic planes. Abnormalities were found in all patients studied, 3 central (moderate intensity), 2 peripheral (1 severe, 1 moderate) and 1 diffuse (mild intensity). Despite use of oral perchlorate (50 mg) in one patient the choroid plexus was visible. Since attenuation correction tended to amplify noise, the clinical studies were interpreted both with and without this correction. All 3 patients with central lesions were found abnormal on early (1-4 mo) neurologic follow-up examination, whereas the others were normal. No correlation was found between SPECT and 24 hr blood levels of CPK, ammonia, base excess, or the Apgar scores. Ct scans were reported abnormal (3 diffuse, 1 peripheral, 1 central and 1 questionable). Planar scintigrams obtained immediately after SPECT were normal (2), questionable (2) and abnormal (2). Follow-up SPECT brain scintigrams in two of the patients showed partial resolution. SPECT of the brain appears promising in perinatal asphyxia but long-term correlation with patient development is necessary.

  4. Magnetic resonance imaging in perinatal brain injury: clinical presentation, lesions and outcome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rutherford, Mary; Ward, Phil; Allsop, Joanna; Counsell, Serena [Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Robert Steiner MR Unit, Imaging Sciences Department, Clinical Sciences Centre, London (United Kingdom); Srinivasan, Latha; Dyet, Leigh; Cowan, Frances [Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Imaging Sciences Department, Clinical Sciences Centre, London (United Kingdom)

    2006-07-15

    Neonatal MR imaging is invaluable in assessing the term born neonate who presents with an encephalopathy. Successful imaging requires adaptations to both the hardware and the sequences used for adults. The perinatal and postnatal details often predict the pattern of lesions sustained and are essential for correct interpretation of the imaging findings, but additional or alternative diagnoses in infants with apparent hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy should always be considered. Perinatally acquired lesions are usually at their most obvious between 1 and 2 weeks of age. Very early imaging (<3 days) may be useful to make management decisions in ventilated neonates, but abnormalities may be subtle at that stage. Diffusion-weighted imaging is clinically useful for the early identification of ischaemic white matter in the neonatal brain but is less reliable in detecting lesions within the basal ganglia and thalami. The pattern of lesions seen on MRI can predict neurodevelopmental outcome. Additional useful information may be obtained by advanced techniques such as MR angiography, venography and perfusion-weighted imaging. Serial imaging with quantification of both structure size and tissue damage provides invaluable insights into perinatal brain injury. (orig.)

  5. Sexual behaviours, HIV testing, and the proportion of men at risk of transmitting and acquiring HIV in London, UK, 2000-13: a serial cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghaizu, Adamma; Wayal, Sonali; Nardone, Anthony; Parsons, Victoria; Copas, Andrew; Mercey, Danielle; Hart, Graham; Gilson, Richard; Johnson, Anne M

    2016-09-01

    HIV incidence in men who have sex with men (MSM) in the UK has remained unchanged over the past decade despite increases in HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage. In this study, we examine trends in sexual behaviours and HIV testing in MSM and explore the risk of transmitting and acquiring HIV. In this serial cross-sectional study, we obtained data from ten cross-sectional surveys done between 2000 and 2013, consisting of anonymous self-administered questionnaires and oral HIV antibody testing in MSM recruited in gay social venues in London, UK. Data were collected between October and January for all survey years up to 2008 and between February and August thereafter. All men older than 16 years were eligible to take part and fieldworkers attempted to approach all MSM in each venue and recorded refusal rates. Data were collected on demographic and sexual behavioural characteristics. We analysed trends over time using linear, logistic, and quantile regression. Of 13 861 questionnaires collected between 2000 and 2013, we excluded 1985 (124 had completed the survey previously or were heterosexual reporting no anal intercourse in the past year, and 1861 did not provide samples for antibody testing). Of the 11 876 eligible MSM recruited, 1512 (13%) were HIV positive, with no significant trend in HIV positivity over time. 35% (531 of 1505) of HIV-positive MSM had undiagnosed infection, which decreased non-linearly over time from 34% (45 of 131) to 24% (25 of 106; p=0·01), while recent HIV testing (ie, in the past year) increased from 26% (263 of 997) to 60% (467 of 777; pmove towards eradication of HIV. Public Health England. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. HIV-1 Tat regulates the expression of the dcw operon and stimulates the proliferation of bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Jinsong; Zhang, Yumin; Knapp, Pamela E; Zhao, Tianyong

    2016-01-01

    Infections of pathogenic bacteria are very common in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. However, the biological effects of HIV-1 Tat on bacteria are incompletely understood. In this study, HIV-1 Tat was expressed in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA01) to investigate its biological effects on bacteria. Bacterial cells expressing either HIV-1 Tat1-86 (Tat1-86) or HIV-1 Tat1-72 (Tat1-72) grow significantly faster than those with either only an empty vector or an unrelated control (GFP or Rluc). Supplementation of purified HIV-1 Tat1-86 or Tat1-101 protein into bacterial culture medium stimulated the growth of both E. coli and PA01. The expression profile of certain cell division-associated genes, such as those in the division cell wall (dcw) operon (ftsA, ftsQ, ftsW and ftsZ), yafO and zipA, was altered in HIV-1 Tat1-86 expressing E. coli BL21(DE3). Furthermore, the expression of firefly luciferase (Fluc) reporter gene, when engineered for control by the dcw promoter and terminator, was enhanced by HIV-1 Tat in E. coli, confirming that HIV-1 Tat transcriptionally regulates the expression of the dcw operon. The finding that HIV-1 Tat stimulates bacterial growth whether it is produced intracellularly or applied extracellularly may have relevance for HIV patients who are highly susceptible to opportunistic bacterial infections. Contents category: Viruses -Retroviruses. The GenBank accession number for the sequence of HIV-1 Tat1-86 is AF324439.1. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Use of a Vaginal Ring Containing Dapivirine for HIV-1 Prevention in Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baeten, J.M.; Palanee-Phillips, T.; Brown, E.R.; Schwartz, K.; Soto-Torres, L.E.; Govender, V.; Mgodi, N.M.; Kiweewa, F. Matovu; Nair, G.; Mhlanga, F.; Siva, S.; Bekker, L.-G.; Jeenarain, N.; Gaffoor, Z.; Martinson, F.; Makanani, B.; Pather, A.; Naidoo, L.; Husnik, M.; Richardson, B.A.; Parikh, U.M.; Mellors, J.W.; Marzinke, M.A.; Hendrix, C.W.; van der Straten, A.; Ramjee, G.; Chirenje, Z.M.; Nakabiito, C.; Taha, T.E.; Jones, J.; Mayo, A.; Scheckter, R.; Berthiaume, J.; Livant, E.; Jacobson, C.; Ndase, P.; White, R.; Patterson, K.; Germuga, D.; Galaska, B.; Bunge, K.; Singh, D.; Szydlo, D.W.; Montgomery, E.T.; Mensch, B.S.; Torjesen, K.; Grossman, C.I.; Chakhtoura, N.; Nel, A.; Rosenberg, Z.; McGowan, I.; Hillier, S.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND Antiretroviral medications that are used as prophylaxis can prevent acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. However, in clinical trials among African women, the incidence of HIV-1 infection was not reduced, probably because of low adherence. Longer-acting methods of drug delivery, such as vaginal rings, may simplify use of antiretroviral medications and provide HIV-1 protection. METHODS We conducted a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a monthly vaginal ring containing dapivirine, a non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse-transcriptase inhibitor, involving women between the ages of 18 and 45 years in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. RESULTS Among the 2629 women who were enrolled, 168 HIV-1 infections occurred: 71 in the dapivirine group and 97 in the placebo group (incidence, 3.3 and 4.5 per 100 person-years, respectively). The incidence of HIV-1 infection in the dapivirine group was lower by 27% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1 to 46; P = 0.05) than that in the placebo group. In an analysis that excluded data from two sites that had reduced rates of retention and adherence, the incidence of HIV-1 infection in the dapivirine group was lower by 37% (95% CI, 12 to 56; P = 0.007) than that in the placebo group. In a post hoc analysis, higher rates of HIV-1 protection were observed among women over the age of 21 years (56%; 95% CI, 31 to 71; P<0.001) but not among those 21 years of age or younger (-27%; 95% CI, −133 to 31; P = 0.45), a difference that was correlated with reduced adherence. The rates of adverse medical events and antiretroviral resistance among women who acquired HIV-1 infection were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS A monthly vaginal ring containing dapivirine reduced the risk of HIV-1 infection among African women, with increased efficacy in subgroups with evidence of increased adherence. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01617096

  8. Presentation and outcome amongst older Singaporeans living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS): does age alone drive excess mortality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huggan, Paul J; Foo, Rui Min; Olszyna, Dariusz; Chew, Nicholas S; Smitasen, Nares; Mukhopadhyay, Amartya; Archuleta, Sophia

    2012-12-01

    There is little detailed information on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) amongst older adults in Singapore. A retrospective study of 121 consecutive referrals of patients presenting for HIV care was conducted. Demographic, clinical and laboratory variables were collected. A prognostic model derived from the North American Veterans' Affairs Cohort Study (VACS) was used to estimate prognosis. The median age at presentation was 43 (range, 18 to 76). Thirty-eight patients (31%) were aged 50 or older and 106 patients (88%) were male. Older patients were more likely to be of Chinese ethnicity (P = 0.035), married (P = 0.0001), unemployed or retired (P = 0.0001), and to have acquired their infection heterosexually (P = 0.0002). The majority of patients in both groups were symptomatic at presentation. Eighty-one (67%) had CD4 counts less than 200 at baseline with no observable differences in HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) or clinical stage based on age. Non-Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) morbidity was observed more frequently amongst older patients. The estimated prognosis of patients differed significantly based on age. Using the VACS Index and comparing younger patients with those aged 50 and above, mean 5 year mortality estimates were 25% and 50% respectively (P HIV/AIDS cases and present with more non-AIDS morbidity. This confers a poor prognosis despite comparable findings with younger patients in terms of clinical stage, AIDS-defining illness, CD4 count and HIV viral load.

  9. [Perinatal HIV transmission prophylaxis in the Liege region].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacquet, Y; Hoyoux, C; Dresse, M F

    1998-08-01

    In Liège, since February 1994, Protocole ACTG 076 has been followed for prevention of perinatal transmission of VIH. The pregnant women are treated by AZT during pregnancy and delivery. The newborn is also treated during 6 weeks. Following this treatment strategy, vertical transmission rate of VIH has dropped from 25.6% to 8.7%. The PCR is particulary promising for the early detection of infection in newborn, but definitive conclusion about infective status of the newborn can't be done during the first week of life. The potential role of intrapartum transmission is now under evaluation in the hope to establish the safest mode of delivery.

  10. Experiences with perinatal loss from the health professionals’ perspective La vivencia de la pérdida perinatal desde la perspectiva de los profesionales de la salud A experiência da perda perinatal a partir da perspectiva dos profissionais de saúde

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia María Pastor Montero

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to know the experience of health professionals in situations of perinatal death and grief and to describe their action strategies in the management of perinatal loss. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was carried out through interviews conducted with 19 professionals. Three thematic categories were identified: Healthcare practice, feelings aroused by perinatal loss and meaning and beliefs about perinatal loss and grief. The results revealed that the lack of knowledge and skills to deal with perinatal loss are identified as the main reason behind unsuitable attitudes that are usually adopted in these situations. This generates anxiety, helplessness and frustration that compromise professional competency. The conclusion reached is that the promotion of training programs to acquire knowledge, skills and abilities in management of perinatal bereavement and the development of a clinical practice guideline for perinatal loss are necessary.El objetivo de este artículo es conocer la experiencia vivida por los profesionales de la salud en situaciones de muerte y duelo perinatal y describir las estrategias de actuación ante la pérdida perinatal. Se trata de un estudio cualitativo con un enfoque fenomenológico realizado a 19 profesionales a través de entrevistas. Se identificaron 3 categorías temáticas: la práctica asistencial, los sentimientos que despierta la pérdida perinatal y significado y creencias sobre la pérdida y el duelo perinatal. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que la falta de conocimientos y de recursos para enfrentar la pérdida perinatal hace que se adopten actitudes poco adecuadas en estas situaciones, generando una sensación de ansiedad, impotencia y frustración que compromete la competencia profesional. Se concluye que es fundamental promover programas de formación para adquirir conocimientos y destrezas sobre el duelo perinatal y elaborar una guía de práctica cl

  11. Antiretroviral treatment initiation does not differentially alter neurocognitive functioning over time in youth with behaviorally acquired HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, Sharon L; Bethel, James; Kapogiannis, Bill G; Li, Tiandong; Woods, Steven P; Patton, E Doyle; Ren, Weijia; Thornton, Sarah E; Major-Wilson, Hanna O; Puga, Ana M; Sleasman, John W; Rudy, Bret J; Wilson, Craig M; Garvie, Patricia A

    2016-04-01

    Although youth living with behaviorally acquired HIV (YLWH) are at risk for cognitive impairments, the relationship of impairments to HIV and potential to improve with antiretroviral therapy (ART) are unclear. This prospective observational study was designed to examine the impact of initiation and timing of ART on neurocognitive functioning in YLWH in the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Treatment naïve YLWH age 18-24 completed baseline and four additional assessments of attention/working memory, complex executive, and motor functioning over 3 years. Group 1 co-enrolled in an early ART initiation study and initiated ART at enrollment CD4 >350 (n = 56); group 2 had CD4 >350 and were not initiating ART (n = 66); group 3 initiated ART with CD4 treatment guidelines at the time. Treatment was de-intensified to boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy at 48 weeks for those in group 1 with suppressed viral load. Covariates included demographic, behavioral, and medical history variables. Analyses used hierarchical linear modeling. All groups showed improved performance with peak at 96 weeks in all three functional domains. Trajectories of change were not significantly associated with treatment, timing of treatment initiation, or ART de-intensification. Demographic variables and comorbidities were associated with baseline functioning but did not directly interact with change over time. In conclusion, YLWH showed improvement in neurocognitive functioning over time that may be related to practice effects and nonspecific impact of study participation. Neither improvement nor decline in functioning was associated with timing of ART initiation or therapy de-intensification.

  12. Chest radiography patterns in 75 adolescents with vertically-acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Desai, S.R., E-mail: sujal.desai@nhs.ne [King' s College London, King' s Health Partners, Department of Radiology, King' s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (United Kingdom); Copley, S.J. [Department of Radiology, Hammersmith Hospital (United Kingdom); Barker, R.D.; Elston, C.M. [King' s College London, King' s Health Partners, Department of Respiratory Medicine, King' s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (United Kingdom); Miller, R.F. [Research Department of Infection and Public Health, Division of Population Health, University College London (United Kingdom); Clinical Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London (United Kingdom); Wells, A.U. [The Interstitial Lung Disease Unit, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom); Munyati, S. [Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Samora Machel Avenue (Zimbabwe); Nathoo, K. [Department of Paediatrics, University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Harare Central Hospital, Lobengula Road, Harare (Zimbabwe); Corbett, E.L.; Ferrand, R.A. [Clinical Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London (United Kingdom); Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Samora Machel Avenue (Zimbabwe)

    2011-03-15

    Aim: To evaluate lung disease on chest radiography (CR), the relative frequency of CR abnormalities, and their clinical correlates in adolescents with vertically-acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Materials and methods: CRs of 75 patients [59 inpatients (33 males; mean age 13.7 {+-} 2.3 years) and 16 outpatients (eight males; mean age 14.1 {+-} 2.1 years)] were retrospectively reviewed by three independent observers. The overall extent of disease (to the nearest 5%), its distribution, and the proportional extents (totalling 100%) of different radiographic patterns (including ring/tramline opacities and consolidation) were quantified. CR features and clinical data were compared. Results: CRs were abnormal in 51/75 (68%) with 'extensive' disease in 38/51 (74%). Ring/tramline opacities and consolidation predominated (i.e., proportional extent >50%) in 26 and 21 patients, respectively. Consolidation was significantly more common in patients hospitalized primarily for a respiratory illness than patients hospitalized for a non-respiratory illness or in outpatients (p < 0.005, {chi}{sup 2} for trend); by contrast, ring/tramline opacities did not differ in prevalence across the groups. On stepwise logistic regression, predominant consolidation was associated with progressive dyspnoea [odds ratio (OR) 5.60; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.60, 20.1; p < 0.01] and was associated with a primary respiratory cause for hospital admission (OR: 22.0; CI: 2.7, 181.1; p < 0.005). Ring/tramline opacities were equally prevalent in patients with and without chronic symptoms and in those admitted to hospital with respiratory and non-respiratory illness. Conclusion: In HIV-infected adolescents, evaluated in secondary practice, CR abnormalities are prevalent. The presence of ring/tramline opacities, believed to reflect chronic airway disease, is not linked chronic respiratory symptoms.

  13. Chest radiography patterns in 75 adolescents with vertically-acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desai, S.R.; Copley, S.J.; Barker, R.D.; Elston, C.M.; Miller, R.F.; Wells, A.U.; Munyati, S.; Nathoo, K.; Corbett, E.L.; Ferrand, R.A.

    2011-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate lung disease on chest radiography (CR), the relative frequency of CR abnormalities, and their clinical correlates in adolescents with vertically-acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Materials and methods: CRs of 75 patients [59 inpatients (33 males; mean age 13.7 ± 2.3 years) and 16 outpatients (eight males; mean age 14.1 ± 2.1 years)] were retrospectively reviewed by three independent observers. The overall extent of disease (to the nearest 5%), its distribution, and the proportional extents (totalling 100%) of different radiographic patterns (including ring/tramline opacities and consolidation) were quantified. CR features and clinical data were compared. Results: CRs were abnormal in 51/75 (68%) with 'extensive' disease in 38/51 (74%). Ring/tramline opacities and consolidation predominated (i.e., proportional extent >50%) in 26 and 21 patients, respectively. Consolidation was significantly more common in patients hospitalized primarily for a respiratory illness than patients hospitalized for a non-respiratory illness or in outpatients (p 2 for trend); by contrast, ring/tramline opacities did not differ in prevalence across the groups. On stepwise logistic regression, predominant consolidation was associated with progressive dyspnoea [odds ratio (OR) 5.60; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.60, 20.1; p < 0.01] and was associated with a primary respiratory cause for hospital admission (OR: 22.0; CI: 2.7, 181.1; p < 0.005). Ring/tramline opacities were equally prevalent in patients with and without chronic symptoms and in those admitted to hospital with respiratory and non-respiratory illness. Conclusion: In HIV-infected adolescents, evaluated in secondary practice, CR abnormalities are prevalent. The presence of ring/tramline opacities, believed to reflect chronic airway disease, is not linked chronic respiratory symptoms.

  14. Long-term trends in mortality and AIDS-defining events after combination ART initiation among children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection in 17 middle- and high-income countries in Europe and Thailand: A cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Judd

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Published estimates of mortality and progression to AIDS as children with HIV approach adulthood are limited. We describe rates and risk factors for death and AIDS-defining events in children and adolescents after initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART in 17 middle- and high-income countries, including some in Western and Central Europe (W&CE, Eastern Europe (Russia and Ukraine, and Thailand.Children with perinatal HIV aged 6 months of cART death and progression to AIDS were assessed. Of 3,526 children included, 32% were from the United Kingdom or Ireland, 30% from elsewhere in W&CE, 18% from Russia or Ukraine, and 20% from Thailand. At cART initiation, median age was 5.2 (IQR 1.4-9.3 years; 35% of children aged 400 c/mL predicted late death. Predictors of early and late progression to AIDS were similar. Study limitations include incomplete recording of US Centers for Disease Control (CDC disease stage B events and serious adverse events in some countries; events that were distributed over a long time period, and that we lacked power to analyse trends in patterns and causes of death over time.In our study, 3,526 children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART in countries in Europe and Thailand. We observed that over 40% of deaths occurred ≤6 months after cART initiation. Greater early mortality risk in infants, as compared to older children, and in Russia, Ukraine, or Thailand as compared to W&CE, raises concern. Current severe immune suppression, being underweight, and unsuppressed viral load were associated with a higher risk of death at >6 months after initiation of cART.

  15. 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.

  16. Molecular investigation of HIV-1 cross-group transmissions during an outbreak among people who inject drugs (2011-2014) in Athens, Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Νikolopoulos, Georgios K; Sypsa, Vana; Psichogiou, Mina; Pantavou, Katerina; Kostaki, Evangelia; Karamitros, Timokratis; Paraskeva, Dimitra; Schneider, John; Malliori, Melpomeni; Friedman, Samuel R; Des Jarlais, Don C; Daikos, Georgios L; Hatzakis, Angelos

    2018-04-10

    New diagnoses of HIV-1 infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) rocketed in Athens, Greece between 2011 and 2014 (HIV-1 outbreak). Our aim was to identify, during that period, potential cross-group transmissions between the within-Greece PWID and other risk or national groups using molecular methods. Sequences from 33 PWID were outside the PWID-outbreak networks in Greece (PWID-imported transmissions). Phylogenetic analyses on 28 of these sequences (subtypes A and B) showed that 11 subtype B infections originated from Greece, whereas 8 and 7 subtype A strains were from former Soviet Union countries (A FSU ) and Greece, respectively. The putative source in half of the PWID-imported transmissions with Greek origin was an individual who acquired HIV via sexual contact. During four years of an HIV-1 outbreak among PWID in Athens, Greece, 33 individuals in this group (4.6% of all diagnoses with phylogenetic analyses) are likely to represent infections, sexually or injection-acquired, outside the within-Greece-PWID-outbreak networks. Combined molecular and traditional HIV surveillance to monitor introductions of new strains, and interventions that aim at reducing the rate of both injection and sexual risky practices are needed during drug injection-related HIV outbreaks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Virtual Screening Models for Prediction of HIV-1 RT Associated RNase H Inhibition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poongavanam, Vasanthanathan; Kongsted, Jacob

    2013-01-01

    The increasing resistance to current therapeutic agents for HIV drug regiment remains a major problem for effective acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) therapy. Many potential inhibitors have today been developed which inhibits key cellular pathways in the HIV cycle. Inhibition of HIV-1...... databases. The methods used here include machine-learning algorithms (e.g. support vector machine, random forest and kappa nearest neighbor), shape similarity (rapid overlay of chemical structures), pharmacophore, molecular interaction fields-based fingerprints for ligands and protein (FLAP) and flexible...... for identifying structurally diverse and selective RNase H inhibitors from large chemical databases. In addition, pharmacophore models suggest that the inter-distance between hydrogen bond acceptors play a key role in inhibition of the RNase H domain through metal chelation....

  18. 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

  19. Soap and water prophylaxis for limiting genital ulcer disease and HIV-1 infection in men in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Farrell, N

    1993-08-01

    In general, East, Central and Southern Africa appear to be worse affected by HIV-1 infection than West Africa. So far there is little evidence to suggest that differences in either sexual behaviour or numbers of sexual partners could account for this disparity. Two risk factors in men for acquiring HIV-1, that tend to vary along this geographical divide, are lack of circumcision and genital ulcer disease (GUD) which are much less common in West Africa. Although uncircumcised men with GUD are an important high frequency HIV-1 transmitter core group, few interventions have targeted such individuals. Given the recent expansion in AIDS-related technologies, is it possible that methods effective in limiting GUD in the preantibiotic era have been overlooked? During the first and second world wars, chancroid, the commonest cause of GUD in Africa today, was controlled successfully with various prophylactics including soap and water. Many parts of Africa are undergoing social upheaval against a background of violence, and in this environment soap and water prophylaxis would now seem to merit re-evaluation as an intervention for preventing both GUD and HIV-1 in uncircumcised men. By facilitating healing of traumatic, inflammatory and infected penile lesions, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis with soap and water could be a cheap and effective method for decreasing the risks of acquiring GUD and HIV in this vulnerable group of uncircumcised men.

  20. The "moral career" of perinatally HIV-infected children: revisiting Goffman's concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Maria Letícia Santos; Bastos, Francisco Inácio; Darmont, Mariana; Dickstein, Paulo; Monteiro, Simone

    2015-01-01

    HIV-infected children usually live in vulnerable situations, experiencing discrimination and stigma commonly felt by other people living with HIV/AIDS. The present study aims to analyse primary socialisation of HIV-infected children and adolescents recruited from a public health service in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) as a social process that shapes a new generation of stigmatised and vulnerable persons. Research was informed by an interactionist perspective, focusing on key aspects of HIV-infected children and adolescents life histories under the conceptual frame of Erving Goffman's theories regarding "moral careers". Goffman defines the making of a moral career as the process through which a person learns that she/he possesses a particular attribute, which may lead her/him to be discredited by members of the surrounding society. We have identified aspects of life histories of HIV-vertically infected children and adolescents for each aspect of "moral career" as described by Goffman, relating them to as family structure, the experience of living HIV within the family, and the position and family role of a given subject. The patterns of "moral career" proposed by Goffman in 1963 were useful in identifying components of HIV-related stigma among children and adolescents. These include gender and social disadvantages, difficulty in coping with a child with a potentially severe disease, orphanhood, abandonment, adoption and disclosure of one's HIV serostatus. Primary socialisation of HIV-infected children and adolescents is a key piece of the complex HIV/AIDS-labelling process that could be targeted by interventions aiming to decrease stigma and marginalisation. Health care workers and stakeholders should be committed to ensuring education and guaranteeing the legal rights of this specific population, including the continuous provision of quality health care, full access to school and support to full disclosure of HIV diagnosis.

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. HIV infection and hepatitis C virus genotype 1a are associated with phylogenetic clustering among people with recently acquired hepatitis C virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Sofia R; Jacka, Brendan; Bull, Rowena A; Luciani, Fabio; Matthews, Gail V; Lamoury, Francois M J; Hellard, Margaret E; Hajarizadeh, Behzad; Teutsch, Suzy; White, Bethany; Maher, Lisa; Dore, Gregory J; Lloyd, Andrew R; Grebely, Jason; Applegate, Tanya L

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with phylogenetic clustering among people with recently acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Participants with available sample at time of HCV detection were selected from three studies; the Australian Trial in Acute Hepatitis C, the Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission Study - Prison and Community. HCV RNA was extracted and Core to E2 region of HCV sequenced. Clusters were identified from maximum likelihood trees with 1000 bootstrap replicates using 90% bootstrap and 5% genetic distance threshold. Among 225 participants with available Core-E2 sequence (ATAHC, n=113; HITS-p, n=90; and HITS-c, n=22), HCV genotype prevalence was: G1a: 38% (n=86), G1b: 5% (n=12), G2a: 1% (n=2), G2b: 5% (n=11), G3a: 48% (n=109), G6a: 1% (n=2) and G6l 1% (n=3). Of participants included in phylogenetic trees, 22% of participants were in a pair/cluster (G1a-35%, 30/85, mean maximum genetic distance=0.031; G3a-11%, 12/106, mean maximum genetic distance=0.021; other genotypes-21%, 6/28, mean maximum genetic distance=0.023). Among HCV/HIV co-infected participants, 50% (18/36) were in a pair/cluster, compared to 16% (30/183) with HCV mono-infection (P=infection [vs. HCV mono-infection; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.24; 95%CI 1.91, 9.39], and HCV G1a infection (vs. other HCV genotypes; AOR 3.33, 95%CI 0.14, 0.61).HCV treatment and prevention strategies, including enhanced antiviral therapy, should be optimised. The impact of targeting of HCV treatment as prevention to populations with higher phylogenetic clustering, such as those with HIV co-infection, could be explored through mathematical modelling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  5. Perinatal phencyclidine administration decreases the density of cortical interneurons and increases the expression of neuregulin-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radonjić, Nevena V; Jakovcevski, Igor; Bumbaširević, Vladimir; Petronijević, Nataša D

    2013-06-01

    Perinatal phencyclidine (PCP) administration in rat blocks the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and causes symptoms reminiscent of schizophrenia in human. A growing body of evidence suggests that alterations in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneuron neurotransmission may be associated with schizophrenia. Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) is a trophic factor important for neurodevelopment, synaptic plasticity, and wiring of GABA circuits. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term effects of perinatal PCP administration on the projection and local circuit neurons and NRG-1 expression in the cortex and hippocampus. Rats were treated on postnatal day 2 (P2), P6, P9, and P12 with either PCP (10 mg/kg) or saline. Morphological studies and determination of NRG-1 expression were performed at P70. We demonstrate reduced densities of principal neurons in the CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) subregions of the hippocampus and a reduction of major interneuronal populations in all cortical and hippocampal regions studied in PCP-treated rats compared with controls. For the first time, we show the reduced density of reelin- and somatostatin-positive cells in the cortex and hippocampus of animals perinatally treated with PCP. Furthermore, an increase in the numbers of perisomatic inhibitory terminals around the principal cells was observed in the motor cortex and DG. We also show that perinatal PCP administration leads to an increased NRG-1 expression in the cortex and hippocampus. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that perinatal PCP administration increases NRG-1 expression and reduces the number of projecting and local circuit neurons, revealing complex consequences of NMDAR blockade.

  6. Persistence of hepatitis A virus antibodies after primary immunization and response to revaccination in children and adolescents with perinatal HIV exposure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouvêa, Aída de Fátima Thomé Barbosa; Pinto, Maria Isabel de Moraes; Miyamoto, Maristela; Machado, Daisy Maria; Pessoa, Silvana Duarte; do Carmo, Fabiana Bononi; Beltrão, Suênia Cordeiro de Vasconcelos; Succi, Regina Célia de Menezes

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess possible factors associated with the loss of antibodies to hepatitis A 7 years after the primary immunization in children of HIV-infected mothers and the response to revaccination in patients seronegative for hepatitis A. METHODS: Quantification of HAV antibodies by electrochemiluminescence was performed in 39 adolescents followed up at the Pediatric Aids Clinic of Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp): 29 HIV-infected (HIV group) (median age: 12.8 years) and 10 HIV-exposed but non-infected (ENI group) (median age: 13.4 years). All of them received two doses of HAV vaccine (Havrix(r)) in 2002. RESULTS: The median age at primary immunization (PI) was 5.4 years for HIV group and 6.5 years for ENI group. All children, from both groups, had antibodies to HAV >20 mIU/mL after PI. Seven years later, the ENI group showed a median concentration of antibodies = 253.5 mIU/mL, while the HIV group = 113.0 mIU/mL (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.085). All ENI group and 23/29 (79.3%) from HIV group mantained HAV antibodies 7 years after PI. The levels of hepatitis A antibodies in the primary vaccination were the only factor independently associated with maintaining these antibodies for 7 years. The group that lost HAV seropositivity was revaccinated and 83.3% (5/6) responded with antibodies >20 mUI/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The antibodies levels acquired in the primary vaccination in the HIV group were the main factor associated with antibodies loss after HAV immunization. PMID:25918013

  7. Structural investigation of HIV-1 nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: 2-Aryl-substituted benzimidazoles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziółkowska, Natasza E.; Michejda, Christopher J.; Bujacz, Grzegorz D.

    2009-11-01

    Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most destructive epidemics in history. Inhibitors of HIV enzymes are the main targets to develop drugs against that disease. Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors of HIV-1 (NNRTIs) are potentially effective and nontoxic. Structural studies provide information necessary to design more active compounds. The crystal structures of four NNRTI derivatives of 2-aryl-substituted N-benzyl-benzimidazole are presented here. Analysis of the geometrical parameters shows that the structures of the investigated inhibitors are rigid. The important geometrical parameter is the dihedral angle between the planes of the π-electron systems of the benzymidazole and benzyl moieties. The values of these dihedral angles are in a narrow range for all investigated inhibitors. There is no significant difference between the structure of the free inhibitor and the inhibitor in the complex with RT HIV-1. X-ray structures of the investigated inhibitors are a good basis for modeling enzyme-inhibitor interactions in rational drug design.

  8. Hyperthermia stimulates HIV-1 replication.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  9. 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

  10. Bacterial vaginosis and vaginal yeast, but not vaginal cleansing, increase HIV-1 acquisition in African women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van de Wijgert, Janneke H H M; Morrison, Charles S; Cornelisse, Peter G A; Munjoma, Marshall; Moncada, Jeanne; Awio, Peter; Wang, Jing; Van der Pol, Barbara; Chipato, Tsungai; Salata, Robert A; Padian, Nancy S

    2008-06-01

    To evaluate interrelationships between bacterial vaginosis (BV), vaginal yeast, vaginal practices (cleansing and drying/tightening), mucosal inflammation, and HIV acquisition. A multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study was conducted, enrolling 4531 HIV-negative women aged 18 to 35 years attending family planning clinics in Zimbabwe and Uganda. Participants were tested for HIV and reproductive tract infections and were interviewed about vaginal practices every 3 months for 15 to 24 months. BV was measured by Gram stain Nugent scoring, vaginal yeast by wet mount, and mucosal inflammation by white blood cells on Gram stain. HIV incidence was 4.12 and 1.53 per 100 woman-years of follow-up in Zimbabwe and Uganda, respectively (a total of 213 incident infections). Women with BV or vaginal yeast were more likely to acquire HIV, especially if the condition was present at the same visit as the new HIV infection and the visit preceding it (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68 to 3.72 and HR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.67 to 5.28 for BV and yeast, respectively). These relationships did not seem to be mediated by mucosal inflammation. Vaginal drying/tightening was associated with HIV acquisition in univariate (HR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.03 to 2.15) but not multivariate models. Vaginal cleansing was not associated with HIV acquisition. BV and yeast may contribute more to the HIV epidemic than previously thought.

  11. 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.

  12. HIV-1 genetic diversity and its distribution characteristics among newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals in Hebei province, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  13. Interplay of HIV-1 phenotype and neutralizing antibody response in pathogenesis of AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarlatti, G; Leitner, T; Hodara, V; Jansson, M; Karlsson, A; Wahlberg, J; Rossi, P; Uhlén, M; Fenyö, E M; Albert, J

    1996-06-01

    A majority of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals display a rapid loss of CD4+ lymphocytes with fast progression towards overt acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, a small proportion of individuals infected by HIV-1 remain immunologically intact for many years. In order to identify factors that might influence the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection, 21 Italian mothers and 11 Swedish homosexual men were studied for the presence of autologous neutralizing antibodies in serum, biological phenotype of virus isolates and envelope variable region 3 (V3) sequences. The results were compared to the risk of mother-to-child transmission and progression of the disease. The presence of a neutralizing antibody response to the autologous virus as well as a virus with slow replicative capacity were linked both to low risk of mother-to-child transmission and non-progression of the disease. Patients whose peripheral blood mononuclear cells contained a mutation in the tip of the V3 loop (Arg318 to serine, lysine or leucine) significantly more often had neutralizing antibodies to autologous virus isolates containing arginine at this position. Thus, it appears that the interplay and balance between neutralizing antibody response of the host and the biological phenotype of HIV-1 strongly influence pathogenesis.

  14. Perinatal death audits in a peri-urban hospital in Kampala, Uganda ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The perinatal mortality of 70 deaths per 1,000 total births in Uganda is unacceptably high. Perinatal death audits are important for improvement of perinatal care and reduction of perinatal morality. We integrated perinatal death audits in routine care, and describe its effect on perinatal mortality rate at Nsambya ...

  15. 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

  16. Gastrointestinal viral load and enteroendocrine cell number are associated with altered survival in HIV-1 infected individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guido van Marle

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infects and destroys cells of the immune system leading to an overt immune deficiency known as HIV acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS. The gut associated lymphoid tissue is one of the major lymphoid tissues targeted by HIV-1, and is considered a reservoir for HIV-1 replication and of major importance in CD4+ T-cell depletion. In addition to immunodeficiency, HIV-1 infection also directly causes gastrointestinal (GI dysfunction, also known as HIV enteropathy. This enteropathy can manifest itself as many pathological changes in the GI tract. The objective of this study was to determine the association of gut HIV-1 infection markers with long-term survival in a cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM enrolled pre-HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. We examined survival over 15-years in a cohort of 42 HIV-infected cases: In addition to CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 plasma viral load, multiple gut compartment (duodenum and colon biopsies were taken by endoscopy every 6 months during the initial 3-year period. HIV-1 was cultured from tissues and phenotyped and viral loads in the gut tissues were determined. Moreover, the tissues were subjected to an extensive assessment of enteroendocrine cell distribution and pathology. The collected data was used for survival analyses, which showed that patients with higher gut tissue viral load levels had a significantly worse survival prognosis. Moreover, lower numbers of serotonin (duodenum and somatostatin (duodenum and colon immunoreactive cell counts in the gut tissues of patients was associated with significant lower survival prognosis. Our study, suggested that HIV-1 pathogenesis and survival prognosis is associated with altered enteroendocrine cell numbers, which could point to a potential role for enteroendocrine function in HIV infection and pathogenesis.

  17. Pesquisa de anticorpos contra o sarampo em crianças infectadas pelo HIV, após a imunização básica Search of antimeasles antibodies in HIV-infected children after basic immunization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia R. Lindgren-Alves

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: verificar a presença de anticorpos contra o sarampo em crianças com infecção perinatal pelo HIV e devidamente imunizadas. MÉTODOS: estudo de coorte retrospectivo realizado em Belo Horizonte, entre 1995 e 1996. Foram incluídas 21 crianças com infecção perinatal pelo HIV e 29 crianças imunocompetentes não-infectadas. Informações acerca da vacina contra o sarampo foram obtidas do cartão de imunizações dos pacientes. A pesquisa de anticorpos contra o sarampo foi realizada pelos testes de neutralização por redução de placa e dosagem de IgM pela técnica de ELISA. Adotou-se nível de significância de 5% em todas as análises estatísticas realizadas. RESULTADOS: a mediana de idade dos pacientes infectados pelo HIV foi de 44,5 meses, e das crianças não-infectadas, de 62,0 meses (P=0,64.Os grupos receberam em média 2 doses da vacina contra o sarampo. Todos os pacientes soronegativos para o HIV apresentaram títulos de anticorpos contra o sarampo superiores a 50 mUI/ml, enquanto 57,1% das crianças infectadas apresentaram títulos acima deste valor (P=0,0001. O título geométrico médio de anticorpos neutralizantes foi significativamente menor no grupo de crianças com infecção pelo HIV (433,5 mUI/ml do que no grupo de não-infectados(1668,1 mUI/ml, P=0,001. Todos os pacientes dos dois grupos foram negativos para a pesquisa de IgM contra o sarampo. CONCLUSÃO: as crianças infectadas pelo HIV apresentaram menor soroprevalência de anticorpos contra o sarampo após a imunização do que as crianças não-infectadas. Esses resultados alertam para o risco potencial de aquisição do vírus do sarampo, e apontam a necessidade de avaliar alternativas para a imunização das crianças infectadas pelo HIV, no sentido de maximizar a proteção contra o sarampo nesse grupo de pacientes.OBJECTIVE: to determine the presence of antimeasles antibodies in children perinatally infected with HIV and properly immunized. METHODS: a

  18. INTRODUCTION The global HIV epidemic continues to expand with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    maybe potentially dangerous in low resource settings.6. Women infected with ... The HIV epidemic in children parallels that among women on account of perinatal ... unknown.14, 15 Immune suppression resulting from general anaesthetics ...

  19. 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

  20. Identifying HIV-1 dual infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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

  1. 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.

  2. HIV-1 Tat and AIDS-associated cancer: targeting the cellular anti-cancer barrier?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel René

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS is accompanied by a significant increase in the incidence of neoplasms. Several causative agents have been proposed for this phenomenon. These include immunodeficiency and oncogenic DNA viruses and the HIV-1 protein Tat. Cancer in general is closely linked to genomic instability and DNA repair mechanisms. The latter maintains genomic stability and serves as a cellular anti-cancer barrier. Defects in DNA repair pathway are associated with carcinogenesis. This review focuses on newly discovered connections of the HIV-1 protein Tat, as well as cellular co-factors of Tat, to double-strand break DNA repair. We propose that the Tat-induced DNA repair deficiencies may play a significant role in the development of AIDS-associated cancer.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Community-acquired pneumonia due to Staphylococcus cohnii in an HIV-infected patient: case report and review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastroianni, A; Coronado, O; Nanetti, A; Manfredi, R; Chiodo, F

    1995-10-01

    Coagulase-negative staphylococci recently have been implicated as a cause of serious infections in immunocompromised individuals. An unusual case of community-acquired pneumonia due to Staphylococcus cohnii in an HIV-infected drug user is described. Results of a study conducted to examine the prevalence of infection due to Staphylococcus cohnii strains and their antibiotic-sensitivity patterns show a low frequency but a high morbidity. These results and a brief review of the literature emphasize the importance of these organisms and other staphylococcal species as emerging opportunistic pathogens in patients with AIDS.

  6. Biochemistry and biophysics of HIV-1 gp41 - membrane interactions and implications for HIV-1 envelope protein mediated viral-cell fusion and fusion inhibitor design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Lifeng; Gochin, Miriam; Liu, Keliang

    2011-12-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the pathogen of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), causes ~2 millions death every year and still defies an effective vaccine. HIV-1 infects host cells through envelope protein - mediated virus-cell fusion. The transmembrane subunit of envelope protein, gp41, is the molecular machinery which facilitates fusion. Its ectodomain contains several distinguishing functional domains, fusion peptide (FP), Nterminal heptad repeat (NHR), C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) and membrane proximal extracellular region (MPER). During the fusion process, FP inserts into the host cell membrane, and an extended gp41 prehairpin conformation bridges the viral and cell membranes through MPER and FP respectively. Subsequent conformational change of the unstable prehairpin results in a coiled-coil 6-helix bundle (6HB) structure formed between NHR and CHR. The energetics of 6HB formation drives membrane apposition and fusion. Drugs targeting gp41 functional domains to prevent 6HB formation inhibit HIV-1 infection. T20 (enfuvirtide, Fuzeon) was approved by the US FDA in 2003 as the first fusion inhibitor. It is a 36-residue peptide from the gp41 CHR, and it inhibits 6HB formation by targeting NHR and lipids. Development of new fusion inhibitors, especially small molecule drugs, is encouraged to overcome the shortcomings of T20 as a peptide drug. Hydrophobic characteristics and membrane association are critical for gp41 function and mechanism of action. Research in gp41-membrane interactions, using peptides corresponding to specific functional domains, or constructs including several interactive domains, are reviewed here to get a better understanding of gp41 mediated virus-cell fusion that can inform or guide the design of new HIV-1 fusion inhibitors.

  7. Introduction and immunopathogenesis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudharshan S

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available India has a large number of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS, the third largest population of this group in the world. This disease was first described in patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia in 1981. Ocular lesions can occur at any stage of the disease but are more commonly seen at the late stages. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the causative agent of AIDS is a retrovirus with RNA genome and a unique ′Reverse transcriptase enzyme′ and is of two types, HIV-1 and 2. Most human diseases are caused by HIV-1. The HIV-1 subtypes prevalent in India are A, B and C. They act predominantly by reducing the CD4+ cells and thus the patient becomes susceptible to opportunistic infections. High viral titers in the peripheral blood during primary infection lead to decrease in the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Onset of HIV-1-specific cellular immune response with synthesis of HIV-1 specific antibodies leads to the decline of plasma viral load and chronification of HIV-1 infection. However, the asymptomatic stage of infection may lead to persistent viral replication and a rapid turnover of plasma virions which is the clinical latency. During this period, there is further decrease in the CD4+ counts which makes the patient′s immune system incapable of controlling opportunistic pathogens and thus life-threatening AIDS-defining diseases emerge. Advent of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART has revolutionized the management of AIDS though there is associated increased development of immune recovery uveitis in a few of these patients.

  8. Perinatal Mortality Among Twins In Lagos University Teaching ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Perinatal mortality rate is reported to be higher in twins than in singletons. More than two decades ago, Abudu and Agarin reported a twinning rate of 21.1/1000 maternities and perinatal mortality rate of 142.6/1000 among twins in Lagos. Objective: To determine the current perinatal mortality rate and risk factors ...

  9. Maraviroc: perspectives for use in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandekerckhove, Linos; Verhofstede, Chris; Vogelaers, Dirk

    2009-06-01

    Maraviroc (Pfizer's UK-427857, Selzentry or Celsentri outside the USA) is the first agent in the new class of oral HIV-1 entry inhibitors to acquire approval by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicine Agency. Considering the mechanism of action, it is expected that this drug will be effective only in a subpopulation of HIV-1-infected people, namely those harbouring the R5 virus. The favourable toxicity profile of the drug has been demonstrated in Phase III clinical trials in treatment-naive (MERIT) and treatment-experienced (MOTIVATE) patients. In the latter population, maraviroc showed a superior antiviral efficacy and immunological activity compared with optimized backbone therapy + placebo. However, in MERIT, a prospective double-blind, randomized trial in treatment-naive patients, maraviroc + zidovudine/lamivudine failed to prove non-inferiority to efavirenz + zidovudine/lamivudine as standard of care regimen in the 48 week intention-to-treat analysis. Using an assay with higher sensitivity for minority CXCR4-using (X4) HIV variants (the enhanced Trofile assay-Monogram), non-inferiority was reached for the maraviroc- versus efavirenz-based combination. These data indicate the important impact of the sensitivity of tropism testing on treatment outcome of maraviroc-containing regimens. This paper discusses both the prospective and retrospective analyses of the MERIT data and highlights the impact of these results on daily practice in HIV care.

  10. [Persistence of hepatitis A virus antibodies after primary immunization and response to revaccination in children and adolescents with perinatal HIV exposure].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouvêa, Aída de Fátima Thomé Barbosa; Pinto, Maria Isabel de Moraes; Miyamoto, Maristela; Machado, Daisy Maria; Pessoa, Silvana Duarte; Carmo, Fabiana Bononi do; Beltrão, Suênia Cordeiro de Vasconcelos; Succi, Regina Célia de Menezes

    2015-01-01

    To assess possible factors associated with the loss of antibodies to hepatitis A 7 years after the primary immunization in children of HIV-infected mothers and the response to revaccination in patients seronegative for hepatitis A. Quantification of HAV antibodies by electrochemiluminescence was performed in 39 adolescents followed up at the Pediatric Aids Clinic of Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp): 29 HIV-infected (HIVgroup) (median age: 12.8 years) and 10 HIV-exposed but non-infected (ENI group) (median age: 13.4 years). All of them received two doses of HAV vaccine (Havrix(®)) in 2002. The median age at primary immunization (PI) was 5.4 years for HIV group and 6.5 years for ENI group. All children, from both groups, had antibodies to HAV >20 mIU/mL after PI. Seven years later, the ENI group showed a median concentration of antibodies = 253.5 mIU/mL, while the HIV group = 113.0 mIU/mL (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.085). All ENI group and 23/29 (79.3%) from HIV group mantained HAV antibodies 7 years after PI. The levels of hepatitis A antibodies in the primary vaccination were the only factor independently associated with maintaining these antibodies for 7 years. The group that lost HAV seropositivity was revaccinated and 83.3% (5/6) responded with antibodies >20 mUI/mL. The antibodies levels acquired in the primary vaccination in the HIV group were the main factor associated with antibodies loss after HAV immunization. Copyright © 2015 Associação de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  11. PrEP Whores and HIV Prevention: The Queer Communication of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spieldenner, Andrew

    2016-12-01

    HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been introduced as another biomedical tool in HIV prevention. Whereas other such tools-including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and interruption of perinatal transmission-have been embraced by those impacted by HIV, PrEP has been met with more conflict, especially within the gay community and HIV organizations. The "PrEP whore" has come to designate the social value and personal practices of those taking PrEP. This study examines the "PrEP whore" discourse by using queer theory and quare theory. Within these theoretical vantage points, the study explicates four discursive areas: slut shaming, dirty/clean binaries, mourning the loss of condoms, and reclaiming the inner whore. The study illuminates possible discursive strategies that lie outside of the domains of public health and within the individual and community.

  12. 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.

  13. 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

  14. 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.

  15. Association between Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex phylogenetic lineage and acquired drug resistance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Courtney M Yuen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Development of resistance to antituberculosis drugs during treatment (i.e., acquired resistance can lead to emergence of resistant strains and consequent poor clinical outcomes. However, it is unknown whether Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex species and lineage affects the likelihood of acquired resistance. METHODS: We analyzed data from the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and National Tuberculosis Genotyping Service for tuberculosis cases during 2004-2011 with assigned species and lineage and both initial and final drug susceptibility test results. We determined univariate associations between species and lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria and acquired resistance to isoniazid, rifamycins, fluoroquinolones, and second-line injectables. We used Poisson regression with backward elimination to generate multivariable models for acquired resistance to isoniazid and rifamycins. RESULTS: M. bovis was independently associated with acquired resistance to isoniazid (adjusted prevalence ratio = 8.46, 95% CI 2.96-24.14 adjusting for HIV status, and with acquired resistance to rifamycins (adjusted prevalence ratio = 4.53, 95% CI 1.29-15.90 adjusting for homelessness, HIV status, initial resistance to isoniazid, site of disease, and administration of therapy. East Asian lineage was associated with acquired resistance to fluoroquinolones (prevalence ratio = 6.10, 95% CI 1.56-23.83. CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between mycobacterial species and lineage and acquired drug resistance using U.S. surveillance data. Prospective clinical studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings, including whether rapid genotyping of isolates at the outset of treatment may benefit patient management.

  16. Australia's role in HIV prevention in the developing world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, D A

    1995-12-01

    A scientist with the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, addresses the fact that Australians working in the area of HIV infection have been very successful in prevention, treatment, and care. In the early 1980s, a bipartisan political decision was made to foster an effective partnership between HIV-infected communities, health care providers, and governments. HIV-infected communities included sex workers, prisoners, Aboriginal people, and high profile gay community activists. These three different groups succeeded in forming such a partnership, as reflected in the fact that the annual number of new HIV cases is down to 500 from a peak of 3000 in 1984. A key method used to contain HIV infection was needle-and-syringe exchange programs and continuing access to needles to prevent HIV transmission in the injecting drug community. Even though Australia has all this experience and success, it had a backseat role in ushering in the UNAIDS program because Australia did not contribute a significant share of the agency's relatively small budget (US$100 million/year). If Australia were to give just 10%, it would acquire a front row seat along with the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, France, and the UK. These nations have the greatest say as to where UNAIDS funds go. The Australian international aid organization has recently received an increase in funds, $110 million for 4 years to spend on four areas, one of which is HIV/AIDS. Australia has just allocated $25 million for a 5-year program for HIV/STD (sexually transmitted disease) prevention in Indonesia. This money would have been able to buy Australia a leading role in UNAIDS. Australians need to reassess their priorities. Australians can help their neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region move away from their denial of HIV to HIV prevention and care. They can conduct clinical trials of shorter and more user-friendly regimens of antiviral drugs that

  17. HIV/AIDS and Alcohol

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Psychiatric Disorders Other Substance Abuse HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets the body’s immune ... and often leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The U.S. CDC reported that in 2015, 39, ...

  18. Venues for Meeting Sex Partners and Partner HIV Risk Characteristics: HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN064) Women's HIV Seroincidence Study (ISIS)

    OpenAIRE

    Isler, M. Roman; Golin, C.; Wang, J.; Hughes, J.; Justman, J.; Haley, D.; Kuo, I.; Adimora, A.; Chege, W.; Hodder, S.

    2016-01-01

    Identifying venues where women meet sexual partners, particular partners who increase women's risk of acquiring HIV, could inform prevention efforts. We categorized venues where women enrolled in HPTN 064 reported meeting their last three sex partners as: (1) Formal, (2) Public, (3) Private, and (4) Virtual spaces. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the association between these venues and women's individual characteristics and reports of their partners' HIV risk characteristic...

  19. TJOG Vol 26 No 1.cdr

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Perinatal Outcomes of Rural Population of South Africa. 1. 2. 3. 4. Monjurul ..... population such as poverty and high rate of HIV. 25 infection. ... Low birth weight delivery rates though remained antenatal ... World Health Organization. Health and ...

  20. 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.

  1. Conspiracy Beliefs and Knowledge About HIV Origins Among Adolescents in Soweto, South Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Hogg, Robert; Nkala, Busisiwe; Dietrich, Janan; Collins, Alexandra; Closson, Kalysha; Cui, Zishan; Kanters, Steve; Chia, Jason; Barhafuma, Bernard; Palmer, Alexis; Kaida, Angela; Gray, Glenda; Miller, Cari

    2017-01-01

    Purpose We examined adolescents? knowledge regarding the origin of HIV/AIDS and correlates of beliefs surrounding conspiracy theories in Soweto, South Africa. Now, a decade post-AIDS denialism, South Africa has the largest antiretroviral therapy roll-out worldwide. However, conspiracy theories stemming from past AIDS denialism may impact HIV prevention and treatment efforts. Methods Study participants were recruited through the Kganya Motsha Adolescent Health Centre and the Perinatal HIV Rese...

  2. Cytoplasmic Dynein Promotes HIV-1 Uncoating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  3. Living with HIV/AIDS

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... destroying the white blood cells that fight infection. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final stage of infection with HIV. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS. Infection with HIV is serious. But thanks to ...

  4. Lack of detection of XMRV in seminal plasma from HIV-1 infected men in The Netherlands.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marion Cornelissen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus (XMRV is a recently discovered human gammaretrovirus with yet unknown prevalence and transmission route(s. Its presence in prostate stromal fibroblasts and prostatic secretions suggests that XMRV might be sexually transmitted. We chose to study a compartment closely connected to the prostate, a location where XMRV was detected in independent studies. Seminal plasma samples from HIV-1 infected men were examined as they have an increased probability of acquiring sexually transmitted pathogens. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied the prevalence of XMRV in 93 seminal plasma samples of 54 HIV-1 infected men living in The Netherlands with a nested PCR amplification specifically targeting the XMRV gag gene. As a control for the presence and integrity of retrovirus particles, HIV-1 was amplified from the same samples with a PCR amplification targeting the env gene of the virus, or HIV-1 was quantified with a real-time PCR amplifying part of the pol gene. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although HIV-1 was amplified from 25% of the seminal plasma samples, no XMRV was detected, suggesting that either the prevalence of XMRV is very low in The Netherlands, or that XMRV is not naturally present in the seminal plasma.

  5. Recognition of HIV-1 peptides by host CTL is related to HIV-1 similarity to human proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  6. No evidence of association between HIV-1 and malaria in populations with low HIV-1 prevalence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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

  7. [Can implementation of intensified perinatal survey be effective in improving the quality of perinatal care?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troszyński, Michał

    2010-01-01

    obligatory to conduct medical audit which is a form of specialistic supervision. It is probable that higher number of stillbirths and premature births may be caused by late start of perinatal care in pregnancy. In primary health care, insufficient objective parameters are investigated which lead to assessment of the quality of perinatal care. Correct filling up of the pregnancy chart could improve the quality of the management of prophylactic procedures leading to a fall in the number of premature births and stillbirths. This would also lead to a reduction of costs associated with life saving procedures and improving the quality of life in newborns with low and extremly low birth weight. 1. The survey of fetal and newborn perinatal mortality of fetuses and newborn should be the base for elaborating the perinatal care programme as well as the main source of data for medical audit. This is the instrument for evaluation of the three level perinatal care. It also serves to assess the effectivness of diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations and the programme of active prevention. 2. In order to obtain effectivness in functioning of the three step perinatal care within the framework of the National Health Programme the following steps are needed: - urgent elaboration of new or improved medical documentation which will become obligatory, - implementation of educational programmes and training of teachers. 3. Implementation of medical audit, carried out periodically at all three levels of perinatal care.

  8. Prevention of mother to child HIV transmission Prevención de la transmisión perinatal de HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana S. Duran

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available We describe the impact of strategies to reduce HIV-1 vertical transmission on a cohort of pregnant women and evaluate toxicity related to antiretroviral (ARV therapy and prevalence of birth defects. In this observational, retrospective, longitudinal and descriptive study, we have reviewed the data base and clinical charts from a cohort of 351 pregnant women with HIV infection admitted to a public hospital in Buenos Aires from April 1994 to August 2003. Eighty percent of women were infected by sexual transmission. Diagnosis of HIV infection was performed before pregnancy in 38.5% of cases; 241 patients received some kind of ARV therapy, combined therapy was administered in 123 of cases. The overall transmission rate was 9.6%, and antiretroviral therapy was the most significant factor associated with the transmission rate. HIV transmission odds were 0.04 for any ARV treatment versus no therapy. No cases of HIV transmission were observed among women given combination ARV therapy. More prevalent secondary effects associated to ARV therapy were anemia, hypercholesterolemia, increase of ALP and hypertrigliceridemia. In conclusion, antiretroviral therapy, particularly combined ARV therapy, irrespective of type of delivery, was associated with a reduced risk of HIV transmission without an increase in toxicity or incidence of congenital abnormalities in the short-term.En este estudio se describe el impacto de las estrategias implementadas para reducir la trasmisión vertical de HIV en una cohorte de mujeres embarazadas. Se evaluó, también, la toxicidad relacionada a la terapia antirretroviral y la prevalencia de malformaciones congénitas. Se revisaron, retrospectivamente, las historias clínicas y la base de datos de 351 mujeres embarazadas, con infección por HIV, admitidas en un hospital público de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, entre abril de 1994 y agosto de 2003. Se obtuvieron datos completos de 351 pacientes. El 80% de las mujeres adquirieron la

  9. Preventing perinatal HIV transmission in developing countries - do ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Survivors of Violence, reports that in 1995, 16.2% of HIV- positive people were reported to be .... very late in pregnancy, too late to receive the ACTG 076 regimen.3. 2. .... pharmaceutical companies and global institutional programmes such as ...

  10. 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.

  11. Human CNS cultures exposed to HIV-1 gp120 reproduce dendritic injuries of HIV-1-associated dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  12. 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.

  13. Perinatal Health Statistics as the Basis for Perinatal Quality Assessment in Croatia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodin, Urelija; Filipović-Grčić, Boris; Đelmiš, Josip; Glivetić, Tatjana; Juras, Josip; Mustapić, Željka; Grizelj, Ruža

    2015-01-01

    Context. Perinatal mortality indicators are considered the most important measures of perinatal outcome. The indicators reliability depends on births and deaths reporting and recording. Many publications focus on perinatal deaths underreporting and misclassification, disabling proper international comparisons. Objective. Description of perinatal health care quality assessment key indicators in Croatia. Methods. Retrospective review of reports from all maternities from 2001 to 2014. Results. According to reporting criteria for birth weight ≥500 g, perinatal mortality (PNM) was reduced by 31%, fetal mortality (FM) by 32%, and early neonatal mortality (ENM) by 29%. According to reporting criteria for ≥1000 g, PNM was reduced by 43%, FM by 36%, and ENM by 54%. PNM in ≥22 weeks' (wks) gestational age (GA) was reduced by 28%, FM by 30%, and ENM by 26%. The proportion of FM at 32–36 wks GA and at term was the highest between all GA subgroups, as opposed to ENM with the highest proportion in 22–27 wks GA. Through the period, the maternal mortality ratio varied from 2.4 to 14.3/100,000 live births. The process indicators have been increased in number by more than half since 2001, the caesarean deliveries from 11.9% in 2001 to 19.6% in 2014. Conclusions. The comprehensive perinatal health monitoring represents the basis for the perinatal quality assessment. PMID:26693484

  14. Perinatal Health Statistics as the Basis for Perinatal Quality Assessment in Croatia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urelija Rodin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Context. Perinatal mortality indicators are considered the most important measures of perinatal outcome. The indicators reliability depends on births and deaths reporting and recording. Many publications focus on perinatal deaths underreporting and misclassification, disabling proper international comparisons. Objective. Description of perinatal health care quality assessment key indicators in Croatia. Methods. Retrospective review of reports from all maternities from 2001 to 2014. Results. According to reporting criteria for birth weight ≥500 g, perinatal mortality (PNM was reduced by 31%, fetal mortality (FM by 32%, and early neonatal mortality (ENM by 29%. According to reporting criteria for ≥1000 g, PNM was reduced by 43%, FM by 36%, and ENM by 54%. PNM in ≥22 weeks’ (wks gestational age (GA was reduced by 28%, FM by 30%, and ENM by 26%. The proportion of FM at 32–36 wks GA and at term was the highest between all GA subgroups, as opposed to ENM with the highest proportion in 22–27 wks GA. Through the period, the maternal mortality ratio varied from 2.4 to 14.3/100,000 live births. The process indicators have been increased in number by more than half since 2001, the caesarean deliveries from 11.9% in 2001 to 19.6% in 2014. Conclusions. The comprehensive perinatal health monitoring represents the basis for the perinatal quality assessment.

  15. The anti-HIV-1 effect of scutellarin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Gaohong; Wang Qian; Chen Jijun; Zhang Xuemei; Tam, S.-C.; Zheng Yongtang

    2005-01-01

    Scutellarin was purified from the plant Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz. The activity against 3 strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was determined in vitro in this study. These were laboratory-derived virus (HIV-1 IIIB ), drug-resistant virus (HIV-1 74V ), and low-passage clinical isolated virus (HIV-1 KM018 ). From syncytia inhibition study, the EC 50 of scutellarin against HIV-1 IIIB direct infection in C8166 cells was 26 μM with a therapeutic index of 36. When the mode of infection changed from acute infection to cell-to-cell infection, this compound became even more potent and the EC 50 reduced to 15 μM. This suggested that cell fusion might be affected by this compound. By comparing the inhibitory effects on p24 antigen, scutellarin was also found to be active against HIV-1 74V (EC 50 253 μM) and HIV-1 KM018 (EC 50 136 μM) infection with significant difference in potency. The mechanism of its action was also explored in this study. At a concentration of 433 μM, scutellarin inhibited 48% of the cell free recombinant HIV-1 RT activity. It also caused 82% inhibition of HIV-1 particle attachment and 45% inhibition of fusion at the concentrations of 54 μM. In summary, scutellarin was found to inhibit several strains of HIV-1 replication with different potencies. It appeared to inhibit HIV-1 RT activity, HIV-1 particle attachment and cell fusion. These are essential activities for viral transmission and replication

  16. Psychosocial challenges and strategies for coping with HIV among adolescents in Uganda: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutumba, Massy; Bauermeister, José A; Musiime, Victor; Byaruhanga, Judith; Francis, Kiweewa; Snow, Rachel C; Tsai, Alexander C

    2015-02-01

    Although more than 90% of youth perinatally infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about the psychosocial factors that impact their wellbeing, or how these youth cope with these challenges. The purpose of this study was to identify the psychosocial challenges and coping strategies among perinatal HIV-infected adolescents in Uganda. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 38 HIV-infected adolescents aged 12-19 years at a large HIV treatment center in Kampala. Data were analyzed thematically to identify themes and domains related to stressors and specific coping strategies. Psychosocial challenges included stigma/discrimination, relationship challenges such as HIV status disclosure, and medication difficulties. Coping strategies included medication adherence, concealment or limited disclosure of HIV status, treatment optimism, social support, rationalizing, social comparison, spirituality/religiosity, avoidance, and distraction. Age and gender differences also emerged: younger participants generally lacked specific coping strategies; compared to females, male adolescents reported greater use of avoidance/distraction techniques. Findings underscore the need to address stigma within homes and schools, and to equip adolescents with the comprehensive knowledge and skills to address their varied challenges.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  18. Viral linkage in HIV-1 seroconverters and their partners in an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary S Campbell

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Characterization of viruses in HIV-1 transmission pairs will help identify biological determinants of infectiousness and evaluate candidate interventions to reduce transmission. Although HIV-1 sequencing is frequently used to substantiate linkage between newly HIV-1 infected individuals and their sexual partners in epidemiologic and forensic studies, viral sequencing is seldom applied in HIV-1 prevention trials. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT00194519 was a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial that enrolled serodiscordant heterosexual couples to determine the efficacy of genital herpes suppression in reducing HIV-1 transmission; as part of the study analysis, HIV-1 sequences were examined for genetic linkage between seroconverters and their enrolled partners.We obtained partial consensus HIV-1 env and gag sequences from blood plasma for 151 transmission pairs and performed deep sequencing of env in some cases. We analyzed sequences with phylogenetic techniques and developed a Bayesian algorithm to evaluate the probability of linkage. For linkage, we required monophyletic clustering between enrolled partners' sequences and a Bayesian posterior probability of ≥ 50%. Adjudicators classified each seroconversion, finding 108 (71.5% linked, 40 (26.5% unlinked, and 3 (2.0% indeterminate transmissions, with linkage determined by consensus env sequencing in 91 (84%. Male seroconverters had a higher frequency of unlinked transmissions than female seroconverters. The likelihood of transmission from the enrolled partner was related to time on study, with increasing numbers of unlinked transmissions occurring after longer observation periods. Finally, baseline viral load was found to be significantly higher among linked transmitters.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

  19. Structural Determinants of Antiretroviral Therapy Use, HIV Care Attendance, and Viral Suppression among Adolescents and Young Adults Living with HIV.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shoshana Y Kahana

    Full Text Available The authors examined associations between structural characteristics and HIV disease management among a geographically diverse sample of behaviorally and perinatally HIV-infected adolescents and young adults in the United States.The sample included 1891 adolescents and young adults living with HIV (27.8% perinatally infected; 72.2% behaviorally infected who were linked to care through 20 Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions Units. All completed audio computer-assisted self-interview surveys. Chart abstraction or blood draw provided viral load data. Geographic-level variables were extracted from the United States Census Bureau (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, percent of Black and Latino households, percent rural and Esri Crime (e.g., global crime index databases as Zip Code Tabulation Areas. AIDSVu data (e.g., prevalence of HIV among youth were extracted at the county-level. Using HLM v.7, the authors conducted means-as-outcomes random effects multi-level models to examine the association between structural-level and individual-level factors and (1 being on antiretroviral therapy (ART currently; (2 being on ART for at least 6 months; (3 missed HIV care appointments (not having missed any vs. having missed one or more appointments over the past 12 months; and (4 viral suppression (defined by the corresponding assay cutoff for the lower limit of viral load at each participating site which denoted nondetectability vs. detectability.Frequencies for the 4 primary outcomes were as follows: current ART use (n = 1120, 59.23%; ART use for ≥6 months (n = 861, 45.53%; at least one missed HIV care appointment (n = 936, 49.50; and viral suppression (n = 577, 30.51%. After adjusting for individual-level factors, youth living in more disadvantaged areas (defined by a composite score derived from 2010 Census indicators including percent poverty, percent receiving public assistance, percent of female, single-headed households, percent

  20. High prevalence of HIV-1 CRF01_AE viruses among female commercial sex workers residing in Surabaya, Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotaki, Tomohiro; Khairunisa, Siti Qamariyah; Sukartiningrum, Septhia Dwi; Arfijanto, M Vitanata; Utsumi, Takako; Normalina, Irine; Handajani, Retno; Widiyanti, Prihartini; Rusli, Musofa; Rahayu, Retno Pudji; Lusida, Maria Inge; Hayashi, Yoshitake; Nasronudin; Kameoka, Masanori

    2013-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cause serious health problems and have an impact on the Indonesian economy. In addition, the rapid epidemic growth of HIV is continuing in Indonesia. Commercial sex plays a significant role in the spread of HIV; therefore, in order to reveal the current HIV prevalence rate among commercial sex workers (CSWs), we conducted an epidemiological study on HIV infection among CSWs residing in Surabaya, the capital of East Java province of Indonesia with large communities of CSWs. The prevalence of HIV infection among 200 CSWs was studied. In addition, the subtype of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) and the prevalence of other blood-borne viruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and GB virus C (GBV-C), were studied. The prevalence rates of HIV, hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV antibodies and anti-GBV-C antibodies were 11%, 64%, 4%, 0.5% and 0% among CSWs involved in this study, respectively. HIV-1 CRF01_AE viral gene fragments were detected in most HIV-positive samples. In addition, most CSWs showed low awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and had unprotected sex with their clients. The HIV prevalence rate among CSWs was significantly higher than that among the general population in Indonesia (0.2-0.4%). In addition, CSWs were at a high risk of exposure to HBV, although chronic HBV infection was less frequently established. Our results suggest the necessity of efficient prevention programs for HIV and other blood-borne viral infections among CSWs in Surabaya, Indonesia.

  1. [Prevalence of congenital and perinatal infection in HIV positive pregnant in Belo Horizonte metropolitan region].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maia, Marcelle Marie Martins; Lage, Eura Martins; Moreira, Bárbara Cecília Borges; Deus, Elayne Alayne Braga de; Faria, Joanna Gonçalves; Pinto, Jorge Andrade; Melo, Victor Hugo

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B&C and syphilis (Torchs) in a cohort pregnant women and to identify the sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory factors. A total of 1,573 HIV-infected pregnant women from a Brazilian metropolitan region were studied between 1998 and 2013. The results of serological tests were available for 704 (44.8%) pregnant women. Pregnant women were considered to be Torchs positive (Gtp) when they had positive results for at least one of these infections, and to be Torchs negative (Gtn) when they had negative results for all of them. Maternal covariables were: age, marital status, educational level, time and mode of infection, CD4 lymphocyte count, viral load at delivery, and use of antiretroviral therapy (ARV). Neonatal covariables were: HIV infection, prematurity, low birth weight, neonatal complications, abortion and neonatal death. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were used to quantify the association between maternal and neonatal variables and the presence of Torchs. Among 704 pregnant women, 70 (9.9%; 95%CI 7.8-12.4) had positive serological tests for any Torchs factor. The individual prevalence rates were: 1.5% (10/685) for toxoplasmosis; 1.3% (8/618) for rubella; 1.3% (8/597) for cytomegalovirus; 0.9% (6/653) for hepatitis B and 3.7% (20/545) for hepatitis C; and 3.8% (25/664) for syphilis. The HIV Vertical HIV transmission was 4.6% among Gtp pregnant women and 1.2% among Gtn women. Antiretroviral therapy (ARV), vertical transmission, low birth weight and neonatal complications were significantly associated with Torchs positivity in univariate analysis. The Torchs prevalence found in the study was high for some infections. These findings emphasize the need to promote serological Torchs screening for all pregnant women, especially HIV-infected women, so that an early diagnosis can be made and treatment interventions can be implemented to prevent vertical HIV transmission.

  2. Factors Associated with Pregnant Women’s Anticipations and Experiences of HIV-related Stigma in Rural Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuca, Yvette P.; Onono, Maricianah; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Turan, Janet M.

    2012-01-01

    Pregnant women who fear or experience HIV-related stigma may not get care for their own health or medications to reduce perinatal transmission of HIV. This study examined factors associated with anticipating and experiencing HIV-related stigma among 1,777 pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in rural Kenya. Women were interviewed at baseline, offered HIV testing and care, and a sub-set was re-interviewed at 4–8 weeks postpartum. Women who were older, had less education, whose husbands had other wives, and who perceived community discrimination against people with HIV had significantly greater adjusted odds of anticipating HIV stigma. Over half of the HIV-positive women interviewed postpartum reported having experienced stigma, much of which was self-stigma. Women experiencing minor depression, and those whose family knew of their HIV status had significantly greater adjusted odds of experiencing stigma. Lack of women’s empowerment, as well as depression, may be important risk factors for HIV-related stigma and discrimination. PMID:22799618

  3. 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.

  4. Utilization of free dental health care services provided to the perinatally infected human immunodeficiency virus children in Bangalore: Longitudinal study

    OpenAIRE

    Beena Javaregowda Parvathy

    2014-01-01

    Background: Use of Highly active anti-retroviral therapy have increased the life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients and hence it is imperative that all efforts have to be made by Pediatric dentists to provide a better oral health for these children. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of utilization of free dental treatment provided to these perinatally infected HIV positive children who were previously screened as a part of oral health survey. ...

  5. Prevalence of depressive symptoms in pregnant and postnatal HIV-positive women in Ukraine: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Heather; Malyuta, Ruslan; Semenenko, Igor; Townsend, Claire L; Cortina-Borja, Mario; Thorne, Claire

    2016-03-22

    Perinatal depression among HIV-positive women has negative implications for HIV-related and other maternal and infant outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the burden and correlates of perinatal depression among HIV-positive women in Ukraine, a lower middle income country with one of the largest HIV-positive populations in Europe. Cross-sectional surveys nested within the Ukraine European Collaborative Study were conducted of HIV-positive women at delivery and between 1 and 12 months postpartum. Depressive symptoms in the previous month were assessed using a self-report screening tool. Other data collected included demographics, antiretroviral therapy (ART)-related self-efficacy, and perceptions of risks/benefits of interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Characteristics of women with and without a positive depression screening test result were compared using Fisher's exact test and χ2 test for categorical variables. A quarter (27% (49/180) antenatally and 25% (57/228) postnatally) of participants screened positive for depressive symptoms. Antenatal risk factors were living alone (58% (7/12) vs. 25% (42/167) p = 0.02), being somewhat/terribly bothered by ART side effects (40% (17/43) vs. 23% (30/129) not /only slightly bothered, p = 0.05) and having lower ART-related self-efficacy (43% (12/28) vs. 23% (25/110) with higher self-efficacy, p = 0.05). Postnatally, single mothers were more likely to screen positive (44% (20/45) vs. 21% (18/84) of cohabiting and 19% (19/99) of married women, p symptoms, 82% (37/45) postnatally but only 31% (12/39) antenatally were already accessing peer counselling, treatment adherence programmes, support groups or social services. A quarter of women screened positive for depression. Results highlight the need for proactive strategies to identify depressive symptoms, and an unmet need for provision of mental health support in the perinatal period for HIV-positive women in Ukraine.

  6. MRI of perinatal brain injury

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rutherford, Mary; Allsop, Joanna [Imperial College, Robert Steiner MR Unit, Perinatal Imaging, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Martinez Biarge, Miriam [La Paz University Hospital, Dept of Neonatology, Madrid (Spain); Counsell, Serena [Imperial College, Robert Steiner MR Unit, Neonatal Medicine, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Cowan, Frances [Imperial College, Dept of Paediatrics, Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom)

    2010-06-15

    MRI is invaluable in assessing the neonatal brain following suspected perinatal injury. Good quality imaging requires adaptations to both the hardware and the sequences used for adults or older children. The perinatal and postnatal details often predict the pattern of lesions sustained and should be available to aid interpretation of the imaging findings. Perinatal lesions, the pattern of which can predict neurodevelopmental outcome, are at their most obvious on conventional imaging between 1 and 2 weeks from birth. Very early imaging during the first week may be useful to make management decisions in ventilated neonates but brain abnormalities may still be subtle using conventional sequences. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is very useful for the early identification of ischaemic tissue in the neonatal brain but may underestimate the final extent of injury, particularly basal ganglia and thalamic lesions. MR imaging is an excellent predictor of outcome following perinatal brain injury and can therefore be used as a biomarker in interventional trials designed to reduce injury and improve neurodevelopmental outcome. (orig.)

  7. MRI of perinatal brain injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rutherford, Mary; Allsop, Joanna; Martinez Biarge, Miriam; Counsell, Serena; Cowan, Frances

    2010-01-01

    MRI is invaluable in assessing the neonatal brain following suspected perinatal injury. Good quality imaging requires adaptations to both the hardware and the sequences used for adults or older children. The perinatal and postnatal details often predict the pattern of lesions sustained and should be available to aid interpretation of the imaging findings. Perinatal lesions, the pattern of which can predict neurodevelopmental outcome, are at their most obvious on conventional imaging between 1 and 2 weeks from birth. Very early imaging during the first week may be useful to make management decisions in ventilated neonates but brain abnormalities may still be subtle using conventional sequences. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is very useful for the early identification of ischaemic tissue in the neonatal brain but may underestimate the final extent of injury, particularly basal ganglia and thalamic lesions. MR imaging is an excellent predictor of outcome following perinatal brain injury and can therefore be used as a biomarker in interventional trials designed to reduce injury and improve neurodevelopmental outcome. (orig.)

  8. 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

  9. A novel intravaginal ring to prevent HIV-1, HSV-2, HPV, and unintended pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ugaonkar, Shweta R; Wesenberg, Asa; Wilk, Jolanta; Seidor, Samantha; Mizenina, Olga; Kizima, Larisa; Rodriguez, Aixa; Zhang, Shimin; Levendosky, Keith; Kenney, Jessica; Aravantinou, Meropi; Derby, Nina; Grasperge, Brooke; Gettie, Agegnehu; Blanchard, James; Kumar, Narender; Roberts, Kevin; Robbiani, Melissa; Fernández-Romero, José A; Zydowsky, Thomas M

    2015-09-10

    Women urgently need a self-initiated, multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) that simultaneously reduces their risk of acquiring HIV-1, HSV-2, and HPV (latter two associated with increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition) and prevents unintended pregnancy. Here, we describe a novel core-matrix intravaginal ring (IVR), the MZCL IVR, which effectively delivered the MZC combination microbicide and a contraceptive. The MZCL IVR contains four active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs): MIV-150 (targets HIV-1), zinc acetate (ZA; targets HIV-1 and HSV-2), carrageenan (CG; targets HPV and HSV-2), and levonorgestrel (LNG; targets unintended pregnancy). The elastomeric IVR body (matrix) was produced by hot melt extrusion of the non-water swellable elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA-28), containing the hydrophobic small molecules, MIV-150 and LNG. The solid hydrophilic core, embedded within the IVR by compression, contained the small molecule ZA and the macromolecule CG. Hydrated ZA/CG from the core was released by diffusion via a pore on the IVR while the MIV-150/LNG diffused from the matrix continuously for 94 days (d) in vitro and up to 28 d (study period) in macaques. The APIs released in vitro and in vivo were active against HIV-1ADA-M, HSV-2, and HPV16 PsV in cell-based assays. Serum LNG was at levels associated with local contraceptive effects. The results demonstrate proof-of-concept of a novel core-matrix IVR for sustained and simultaneous delivery of diverse molecules for the prevention of HIV, HSV-2 and HPV acquisition, as well as unintended pregnancy. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Focus on the therapeutic efficacy of 3BNC117 against HIV-1: In vitro studies, in vivo studies, clinical trials and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhi-Jun; Bai, Jing; Liu, Feng-Li; Zhang, Xiang-Yang; Wang, Jing-Zhang

    2017-11-01

    3BNC117, which was discovered in 2011, is a broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) and specifically neutralizes the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) by targeting the CD4-binding site. This is the first comprehensive review that focuses on the role of 3BNC117 in the prevention of HIV-1 and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Briefly, 3BNC117 neutralizes many HIV/SHIV strains in vitro, blocks HIV-1 acquisition in animal models via a pre-exposure prophylaxis, alleviates HIV-1-associated viremia via a post-exposure therapeutic effect, prevents the establishment of latent HIV-1 reservoirs, and induces both humoral and cellular anti-HIV immune responses in vivo. The outcomes of Phase I and Phase IIa clinical trials in 2015 and 2016 showed the safety, tolerability, and therapeutic efficacy of 3BNC117 in HIV-1-infected human individuals. Nevertheless, anti-3BNC117 antibodies and HIV-1 strains resistant to 3BNC117 pose clinical challenges to immunotherapy with 3BNC117, so potential strategies for optimizing the potency of 3BNC117 are suggested here. Predictably, HIV-1 prevention and AIDS treatment will benefit from combinational immunotherapies with 3BNC117 and other pharmaceuticals (bNAbs, antiretroviral medicines, viral inducers, etc.) in the near future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Management of mental health disorders and central nervous system sequelae in HIV-positive children and adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Nassen

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available HIV-positive children and adolescents are at increased risk of both central nervous system (CNS sequelae and mental disorders owing to a number of factors, including the impact of HIV infection on the brain, social determinants of health (e.g. poverty and orphanhood and psychosocial stressors related to living with HIV. Every effort should be made to identify perinatally HIV-infected children and initiate them on antiretroviral therapy early in life. HIV clinicians should ideally screen for mental health and neurocognitive problems, as part of the routine monitoring of children attending antiretroviral clinics. This guideline is intended as a reference tool for HIV clinicians to support the early identification, screening and management of mental health disorders and/or CNS impairment in children and adolescents. This guideline covers mental disorders (section 1 and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (section 2 among children and adolescents.

  12. Reduced HIV symptoms and improved health-related quality of life correlate with better access to care for HIV-1 infected women: the ELLA study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baran, Robert; Mulcahy, Fiona; Krznaric, Ivanka; Monforte, Antonella d'Arminio; Samarina, Anna; Xi, He; Cassetti, Isabel; Madruga, Jose Valdez; Zachry, Woodie; van Wyk, Jean; Martinez, Marisol

    2014-01-01

    Global HIV-1 prevalence is 35.3 million [1]; women comprise >50% of those infected. The majority of women may lack regular care and only one-fourth are virologically suppressed [2]. ELLA is a cross-sectional, non-interventional study conducted across Europe, Latin America, Canada and Asia that describes barriers to care for HIV-infected women and associations with disease stage, symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HIV-infected women eligible for ELLA (≥18 years) completed: Barrier to Care Scale (BACS) comprising 12 items in four domains (Index range 0-12, Overall range 1-4, greater=more barriers, Overall score ≥2 considered severe); AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) Health Status Assessment comprising 21 items assessing 9 HRQoL domains (range 0-100, greater=better); and ACTG Symptom Distress Module comprising 20 symptoms rated on bother (range 0-4, greater=more bother). Healthcare providers documented medical history and HIV clinical data. Correlations of BACS response and last reported VL/CD4 count with HIV symptoms and HRQoL were analyzed. Spearman rank order was used to test correlations with statistical significance set at p50 years); 47.7% education HIV was acquired heterosexually in 83.0%; 88.2% of subjects were on ART; 57.5% had VLsymptom count and less symptom bother (psymptom count and less symptom bother correlated with better HRQoL on all nine domains (pHIV symptoms and less bother (pHIV-infected women, reduced barriers to care correlated with fewer symptoms, less symptom bother and better HRQoL. Improved HRQoL may be mediated by greater CD4 counts and fewer symptoms. Better access to care may improve HRQoL outcomes in this population.

  13. Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nuclear import via Vpr-Importin α interactions as a novel HIV-1 therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Tatsunori; Yamamoto, Norio; Nonaka, Mizuho; Hashimoto, Yoshie; Matsuda, Go; Takeshima, Shin-nosuke; Matsuyama, Megumi; Igarashi, Tatsuhiko; Miura, Tomoyuki; Tanaka, Rie; Kato, Shingo; Aida, Yoko

    2009-01-01

    The development of multidrug-resistant viruses compromises the efficacy of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) therapy and limits treatment options. Therefore, new targets that can be used to develop novel antiviral agents need to be identified. One such target is the interaction between Vpr, one of the accessory gene products of HIV-1 and Importin α, which is crucial, not only for the nuclear import of Vpr, but also for HIV-1 replication in macrophages. We have identified a potential parent compound, hematoxylin, which suppresses Vpr-Importin α interaction, thereby inhibiting HIV-1 replication in a Vpr-dependent manner. Analysis by real-time PCR demonstrated that hematoxylin specifically inhibited nuclear import step of pre-integration complex. Thus, hematoxylin is a new anti-HIV-1 inhibitor that targets the nuclear import of HIV-1 via the Vpr-Importin α interaction, suggesting that a specific inhibitor of the interaction between viral protein and the cellular factor may provide a new strategy for HIV-1 therapy.

  14. Artificial 64-Residue HIV-1 Enhancer-Binding Peptide Is a Potent Inhibitor of Viral Replication in HIV-1-Infected Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oufir, Mouhssin; Bisset, Leslie R; Hoffmann, Stefan R K; Xue, Gongda; Klauser, Stephan; Bergamaschi, Bianca; Gervaix, Alain; Böni, Jürg; Schüpbach, Jörg; Gutte, Bernd

    2011-01-01

    An artificial HIV-1 enhancer-binding peptide was extended by nine consecutive arginine residues at the C-terminus and by the nuclear localization signal of SV40 large T antigen at the N-terminus. The resulting synthetic 64-residue peptide was found to bind to the two enhancers of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat, cross the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope of human cells, and suppress the HIV-1 enhancer-controlled expression of a green fluorescent protein reporter gene. Moreover, HIV-1 replication is inhibited by this peptide in HIV-1-infected CEM-GFP cells as revealed by HIV-1 p24 ELISA and real-time RT-PCR of HIV-1 RNA. Rapid uptake of this intracellular stable and inhibitory peptide into the cells implies that this peptide may have the potential to attenuate HIV-1 replication in vivo.

  15. 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

  16. Picomolar dichotomous activity of gnidimacrin against HIV-1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Huang

    Full Text Available Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART has offered a promising approach for controlling HIV-1 replication in infected individuals. However, with HARRT, HIV-1 is suppressed rather than eradicated due to persistence of HIV-1 in latent viral reservoirs. Thus, purging the virus from latent reservoirs is an important strategy toward eradicating HIV-1 infection. In this study, we discovered that the daphnane diterpene gnidimacrin, which was previously reported to have potent anti-cancer cell activity, activated HIV-1 replication and killed persistently-infected cells at picomolar concentrations. In addition to its potential to purge HIV-1 from latently infected cells, gnidimacrin potently inhibited a panel of HIV-1 R5 virus infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs at an average concentration lower than 10 pM. In contrast, gnidimacrin only partially inhibited HIV-1 ×4 virus infection of PBMCs. The strong anti-HIV-1 R5 virus activity of gnidimacrin was correlated with its effect on down-regulation of the HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5. The anti-R5 virus activity of gnidimacrin was completely abrogated by a selective protein kinase C beta inhibitor enzastaurin, which suggests that protein kinase C beta plays a key role in the potent anti-HIV-1 activity of gnidimacrin in PBMCs. In summary, these results suggest that gnidimacrin could activate latent HIV-1, specifically kill HIV-1 persistently infected cells, and inhibit R5 viruses at picomolar concentrations.

  17. HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caulfield, Michael; Cupo, Albert; Dean, Hansi; Hoffenberg, Simon; King, C. Richter; Klasse, P. J.; Marozsan, Andre; Moore, John P.; Sanders, Rogier W.; Ward, Andrew; Wilson, Ian; Julien, Jean-Philippe

    2017-08-22

    The present application relates to novel HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins, which may be utilized as HIV-1 vaccine immunogens, and antigens for crystallization, electron microscopy and other biophysical, biochemical and immunological studies for the identification of broad neutralizing antibodies. The present invention encompasses the preparation and purification of immunogenic compositions, which are formulated into the vaccines of the present invention.

  18. Artificial 64-Residue HIV-1 Enhancer-Binding Peptide Is a Potent Inhibitor of Viral Replication in HIV-1-Infected Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mouhssin Oufir

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available An artificial HIV-1 enhancer-binding peptide was extended by nine consecutive arginine residues at the C-terminus and by the nuclear localization signal of SV40 large T antigen at the N-terminus. The resulting synthetic 64-residue peptide was found to bind to the two enhancers of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat, cross the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope of human cells, and suppress the HIV-1 enhancer-controlled expression of a green fluorescent protein reporter gene. Moreover, HIV-1 replication is inhibited by this peptide in HIV-1-infected CEM-GFP cells as revealed by HIV-1 p24 ELISA and real-time RT-PCR of HIV-1 RNA. Rapid uptake of this intracellular stable and inhibitory peptide into the cells implies that this peptide may have the potential to attenuate HIV-1 replication in vivo.

  19. Structural defects and variations in the HIV-1 nef gene from rapid, slow and non-progressor children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casartelli, Nicoletta; Di Matteo, Gigliola; Argentini, Claudio; Cancrini, Caterina; Bernardi, Stefania; Castelli, Guido; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Plebani, Anna; Rossi, Paolo; Doria, Margherita

    2003-06-13

    Evaluation of sequence evolution as well as structural defects and mutations of the human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) nef gene in relation to disease progression in infected children. We examined a large number of nef alleles sequentially derived from perinatally HIV-1-infected children with different rates of disease progression: six non-progressors (NPs), four rapid progressors (RPs), and three slow progressors (SPs). Nef alleles (182 total) were isolated from patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), sequenced and analysed for their evolutionary pattern, frequency of mutations and occurrence of amino acid variations associated with different stages of disease. The evolution rate of the nef gene apparently correlated with CD4+ decline in all progression groups. Evidence for rapid viral turnover and positive selection for changes were found only in two SPs and two RPs respectively. In NPs, a higher proportion of disrupted sequences and mutations at various functional motifs were observed. Furthermore, NP-derived Nef proteins were often changed at residues localized in the folded core domain at cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) epitopes (E(105), K(106), E(110), Y(132), K(164), and R(200)), while other residues outside the core domain are more often changed in RPs (A(43)) and SPs (N(173) and Y(214)). Our results suggest a link between nef gene functions and the progression rate in HIV-1-infected children. Moreover, non-progressor-associated variations in the core domain of Nef, together with the genetic analysis, suggest that nef gene evolution is shaped by an effective immune system in these patients.

  20. Knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the dental treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberoi, Sukhvinder Singh; Marya, Charu Mohan; Sharma, Nilima; Mohanty, Vikrant; Marwah, Mohita; Oberoi, Avneet

    2014-12-01

    Oral health care of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a growing area of concern. Information on HIV- and AIDS-related knowledge among dental students provides a crucial foundation for efforts aimed at developing an appropriate dental curriculum on HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS and perceived sources of information regarding HIV-related issues. Data were collected from clinical dental students (third year, fourth year and internship) from three dental institutions in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). The questions assessed the knowledge and attitude towards treatment of patients with HIV and the perceived source of information related to HIV. The willingness to treat HIV-positive patients among dental students was 67.0%, and 74.20% were confident of treating a patient with HIV/AIDS. The potential problems in rendering treatment to these patients were effect on the attitude of other patients (49.90%) and staff fears (52.50%). The correct knowledge regarding the infection-control practice (barrier technique) was found among only 15.50% of respondents. The respondents had sufficient knowledge regarding the oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS. There was no correlation between the knowledge and attitude score, demonstrating a gap between knowledge and attitude among dental students regarding treatment of HIV-infected patients. Appropriate knowledge has to be delivered through the dental education curriculum, which can instil confidence in students about their ability to manage HIV-positive patients. © 2014 FDI World Dental Federation.

  1. HIV-1 Variants and Drug Resistance in Pregnant Women from Bata (Equatorial Guinea): 2012-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Patricia; Fernández McPhee, Carolina; Prieto, Luis; Martín, Leticia; Obiang, Jacinta; Avedillo, Pedro; Vargas, Antonio; Rojo, Pablo; Benito, Agustín; Ramos, José Tomás; Holguín, África

    2016-01-01

    This is the first study describing drug resistance mutations (DRM) and HIV-1 variants among infected pregnant women in Equatorial Guinea (GQ), a country with high (6.2%) and increasing HIV prevalence. Dried blood spots (DBS) were collected from November 2012 to December 2013 from 69 HIV-1 infected women participating in a prevention of mother-to-child transmission program in the Hospital Regional of Bata and Primary Health Care Centre María Rafols, Bata, GQ. The transmitted (TDR) or acquired (ADR) antiretroviral drug resistance mutations at partial pol sequence among naive or antiretroviral therapy (ART)-exposed women were defined following WHO or IAS USA 2015 lists, respectively. HIV-1 variants were identified by phylogenetic analyses. A total of 38 of 69 HIV-1 specimens were successfully amplified and sequenced. Thirty (79%) belonged to ART-experienced women: 15 exposed to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) monotherapy, and 15 to combined ART (cART) as first regimen including two NRTI and one non-NRTI (NNRTI) or one protease inhibitor (PI). The TDR rate was only found for PI (3.4%). The ADR rate was 37.5% for NNRTI, 8.7% for NRTI and absent for PI or NRTI+NNRTI. HIV-1 group M non-B variants caused most (97.4%) infections, mainly (78.9%) recombinants: CRF02_AG (55.2%), CRF22_A101 (10.5%), subtype C (10.5%), unique recombinants (5.3%), and A3, D, F2, G, CRF06_cpx and CRF11_cpx (2.6% each). The high rate of ADR to retrotranscriptase inhibitors (mainly to NNRTIs) observed among pretreated pregnant women reinforces the importance of systematic DRM monitoring in GQ to reduce HIV-1 resistance transmission and to optimize first and second-line ART regimens when DRM are present.

  2. High prevalence of HIV-1 CRF01_AE viruses among female commercial sex workers residing in Surabaya, Indonesia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomohiro Kotaki

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS cause serious health problems and have an impact on the Indonesian economy. In addition, the rapid epidemic growth of HIV is continuing in Indonesia. Commercial sex plays a significant role in the spread of HIV; therefore, in order to reveal the current HIV prevalence rate among commercial sex workers (CSWs, we conducted an epidemiological study on HIV infection among CSWs residing in Surabaya, the capital of East Java province of Indonesia with large communities of CSWs.The prevalence of HIV infection among 200 CSWs was studied. In addition, the subtype of HIV type 1 (HIV-1 and the prevalence of other blood-borne viruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV and GB virus C (GBV-C, were studied. The prevalence rates of HIV, hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV antibodies and anti-GBV-C antibodies were 11%, 64%, 4%, 0.5% and 0% among CSWs involved in this study, respectively. HIV-1 CRF01_AE viral gene fragments were detected in most HIV-positive samples. In addition, most CSWs showed low awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and had unprotected sex with their clients.The HIV prevalence rate among CSWs was significantly higher than that among the general population in Indonesia (0.2-0.4%. In addition, CSWs were at a high risk of exposure to HBV, although chronic HBV infection was less frequently established. Our results suggest the necessity of efficient prevention programs for HIV and other blood-borne viral infections among CSWs in Surabaya, Indonesia.

  3. Opportunistic infection of HIV/AIDS patients in West Papua

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witaningrum, A. M.; Khairunisa, S. Q.; Yunifiar, M. Q.; Bramanthi, R.; Rachman, B. E.; Nasronudin

    2018-03-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) had a major impact on health problemin Indonesia. HIV type 1 (HIV-1) epidemic is currently infected with HIV viruses developing rapidly in Indonesia.Papua provinces have the highest prevalence rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Indonesia; however, data on opportunistic infection of HIV-1 are limited. The study using medical records as a research sample was conducted among HIV patients from January 2013 - December 2014 in Sele be Solu hospital among 49 patients. Opportunistic infections commonly occur in HIV-infected patients. The aim of the study was to know theprevalence of opportunistic infection among HIV positive patients in West Papua. Forty-nine HIV-1 patients were collected in Sele be Solu Hospital, West Papua.Opportunistic infection was identified such as tuberculosis, tuberculosis Pulmo, tuberculosis and candidiasis, candidiasis and diarrhea. The clinical sign appeared in HIV infected patients such as itchy, cough and loss weight. The prevalence of opportunistic infection indicated the necessity of monitoring the opportunistic infection of HIV/AIDS patients in Indonesia.

  4. BI-2 destabilizes HIV-1 cores during infection and Prevents Binding of CPSF6 to the HIV-1 Capsid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fricke, Thomas; Buffone, Cindy; Opp, Silvana; Valle-Casuso, Jose; Diaz-Griffero, Felipe

    2014-12-11

    The recently discovered small-molecule BI-2 potently blocks HIV-1 infection. BI-2 binds to the N-terminal domain of HIV-1 capsid. BI-2 utilizes the same capsid pocket used by the small molecule PF74. Although both drugs bind to the same pocket, it has been proposed that BI-2 uses a different mechanism to block HIV-1 infection when compared to PF74. This work demonstrates that BI-2 destabilizes the HIV-1 core during infection, and prevents the binding of the cellular factor CPSF6 to the HIV-1 core. Overall this short-form paper suggests that BI-2 is using a similar mechanism to the one used by PF74 to block HIV-1 infection.

  5. 26 CFR 1.9002-6 - Acquiring corporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Acquiring corporation. 1.9002-6 Section 1.9002... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES General Actuarial Valuations § 1.9002-6 Acquiring corporation. Section 5(d) of the... corporation by another corporation in a distribution or transfer described in section 381(a) of the Code the...

  6. Phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 pol gene: first subgenomic evidence of CRF29-BF among Iranian HIV-1 patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazem Baesi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To identify the dominant subtype among the HIV-1 strains circulation in Iran. Methods: In this cross sectional study 100 HIV positive patients participated. HIV-1 RNA was extracted from plasma. RT nested-PCR was performed and the final products were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed; reference sequences were downloaded from Los Alamos, aligned with Iranian pol sequences in the study and analyzed by neighbor-joining method. Results: The results of the phylogenetic analysis showed that HIV-1 subtype CRF-35AD was the dominant subtype among HIV-1 infected patients in Iran; this analysis also suggested a new circulating recombinant form that had not previously been identified in Iran: CRF-29BF. Conclusions: The impact of HIV diversity on pathogenesis, transmission and clinical management have been discussed in different studies; therefore, analyses of HIV genetic diversity is required to design effective antiretroviral strategies for different HIV subtypes.

  7. Poorer cognitive performance in perinatally HIV-infected children versus healthy socioeconomically matched controls

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cohen, S.; ter Stege, J.A.; Geurtsen, G.J.; Scherpbier, H.J.; Kuijpers, T.W.; Reiss, P.; Schmand, B.; Pajkrt, D.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Despite the declining incidence of severe neurological complications such as HIV encephalopathy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in children is still associated with a range of cognitive problems. Although most HIV-infected children in industrialized countries are immigrants

  8. Radionuclide brain imaging in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa, D.C.; Gacinovic, S.; Miller, R.F.

    1995-01-01

    Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) may produce a variety of central nervous system (CNS) symptoms and signs. CNS involvement in patients with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) includes AIDS dementia complex or HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor complex (widely known as HIV encephalopathy), progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML), opportunistic infections such as Toxoplasma gondii, TB, Cryptococcus and infiltration by non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma. High resolution structural imaging investigations, either X-ray Computed Tomography (CT scan) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have contributed to the understanding and definition of cerebral damage caused by HIV encephalopathy. Atrophy and mainly high signal scattered white matter abnormalities are commonly seen with MRI. PML produces focal white matter high signal abnormalities due to multiple foci of demyelination. However, using structural imaging techniques there are no reliable parameters to distinguish focal lesions due to opportunistic infection (Toxoplasma gondii abscess) from neoplasm (lymphoma infiltration). It is studied the use of radionuclide brain imaging techniques in the investigation of HIV infected patients. Brain perfusion Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPET), neuroreceptor and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies are reviewed. Greater emphasis is put on the potential of some radiopharmaceuticals, considered to be brain tumour markers, to distinguish intracerebral lymphoma infiltration from Toxoplasma infection. SPET with 201 Tl using quantification (tumour to non-tumour radioactivity ratios) appears a very promising technique to identify intracerebral lymphoma

  9. Long-term effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in perinatally HIV-infected children in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bracher, Linda; Valerius, Niels Henrik; Rosenfeldt, Vibeke

    2007-01-01

    children treated with HAART. Initial HAART included 2 nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors in combination with either a protease inhibitor (n =38) or a non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (n =12). 19 (39%) patients were previously treated with mono- or dual therapy. Baseline......The long-term impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on HIV-1 infected children is not well known. The Danish Paediatric HIV Cohort Study includes all patients ... characteristics were median CD4 percentage 14% and HIV-RNA viral load 4.9 log(10). Within the first 12 weeks of therapy approximately 60% achieved HIV-RNA viral load children changed the components of HAART. The proportion of children with CD4...

  10. Neuropsychological function and cerebral metabolites in HIV-infected youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagarajan, R; Sarma, M K; Thomas, M A; Chang, L; Natha, U; Wright, M; Hayes, J; Nielsen-Saines, K; Michalik, D E; Deville, J; Church, J A; Mason, K; Critton-Mastandrea, T; Nazarian, S; Jing, J; Keller, M A

    2012-12-01

    The effects of HIV on brain metabolites and cognitive function are not well understood. Sixteen HIV+youths (15 vertical, 1 transfusion transmissions) receiving combination antiretroviral therapy and 14 age-matched HIV- youths (13-25 years of age) were evaluated with brain two-dimensional (2D) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 3 Tesla (T) and a neuropsychological battery that assessed three cognitive domains (attention/processing speed, psychomotor ability, and executive function). The relationship between brain metabolite ratios and cognitive performance was explored. Compared to HIV- controls, HIV+ subjects had higher sycllo-inositol (Scy)/total creatine (tCr) (+32%, p = 0.016) and higher Scy/total choline (tCho) (+31%, p = 0.018) on 2D-MRS in the right frontal lobe. HIV+ subjects also had higher glutamate (Glu)/tCr (+13%, p = 0.022) and higher Glu/tCho (+15%, p = 0.048) than controls. HIV+ subjects demonstrated poorer attention/processing speed (p = 0.011, d = 1.03) but similar psychomotor and executive function compared to HIV- controls. The attention/processing score also correlated negatively with the ratio of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) to tCr on 2D-MRS (r = -0.75, p = 0.0019) in the HIV- controls, but not in the HIV+ subjects (Fisher's r-z transformation, p < 0.05). Our results suggest that attention/processing speed is impacted by early HIV infection and is associated with right hemisphere NAA/tCr. Scy and Glu ratios are also potential markers of brain health in chronic, lifelong HIV infection in perinatally infected youths receiving antiretroviral therapy.

  11. Immediate access to antiretroviral therapy is important in children living with HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This article reviews a case of a child with perinatal HIV followed for 30 months during a prospective cohort study on pneumonia prevention in HIV-infected children. The point of this case report is to illustrate how delayed access to antiretroviral therapy (ART in HIV-infected children impacts immunization response and growth. Given the WHO's early release guideline changes on ART recommendations and the expected full revised guidelines coming out this year, this article is a timely discussion on the need for access to ART for HIV infected Indian children regardless of CD4 count.

  12. Poorer cognitive performance in perinatally HIV-infected children versus healthy socioeconomically matched controls

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cohen, Sophie; ter Stege, Jacqueline A.; Geurtsen, Gert J.; Scherpbier, Henriette J.; Kuijpers, Taco W.; Reiss, Peter; Schmand, Ben; Pajkrt, Dasja

    2015-01-01

    Despite the declining incidence of severe neurological complications such as HIV encephalopathy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in children is still associated with a range of cognitive problems. Although most HIV-infected children in industrialized countries are immigrants with a

  13. German-austrian recommendations for HIV1-therapy in pregnancy and in HIV1-exposed newborn - update 2008

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Buchholz Bernd

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract German-Austrian recommendations for HIV1-therapy in pregnancy - Update 2008 Bernd Buchholz (University Medical Centre Mannheim, Pediatric Clinic, Matthias Beichert (Mannheim, Gynecology and Obstetrics Practice, Ulrich Marcus (Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Thomas Grubert, Andrea Gingelmaier (Gynecology Clinic of the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Dr. med. Annette Haberl (HIV-Department, J. W. Goethe-University Hospital, Frankfurt, Dr. med. Brigitte Schmied (Otto-Wagner Spital, Wien. In Germany during the last years about 200-250 HIV1-infected pregnant women delivered a baby each year, a number that is currently increasing. To determine the HIV-status early in pregnancy voluntary HIV-testing of all pregnant women is recommended in Germany and Austria as part of prenatal care. In those cases, where HIV1-infection was known during pregnancy, since 1995 the rate of vertical transmission of HIV1 was reduced to 1-2%. This low transmission rate has been achieved by the combination of anti-retroviral therapy of pregnant women, caesarean section scheduled before onset of labour, anti-retroviral post exposition prophylaxis in the newborn and refraining from breast-feeding by the HIV1-infected mother. To keep pace with new results in research, approval of new anti-retroviral drugs and changes in the general treatment recommendations for HIV1-infected adults, in 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2005 an interdisciplinary consensus meeting was held. Gynaecologists, infectious disease specialists, paediatricians, pharmacologists, virologists and members of the German AIDS Hilfe (NGO were participating in this conference to update the prevention strategies. A fifth update became necessary in 2008. The updating process was started in January 2008 and was terminated in September 2008. The guidelines provide new recommendations on the indication and the starting point for HIV-therapy in pregnancies without complications, drugs and drug combinations to be

  14. Time of HIV Diagnosis and Engagement in Prenatal Care Impact Virologic Outcomes of Pregnant Women with HIV.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florence M Momplaisir

    Full Text Available HIV suppression at parturition is beneficial for maternal, fetal and public health. To eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, an understanding of missed opportunities for antiretroviral therapy (ART use during pregnancy and HIV suppression at delivery is required.We performed a retrospective analysis of 836 mother-to-child pairs involving 656 HIV-infected women in Philadelphia, 2005-2013. Multivariable regression examined associations between patient (age, race/ethnicity, insurance status, drug use and clinical factors such as adequacy of prenatal care measured by the Kessner index which classifies prenatal care as inadequate, intermediate, or adequate prenatal care; timing of HIV diagnosis; and the outcomes: receipt of ART during pregnancy and viral suppression at delivery.Overall, 25% of the sample was diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy; 39%, 38%, and 23% were adequately, intermediately, and inadequately engaged in prenatal care. Eight-five percent of mother-to-child pairs received ART during pregnancy but only 52% achieved suppression at delivery. Adjusting for patient factors, pairs diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.61 and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-1.00 than those diagnosed before pregnancy. Similarly, women with inadequate prenatal care were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.11 and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47 than those with adequate prenatal care.Targeted interventions to diagnose HIV prior to pregnancy and engage HIV-infected women in prenatal care have the potential to improve HIV related outcomes in the perinatal period.

  15. Time of HIV Diagnosis and Engagement in Prenatal Care Impact Virologic Outcomes of Pregnant Women with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Momplaisir, Florence M; Brady, Kathleen A; Fekete, Thomas; Thompson, Dana R; Diez Roux, Ana; Yehia, Baligh R

    2015-01-01

    HIV suppression at parturition is beneficial for maternal, fetal and public health. To eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, an understanding of missed opportunities for antiretroviral therapy (ART) use during pregnancy and HIV suppression at delivery is required. We performed a retrospective analysis of 836 mother-to-child pairs involving 656 HIV-infected women in Philadelphia, 2005-2013. Multivariable regression examined associations between patient (age, race/ethnicity, insurance status, drug use) and clinical factors such as adequacy of prenatal care measured by the Kessner index which classifies prenatal care as inadequate, intermediate, or adequate prenatal care; timing of HIV diagnosis; and the outcomes: receipt of ART during pregnancy and viral suppression at delivery. Overall, 25% of the sample was diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy; 39%, 38%, and 23% were adequately, intermediately, and inadequately engaged in prenatal care. Eight-five percent of mother-to-child pairs received ART during pregnancy but only 52% achieved suppression at delivery. Adjusting for patient factors, pairs diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.61) and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-1.00) than those diagnosed before pregnancy. Similarly, women with inadequate prenatal care were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.11) and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47) than those with adequate prenatal care. Targeted interventions to diagnose HIV prior to pregnancy and engage HIV-infected women in prenatal care have the potential to improve HIV related outcomes in the perinatal period.

  16. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... What are HIV and AIDS? HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). AIDS ... but no cure, at the present time. The virus (HIV) and the disease it causes (AIDS) are ...

  17. DBR1 siRNA inhibition of HIV-1 replication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naidu Yathi

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV-1 and all retroviruses are related to retroelements of simpler organisms such as the yeast Ty elements. Recent work has suggested that the yeast retroelement Ty1 replicates via an unexpected RNA lariat intermediate in cDNA synthesis. The putative genomic RNA lariat intermediate is formed by a 2'-5' phosphodiester bond, like that found in pre-mRNA intron lariats and it facilitates the minus-strand template switch during cDNA synthesis. We hypothesized that HIV-1 might also form a genomic RNA lariat and therefore that siRNA-mediated inhibition of expression of the human RNA lariat de-branching enzyme (DBR1 expression would specifically inhibit HIV-1 replication. Results We designed three short interfering RNA (siRNA molecules targeting DBR1, which were capable of reducing DBR1 mRNA expression by 80% and did not significantly affect cell viability. We assessed HIV-1 replication in the presence of DBR1 siRNA and found that DBR1 knockdown led to decreases in viral cDNA and protein production. These effects could be reversed by cotransfection of a DBR1 cDNA indicating that the inhibition of HIV-1 replication was a specific effect of DBR1 underexpression. Conclusion These data suggest that DBR1 function may be needed to debranch a putative HIV-1 genomic RNA lariat prior to completion of reverse transcription.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  19. HLA Class I-Mediated HIV-1 Control in Vietnamese Infected with HIV-1 Subtype A/E.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chikata, Takayuki; Tran, Giang Van; Murakoshi, Hayato; Akahoshi, Tomohiro; Qi, Ying; Naranbhai, Vivek; Kuse, Nozomi; Tamura, Yoshiko; Koyanagi, Madoka; Sakai, Sachiko; Nguyen, Dung Hoai; Nguyen, Dung Thi; Nguyen, Ha Thu; Nguyen, Trung Vu; Oka, Shinichi; Martin, Maureen P; Carrington, Mary; Sakai, Keiko; Nguyen, Kinh Van; Takiguchi, Masafumi

    2018-03-01

    HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) play an important role in the control of HIV-1 subtype B or C infection. However, the role of CTLs in HIV-1 subtype A/E infection still remains unclear. Here we investigated the association of HLA class I alleles with clinical outcomes in treatment-naive Vietnamese infected with subtype A/E virus. We found that HLA-C*12:02 was significantly associated with lower plasma viral loads (pVL) and higher CD4 counts and that the HLA-A*29:01-B*07:05-C*15:05 haplotype was significantly associated with higher pVL and lower CD4 counts than those for individuals without these respective genotypes. Nine Pol and three Nef mutations were associated with at least one HLA allele in the HLA-A*29:01-B*07:05-C*15:05 haplotype, with a strong negative correlation between the number of HLA-associated Pol mutations and CD4 count as well as a positive correlation with pVL for individuals with these HLA alleles. The results suggest that the accumulation of mutations selected by CTLs restricted by these HLA alleles affects HIV control. IMPORTANCE Most previous studies on HLA association with disease progression after HIV-1 infection have been performed on cohorts infected with HIV-1 subtypes B and C, whereas few such population-based studies have been reported for cohorts infected with the Asian subtype A/E virus. In this study, we analyzed the association of HLA class I alleles with clinical outcomes for 536 HIV-1 subtype A/E-infected Vietnamese individuals. We found that HLA-C*12:02 is protective, while the HLA haplotype HLA-A*29:01-B*07:05-C*15:05 is deleterious. The individuals with HIV-1 mutations associated with at least one of the HLA alleles in the deleterious HLA haplotype had higher plasma viral loads and lower CD4 counts than those of individuals without the mutations, suggesting that viral adaptation and escape from HLA-mediated immune control occurred. The present study identifies a protective allele and a deleterious haplotype for HIV-1

  20. Differential effects of sex in a West African cohort of HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dually infected patients: men are worse off.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jespersen, Sanne; Hønge, Bo Langhoff; Esbjörnsson, Joakim; Medina, Candida; da Silva Té, David; Correira, Faustino Gomes; Laursen, Alex Lund; Østergaard, Lars; Andersen, Andreas; Aaby, Peter; Erikstrup, Christian; Wejse, Christian

    2016-02-01

    Several studies have reported conflicting effects of sex on HIV-1 infection. We describe differences in baseline characteristics and assess the impact of sex on HIV progression among patients at a clinic with many HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dually infected patients. This study utilised a retrospective cohort of treatment-naïve adults at the largest HIV clinic in Guinea-Bissau from 6 June 2005 to 1 December 2013. Baseline characteristics were assessed and the patients followed until death, transfer, loss to follow-up, or 1 June 2014. We estimated the time from the first clinic visit until initiation of ART, death or loss to follow-up using Cox proportional hazard models. A total of 5694 patients were included in the study, 3702 women (65%) and 1992 men (35%). Women were more likely than men to be infected with HIV-2 (19% vs. 15%, P < 0.01) or dually infected with HIV-1/2 (11% vs. 9%, P = 0.02). For all HIV types, women were younger (median 35 vs. 40 years), less likely to have schooling (55% vs. 77%) or to be married (46% vs. 67%), and had higher baseline CD4 cell counts (median 214 vs. 178 cells/μl). Men had a higher age-adjusted mortality rate (hazard rate ratio (HRR) 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.52) and were more often lost to follow-up (HRR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17-1.39). Significant differences exist between HIV-infected men and women regardless of HIV type. Men seek treatment at a later stage and, despite better socio-economic status, have higher mortality and loss to follow-up than women. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Effects of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms on HIV-1 susceptibility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, Tommy E.; Brandariz-Nuñez, Alberto; Valle-Casuso, Jose Carlos; Knowlton, Caitlin; Kim, Baek; Sawyer, Sara L.; Diaz-Griffero, Felipe

    2014-01-01

    SAMHD1 is a human restriction factor that prevents efficient infection of macrophages, dendritic cells and resting CD4+ T cells by HIV-1. Here we explored the antiviral activity and biochemical properties of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms. Our studies focused on human SAMHD1 polymorphisms that were previously identified as evolving under positive selection for rapid amino acid replacement during primate speciation. The different human SAMHD1 polymorphisms were tested for their ability to block HIV-1, HIV-2 and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). All studied SAMHD1 variants block HIV-1, HIV-2 and EIAV infection when compared to wild type. We found that these variants did not lose their ability to oligomerize or to bind RNA. Furthermore, all tested variants were susceptible to degradation by Vpx, and localized to the nuclear compartment. We tested the ability of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms to decrease the dNTP cellular levels. In agreement, none of the different SAMHD1 variants lost their ability to reduce cellular levels of dNTPs. Finally, we found that none of the tested human SAMHD1 polymorphisms affected the ability of the protein to block LINE-1 retrotransposition. - Highlights: • Human SAMHD1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms block HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. • SAMHD1 polymorphisms do not affect its ability to block LINE-1 retrotransposition. • SAMHD1 polymorphisms decrease the cellular levels of dNTPs

  2. Effects of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms on HIV-1 susceptibility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    White, Tommy E.; Brandariz-Nuñez, Alberto; Valle-Casuso, Jose Carlos [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, 1301 Morris Park – Price Center 501, New York, NY 10461 (United States); Knowlton, Caitlin; Kim, Baek [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642 (United States); Sawyer, Sara L. [Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Diaz-Griffero, Felipe, E-mail: Felipe.Diaz-Griffero@einstein.yu.edu [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, 1301 Morris Park – Price Center 501, New York, NY 10461 (United States)

    2014-07-15

    SAMHD1 is a human restriction factor that prevents efficient infection of macrophages, dendritic cells and resting CD4+ T cells by HIV-1. Here we explored the antiviral activity and biochemical properties of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms. Our studies focused on human SAMHD1 polymorphisms that were previously identified as evolving under positive selection for rapid amino acid replacement during primate speciation. The different human SAMHD1 polymorphisms were tested for their ability to block HIV-1, HIV-2 and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). All studied SAMHD1 variants block HIV-1, HIV-2 and EIAV infection when compared to wild type. We found that these variants did not lose their ability to oligomerize or to bind RNA. Furthermore, all tested variants were susceptible to degradation by Vpx, and localized to the nuclear compartment. We tested the ability of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms to decrease the dNTP cellular levels. In agreement, none of the different SAMHD1 variants lost their ability to reduce cellular levels of dNTPs. Finally, we found that none of the tested human SAMHD1 polymorphisms affected the ability of the protein to block LINE-1 retrotransposition. - Highlights: • Human SAMHD1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms block HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. • SAMHD1 polymorphisms do not affect its ability to block LINE-1 retrotransposition. • SAMHD1 polymorphisms decrease the cellular levels of dNTPs.

  3. Cyclophilin B enhances HIV-1 infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeBoer, Jason; Madson, Christian J. [Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE (United States); Belshan, Michael, E-mail: michaelbelshan@creighton.edu [Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE (United States); The Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)

    2016-02-15

    Cyclophilin B (CypB) is a member of the immunophilin family and intracellular chaperone. It predominantly localizes to the ER, but also contains a nuclear localization signal and is secreted from cells. CypB has been shown to interact with the Gag protein of human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1). Several proteomic and genetic studies identified it as a potential factor involved in HIV replication. Herein, we show that over-expression of CypB enhances HIV infection by increasing nuclear import of viral DNA. This enhancement was unaffected by cyclosporine treatment and requires the N-terminus of the protein. The N-terminus contains an ER leader sequence, putative nuclear localization signal, and is required for secretion. Deletion of the N-terminus resulted in mislocalization from the ER and suppression of HIV infection. Passive transfer experiments showed that secreted CypB did not impact HIV infection. Combined, these experiments show that intracellular CypB modulates a pathway of HIV nuclear import. - Highlights: • CypB has been identified in several proteomic studies of HIV-1 infection. • CypB expression is upregulated in activated and infected T-cells. • Over-expression of CypB enhances HIV nuclear import and infection. • The N-terminus of CypB is necessary for these effects.

  4. Cyclophilin B enhances HIV-1 infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeBoer, Jason; Madson, Christian J.; Belshan, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Cyclophilin B (CypB) is a member of the immunophilin family and intracellular chaperone. It predominantly localizes to the ER, but also contains a nuclear localization signal and is secreted from cells. CypB has been shown to interact with the Gag protein of human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1). Several proteomic and genetic studies identified it as a potential factor involved in HIV replication. Herein, we show that over-expression of CypB enhances HIV infection by increasing nuclear import of viral DNA. This enhancement was unaffected by cyclosporine treatment and requires the N-terminus of the protein. The N-terminus contains an ER leader sequence, putative nuclear localization signal, and is required for secretion. Deletion of the N-terminus resulted in mislocalization from the ER and suppression of HIV infection. Passive transfer experiments showed that secreted CypB did not impact HIV infection. Combined, these experiments show that intracellular CypB modulates a pathway of HIV nuclear import. - Highlights: • CypB has been identified in several proteomic studies of HIV-1 infection. • CypB expression is upregulated in activated and infected T-cells. • Over-expression of CypB enhances HIV nuclear import and infection. • The N-terminus of CypB is necessary for these effects.

  5. Relationship between maternal hemoglobin and perinatal outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakhtiar, U.J.; Khan, Y.; Nisar, R.

    2007-01-01

    To Study the Relationship between Maternal Hemoglobin and Perinatal outcome in a cohort of 860 pregnant women and to highlight the importance of antenatal care regarding maternal health and fetal outcome. All Singleton pregnancies delivering at Pakistan Railway Hospital Rawalpindi from January 2004 to December 2005 that fulfilled the required criteria were included. Out of the 860 patients, 402 were anemic (<11gm/dl) and 458 were non anemic. Perinatal outcome included preterm delivery, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, perinatal death, low apgr scores and intrauterine fetal deaths. Risk of preterm and Low birth weight among anemic women was 3.4 and 1.8 times more than non anaemic women. The neonates of anemic woman also had 1.7 times increased risk of having low apgr scores at 1 min. Among anemic women there was 2.2 times greater risk of intrauterine fetal death than the non-anemic women. Regular antenatal care from first trimester has a vital role in assessing and managing maternal anemia timely and it directly affects the perinatal outcome. The patients with anemia have also higher risk of having low birth weight, preterm births and intra uterine fetal death. (author)

  6. Enrichment of intersubtype HIV-1 recombinants in a dual infection system using HIV-1 strain-specific siRNAs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Intersubtype HIV-1 recombinants in the form of unique or stable circulating recombinants forms (CRFs) are responsible for over 20% of infections in the worldwide epidemic. Mechanisms controlling the generation, selection, and transmission of these intersubtype HIV-1 recombinants still require further investigation. All intersubtype HIV-1 recombinants are generated and evolve from initial dual infections, but are difficult to identify in the human population. In vitro studies provide the most practical system to study mechanisms, but the recombination rates are usually very low in dual infections with primary HIV-1 isolates. This study describes the use of HIV-1 isolate-specific siRNAs to enrich intersubtype HIV-1 recombinants and inhibit the parental HIV-1 isolates from a dual infection. Results Following a dual infection with subtype A and D primary HIV-1 isolates and two rounds of siRNA treatment, nearly 100% of replicative virus was resistant to a siRNA specific for an upstream target sequence in the subtype A envelope (env) gene as well as a siRNA specific for a downstream target sequence in the subtype D env gene. Only 20% (10/50) of the replicating virus had nucleotide substitutions in the siRNA-target sequence whereas the remaining 78% (39/50) harbored a recombination breakpoint that removed both siRNA target sequences, and rendered the intersubtype D/A recombinant virus resistant to the dual siRNA treatment. Since siRNAs target the newly transcribed HIV-1 mRNA, the siRNAs only enrich intersubtype env recombinants and do not influence the recombination process during reverse transcription. Using this system, a strong bias is selected for recombination breakpoints in the C2 region, whereas other HIV-1 env regions, most notably the hypervariable regions, were nearly devoid of intersubtype recombination breakpoints. Sequence conservation plays an important role in selecting for recombination breakpoints, but the lack of breakpoints in many conserved

  7. Paradoxical centrally increased diffusivity in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stence, Nicholas V.; Mirsky, David M.; Deoni, Sean C.L.; Armstrong-Wells, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Restricted diffusion on acute MRI is the diagnostic standard for perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. In a subset of children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, primarily those with large infarct volumes, we noted a core of centrally increased diffusivity with a periphery of restricted diffusion. Given the paradoxical diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) appearance observed in some children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, we sought to determine its significance and hypothesized that: (1) centrally increased diffusivity is associated with larger infarcts in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and (2) this tissue is irreversibly injured (infarcted). We reviewed all perinatal arterial ischemic stroke cases in a prospective cohort study from Aug. 1, 2000, to Jan. 1, 2012. Infarct volumes were measured by drawing regions of interest around the periphery of the area of restricted diffusion on DWI. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare means between groups. Of 25 eligible cases, centrally increased diffusivity was seen in 4 (16%). Cases with centrally increased diffusivity had larger average infarct volumes (mean 117,182 mm 3 vs. 36,995 mm 3 ; P = 0.008), higher average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the infarct core (1,679 x 10 -6 mm 2 /s vs. 611 x 10 -6 mm 2 /s, P < 0.0001), and higher ADC ratio (1.2 vs. 0.5, P < 0.0001). At last clinical follow-up, children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and centrally increased diffusivity were more often treated for ongoing seizures (75% vs. 0%; P < 0.001) than those without. Centrally increased diffusivity was associated with larger stroke volume and the involved tissue was confirmed to be infarcted on follow-up imaging. Radiologists should be aware of this unusual appearance of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke in order to avoid underestimating infarct volume or making an incorrect early diagnosis. (orig.)

  8. Paradoxical centrally increased diffusivity in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stence, Nicholas V.; Mirsky, David M.; Deoni, Sean C.L. [University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Aurora, CO (United States); Children' s Hospital Colorado, Department of Radiology, Aurora, CO (United States); Armstrong-Wells, Jennifer [University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Neurology) and OB/GYN, Aurora, CO (United States); University of Colorado Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Aurora, CO (United States)

    2016-01-15

    Restricted diffusion on acute MRI is the diagnostic standard for perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. In a subset of children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, primarily those with large infarct volumes, we noted a core of centrally increased diffusivity with a periphery of restricted diffusion. Given the paradoxical diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) appearance observed in some children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, we sought to determine its significance and hypothesized that: (1) centrally increased diffusivity is associated with larger infarcts in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and (2) this tissue is irreversibly injured (infarcted). We reviewed all perinatal arterial ischemic stroke cases in a prospective cohort study from Aug. 1, 2000, to Jan. 1, 2012. Infarct volumes were measured by drawing regions of interest around the periphery of the area of restricted diffusion on DWI. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare means between groups. Of 25 eligible cases, centrally increased diffusivity was seen in 4 (16%). Cases with centrally increased diffusivity had larger average infarct volumes (mean 117,182 mm{sup 3} vs. 36,995 mm{sup 3}; P = 0.008), higher average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the infarct core (1,679 x 10{sup -6} mm{sup 2}/s vs. 611 x 10{sup -6} mm{sup 2}/s, P < 0.0001), and higher ADC ratio (1.2 vs. 0.5, P < 0.0001). At last clinical follow-up, children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and centrally increased diffusivity were more often treated for ongoing seizures (75% vs. 0%; P < 0.001) than those without. Centrally increased diffusivity was associated with larger stroke volume and the involved tissue was confirmed to be infarcted on follow-up imaging. Radiologists should be aware of this unusual appearance of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke in order to avoid underestimating infarct volume or making an incorrect early diagnosis. (orig.)

  9. Perinatal outcomes of pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šljivančanin Tamara

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Recent epidemiological studies showed significantly higher incidence of perinatal complications in newborns and women after the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART. Multiple pregnancies are more frequent after the use of ART. Singleton pregnancies following ART are more prone to preterm birth, low and very low birth weight (LBW and VLBW, small for gestational age (SGA and perinatal mortality. Objective. The aim of this study was to summarize the results of relevant articles and to evaluate whether the mode of conception is the determining factor for different pregnancy outcomes after assisted and natural conceptions. Methods. Eleven studies were included in this review. The following outcomes were observed: preterm and very preterm birth, SGA, LBW, VLBW, perinatal mortality, admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU, and Apgar score (As ≤7 at fifth minute. Qualitative analysis and quantitative assessment were performed. Results. For singletons, odds ratios were 1.794 (95% confidence interval 1.660-1.939 for preterm birth, 1.649 (1.301-2.089 for LBW, 1.265 (1.048-1.527 for SGA. Admission to NICU, As≤7 at fifth minute and perinatal mortality showed significantly different frequency after assisted conception. Summary of results for twin gestations showed no significant difference between ART and spontaneous conception for preterm birth (32-36 weeks, very preterm birth (<32 weeks, LBW and VLBW. Conclusion. Analyzed studies showed that infants from ART have significantly worse perinatal outcome compared with natural conception. More observational studies should be conducted in order to establish the exact mechanism leading to more frequent perinatal morbidity and mortality after the use of ART.

  10. [HIV and pregnancy: 2013 guidelines from the French expert working group].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandelbrot, L; Berrébi, A; Matheron, S; Blanche, S; Tubiana, R; Rouzioux, C; Faucher, P; Partisani, M; Boyer, V; Taeron, C; Faye, A; Bujan, L; Dabis, F; Warszawski, J; Morlat, P

    2014-09-01

    With effective antiretroviral therapy, the risk of mother to child transmission (MTCT) is now under 1%. The 2013 French guidelines emphasize early antiretroviral lifelong antiretroviral therapy. Thus, the current trend for women living with HIV is to take antiretroviral therapy before, during and after their pregnancies. A major issue today is the choice of antiretroviral drugs, to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of fetal exposure. This requires interdisciplinary care. The use of effective therapies permits gradual but profound changes in obstetric practice. When maternal plasma viral load is controlled (pregnancy is above 400 copies/mL. Intravenous zidovudine during labor is recommended only if the last maternal viral load is>400 copies/mL or in case of complications such as preterm delivery, bleeding or chorio-amnionitis during labor. In case of premature rupture of membranes before 34 weeks, a multidisciplinary decision should be made, based on gestational age and control of maternal viral load; if the woman is under antiretroviral therapy and especially if her viral load is undetectable, steroids and antibiotics should be offered and pregnancy can be continued except in case of signs or symptoms of chorio-amnionitis. Breastfeeding is not recommended in women living with HIV in France, as in industrialized countries. Prophylaxis in the newborn is usually zidovudine for 1 month. In case of significant exposure to HIV perinatally, in particular when, maternal viral load is>1000 copies/mL, prophylactic combination therapy is recommended. Monitoring of the child is necessary to determine whether or not it is free of HIV infection and to monitor possible adverse effects of perinatal exposure to antiretroviral drugs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Worldwide molecular epidemiology of HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henry I Z Requejo

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV is the worldwide disseminated causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS. HIV is a member of the Lentivirus genus of Retroviridae family and is grouped in two types named HIV-1 and HIV-2. These viruses have a notable ability to mutate and adapt to the new conditions of human environment. A large incidence of errors at the transcriptional level results in changes on the genetic bases during the reproductive cycle. The elevated genomic variability of HIV has carried important implications for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention as well as epidemiologic investigations. The present review describes important definitions and geographical distribution of subtypes, circulating recombinant forms and other genomic variations of HIV. The present study aimed at leading students of Biomedical Sciences and public health laboratory staff guidance to general and specific knowledge about the genomic variability of the HIV.

  12. Characteristics of HIV-1 discordant couples enrolled in a trial of HSV-2 suppression to reduce HIV-1 transmission: the partners study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jairam R Lingappa

    Full Text Available The Partners HSV-2/HIV-1 Transmission Study (Partners Study is a phase III, placebo-controlled trial of daily acyclovir for genital herpes (HSV-2 suppression among HIV-1/HSV-2 co-infected persons to reduce HIV-1 transmission to their HIV-1 susceptible partners, which requires recruitment of HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual couples. We describe the baseline characteristics of this cohort.HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual couples, in which the HIV-1 infected partner was HSV-2 seropositive, had a CD4 count >or=250 cells/mcL and was not on antiretroviral therapy, were enrolled at 14 sites in East and Southern Africa. Demographic, behavioral, clinical and laboratory characteristics were assessed.Of the 3408 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples enrolled, 67% of the HIV-1 infected partners were women. Couples had cohabitated for a median of 5 years (range 2-9 with 28% reporting unprotected sex in the month prior to enrollment. Among HIV-1 susceptible participants, 86% of women and 59% of men were HSV-2 seropositive. Other laboratory-diagnosed sexually transmitted infections were uncommon (500 relative to <350, respectively, p<0.001.The Partners Study successfully enrolled a cohort of 3408 heterosexual HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Africa at high risk for HIV-1 transmission. Follow-up of this cohort will evaluate the efficacy of acyclovir for HSV-2 suppression in preventing HIV-1 transmission and provide insights into biological and behavioral factors determining heterosexual HIV-1 transmission.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00194519.

  13. A three-source capture-recapture estimate of the number of new HIV diagnoses in children in France from 2003–2006 with multiple imputation of a variable of heterogeneous catchability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héraud-Bousquet Vanina

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Nearly all HIV infections in children worldwide are acquired through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding. The objective of our study was to estimate the number and rate of new HIV diagnoses in children less than 13 years of age in mainland France from 2003–2006. Methods We performed a capture-recapture analysis based on three sources of information: the mandatory HIV case reporting (DOVIH, the French Perinatal Cohort (ANRS-EPF and a laboratory-based surveillance of HIV (LaboVIH. The missing values of a variable of heterogeneous catchability were estimated through multiple imputation. Log-linear modelling provided estimates of the number of new HIV infections in children, taking into account dependencies between sources and variables of heterogeneous catchability. Results The three sources observed 216 new HIV diagnoses after record-linkage. The number of new HIV diagnoses in children was estimated at 387 (95%CI [271–503] from 2003–2006, among whom 60% were born abroad. The estimated rate of new HIV diagnoses in children in mainland France was 9.1 per million in 2006 and was 38 times higher in children born abroad than in those born in France. The estimated completeness of the three sources combined was 55.8% (95% CI [42.9 – 79.7] and varied according to the source; the completeness of DOVIH (28.4% and ANRS-EPF (26.1% were lower than that of LaboVIH (33.3%. Conclusion Our study provided, for the first time, an estimated annual rate of new HIV diagnoses in children under 13 years old in mainland France. A more systematic HIV screening of pregnant women that is repeated during pregnancy among women likely to engage in risky behaviour is needed to optimise the prevention of MTCT. HIV screening for children who migrate from countries with high HIV prevalence to France could be recommended to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.

  14. Missed Opportunities for Repeat HIV Testing in Pregnancy: Implications for Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Caiyun; Golden, William Christopher; Anderson, Jean R; Coleman, Jenell S

    2017-01-01

    HIV testing is an effective intervention that is used for reducing perinatal HIV transmission. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a second HIV test during the third trimester of pregnancy for women in settings with an elevated HIV incidence (≥17 cases per 100,000 person-years). We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a single hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, to determine whether a second HIV test was done and to compare HIV retesting with mandated syphilis retesting. Of women who delivered at this hospital, 98.8% received prenatal care. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were performed. Among 1632 women, mean age was 27.6 years (standard deviation: 6.3), 59.6% were black, and 55.5% were single. HIV retesting was done in 28.4% of women, which was significantly less often compared with the state-mandated syphilis retesting (78.7%, p HIV retest were 15 times higher among women who received prenatal care at a teaching clinic [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 15.58; 95% confidence interval (CI): 11.12-21.81], and they were lower among women with private insurance (aOR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34-0.86). The odds of having a syphilis retest were twice as high among women who received prenatal care at a faculty practice (aOR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.53-3.09), and they were lower among women with private insurance (aOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88). Emphasizing an "opt-out" HIV retesting approach through state laws may minimize risk perception, and this is one strategy that can be considered in areas of high HIV incidence to reach the goal of eliminating perinatal HIV transmission in the United States.

  15. Mother-to-Child HIV-1 Transmission Events Are Differentially Impacted by Breast Milk and Its Components from HIV-1-Infected Women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruizhong Shen

    Full Text Available Breast milk is a vehicle of infection and source of protection in post-natal mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission (MTCT. Understanding the mechanism by which breast milk limits vertical transmission will provide critical insight into the design of preventive and therapeutic approaches to interrupt HIV-1 mucosal transmission. However, characterization of the inhibitory activity of breast milk in human intestinal mucosa, the portal of entry in postnatal MTCT, has been constrained by the limited availability of primary mucosal target cells and tissues to recapitulate mucosal transmission ex vivo. Here, we characterized the impact of skimmed breast milk, breast milk antibodies (Igs and non-Ig components from HIV-1-infected Ugandan women on the major events of HIV-1 mucosal transmission using primary human intestinal cells and tissues. HIV-1-specific IgG antibodies and non-Ig components in breast milk inhibited the uptake of Ugandan HIV-1 isolates by primary human intestinal epithelial cells, viral replication in and transport of HIV-1- bearing dendritic cells through the human intestinal mucosa. Breast milk HIV-1-specific IgG and IgA, as well as innate factors, blocked the uptake and transport of HIV-1 through intestinal mucosa. Thus, breast milk components have distinct and complementary effects in reducing HIV-1 uptake, transport through and replication in the intestinal mucosa and, therefore, likely contribute to preventing postnatal HIV-1 transmission. Our data suggests that a successful preventive or therapeutic approach would require multiple immune factors acting at multiple steps in the HIV-1 mucosal transmission process.

  16. Persistent HIV antigenaemia and decline of HIV core antibodies associated with transition to AIDS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lange, J. M.; Paul, D. A.; Huisman, H. G.; de Wolf, F.; van den Berg, H.; Coutinho, R. A.; Danner, S. A.; van der Noordaa, J.; Goudsmit, J.

    1986-01-01

    Sequential serum samples from 13 homosexual men who seroconverted for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were tested for HIV antigen. In one of these men, who developed the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), HIV antigenaemia preceded the onset of AIDS by more than a year and

  17. HIV-1 Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vanangamudi, Murugesan; Poongavanam, Vasanthanathan; Namasivayam, Vigneshwaran

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Design of inhibitors for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibition (HIV-1 RT) is one of the successful chemotherapies for the treatment of HIV infection. Among the inhibitors available for HIV-1 RT, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) have shown to be very promising......: The conformation dependent-alignment based (CoMFA and CoMSIA) methods have been proven very successful ligand based strategy in the drug design. Here, CoMFA and CoMSIA studies reported for structurally distinct NNRTIs including thiazolobenzimidazole, dipyridodiazepinone, 1,1,3-trioxo [1,2,4]-thiadiazine...

  18. 1,4-Bis(5-(naphthalen-1-yl)thiophen-2-yl)naphthalene, a small molecule, functions as a novel anti-HIV-1 inhibitor targeting the interaction between integrase and cellular Lens epithelium-derived growth factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Wan-gang; Ip, Denis Tsz-Ming; Liu, Si-jie; Chan, Joseph H; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Xuan; Zheng, Yong-tang; Wan, David Chi-Cheong

    2014-04-25

    Translocation of viral integrase (IN) into the nucleus is a critical precondition of integration during the life cycle of HIV, a causative agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes (AIDS). As the first discovered cellular factor to interact with IN, Lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF/p75) plays an important role in the process of integration. Disruption of the LEDGF/p75-IN interaction has provided a great interest for anti-HIV agent discovery. In this work, we reported that one small molecular compound, 1,4-bis(5-(naphthalen-1-yl)thiophen-2-yl)naphthalene(Compound 15), potently inhibit the IN-LEDGF/p75 interaction and affect the HIV-1 IN nuclear distribution at 1 μM. The putative binding mode of Compound 15 was constructed by a molecular docking simulation to provide structural insights into the ligand-binding mechanism. Compound 15 suppressed viral replication by measuring p24 antigen production in HIV-1IIIB acute infected C8166 cells with EC50 value of 11.19 μM. Compound 15 might supply useful structural information for further anti-HIV agent discovery. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  19. Experiences of lay counsellors who provide VCT for PMTCT of HIV and AIDS in the Capricorn district, Limpopo Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.N. Malema

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV and Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS still carry a stigma in the community. Many people do not know their status and they are still reluctant to be tested including pregnant women despite the fact that Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT is offered for free in South Africa. In South Africa VCT for HIV and AIDS is offered by lay counsellors in public hospitals and clinics. The study conducted by Mate, Bennet, Mphatswe, Barker and Rollins (2009:5483 outlined that in South Africa the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT of HIV guidelines have raised hope that the national goal of reducing perinatal HIV transmission rates to less than 5% can be attained. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was conducted in 15 public clinics of the Polokwane Municipality in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. The purpose of the study was to determine the experiences of the lay counsellors who provide VCT for the PMTCT of HIV and AIDS in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. Data were collected through one-to-one interviews using a semi-structured guide (De Vos et al, 2006:296. The findings of the study reflected the following: the content of training and counselling skills received by lay counsellors were satisfactory, there was lack of counsellor support and in-service education. A program for in-service education and support for all lay counsellors who have had VCT training should be conceptualised and implemented.

  20. Experiences of lay counsellors who provide VCT for PMTCT of HIV and AIDS in the Capricorn district, Limpopo Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. N. Malema

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV and Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS still carry a stigma in the community. Many people do not know their status and they are still reluctant to be tested including pregnant women despite the fact that Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT is offered for free in South Africa. In South Africa VCT for HIV and AIDS is offered by lay counsellors in public hospitals and clinics. The study conducted by Mate, Bennet, Mphatswe, Barker and Rollins (2009:5483 outlined that in South Africa the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT of HIV guidelines have raised hope that the national goal of reducing perinatal HIV transmission rates to less than 5% can be attained. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was conducted in 15 public clinics of the Polokwane Municipality in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. The purpose of the study was to determine the experiences of the lay counsellors who provide VCT for the PMTCT of HIV and AIDS in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. Data were collected through one-to-one interviews using a semi-structured guide (De Vos et al, 2006:296. The findings of the study reflected the following: the content of training and counselling skills received by lay counsellors were satisfactory, there was lack of counsellor support and in-service education. A program for in-service education and support for all lay counsellors who have had VCT training should be conceptualised and implemented.

  1. The intersection of abandonment, HIV-positive status and residential ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Although anti-retroviral treatments have significantly reduced the incidence of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS, there remains, for the foreseeable future, a group of adolescents who have been perinatally infected. Noting the paucity of information regarding the impact of paediatric AIDS and its intersection with ...

  2. Identifying risks for mental health problems in HIV positive ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Mental health problems of adolescents are underserved in low and middle-income countries where they account for a significant proportion of disease burden. Perinatally infected HIV-positive adolescents have a high prevalence of mental health disorders; however, little is known about those retained in care in ...

  3. V3-independent competitive resistance of a dual-X4 HIV-1 to the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yosuke Maeda

    Full Text Available A CXCR4 inhibitor-resistant HIV-1 was isolated from a dual-X4 HIV-1 in vitro. The resistant variant displayed competitive resistance to the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100, indicating that the resistant variant had a higher affinity for CXCR4 than that of the wild-type HIV-1. Amino acid sequence analyses revealed that the resistant variant harbored amino acid substitutions in the V2, C2, and C4 regions, but no remarkable changes in the V3 loop. Site-directed mutagenesis confirmed that the changes in the C2 and C4 regions were principally involved in the reduced sensitivity to AMD3100. Furthermore, the change in the C4 region was associated with increased sensitivity to soluble CD4, and profoundly enhanced the entry efficiency of the virus. Therefore, it is likely that the resistant variant acquired the higher affinity for CD4/CXCR4 by the changes in non-V3 regions. Taken together, a CXCR4 inhibitor-resistant HIV-1 can evolve using a non-V3 pathway.

  4. HIV and STI prevalence and determinants among male migrant workers in India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangeeta S Dave

    Full Text Available Our objective was to estimate for the first time the prevalence and determinants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 and sexually transmitted infections (STIs among male migrants in India.We conducted a multi-stage stratified probability sample survey of migrant (defined as not born in Surat city men aged 18 to 49 years working in the diamond and textile industries in Surat city. Behavioural and biological data were collected. Biological data included laboratory diagnosed herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, Trichomonas vaginalis (together defined as 'any STI' and HIV-1. Likely recently acquired STIs included chlamydia, gonorrhoea, T. vaginalis and syphilis with rapid plasma reagin ≥1:8. The response rate was 77% (845/1099. Among 841 participants, HIV-1 prevalence was 1.0%, 'any STI' prevalence was 9.5% and 38.9% of these STIs were likely to have been recently acquired. Being a diamond worker, Surat resident for 10+ years and recent antibiotic use were each associated with higher odds of 'any STI' (aORs 1.83 (95% CI 1.09-3.09, 1.98 (95% CI 1.22-3.22 and 2.57 (95% CI 1 .17-5.64, respectively after adjusting for the other two factors and age. The main study limitation was social desirability bias for self-reported sexual behaviour; STIs were diagnosed in some self-reported virgins.HIV and STI prevalence were lower than expected, but prevention interventions remain necessary in Surat since almost 40% of STIs among participants were probably recently acquired and sentinel surveillance HIV prevalence remains high. The participants had a similar HIV prevalence to Surat antenatal clinic attendees, a proxy for the general population. This suggests migrants are not always at higher risk of HIV compared to the general population in their migration destination. Our findings highlight the need to contextualise research findings from a specific setting with other local information to guide HIV/STI prevention

  5. Género, salud materna y la paradoja perinatal

    OpenAIRE

    Simone Grilo DINIZ

    2010-01-01

    En los últimos 20 años mejoraron prácticamente todos los indicadores de salud materna en el Brasil, así como hubo un amplio acceso a los servicios de salud. Gender, maternal health and the perinatal paradox1 Gênero, saúde materna e o paradoxo perinatal Género, salud materna y la paradoja perinatal REFLEXÕES SOBRE HUMANIZAÇÃO E A REALIDADE DOS SERVIÇOS REFLECTIONS ON HUMANIZATION AND THE REALITY OF HEALTH SERVICES REFLEXIONES SOBRE LA HUMANIZACIÓN Y LA REALIDAD DE LO...

  6. Disclosure of their HIV status to perinatally infected youth using the adapted Blasini disclosure model in Haiti and the Dominican Republic: preliminary results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck-Sagué, Consuelo M.; Dévieux, Jessy; Pinzón-Iregui, Maria Claudia; Lerebours-Nadal, Leonel; Abreu-Pérez, Rosa; Bertrand, Rachel; Rouzier, Vanessa; Gaston, Stephanie; Ibanez, Gladys; Halpern, Mina; Pape, Jean W.; Dorceus, Patricia; Preston, Sharice M.; Dean, Andrew G.; Nicholas, Stephen W.; Blasini, Ileana

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To assess the safety, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a culturally-adapted disclosure intervention for perinatally HIV-infected combined antiretroviral therapy patients in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Design A quasi-experimental trial was conducted comparing caregiver–youth pairs who completed the intervention [adapted Blasini disclosure model (aBDM)] to pairs who discontinued aBDM participation before disclosure. aBDM consists of five components: structured healthcare worker training; one-on one pre-disclosure intervention/education sessions for youth (describing pediatric chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes and HIV) and for caregivers (strengthening capacity for disclosure); a scheduled supportive disclosure session; and one-on-one postdisclosure support for caregivers and youth. Methods Caregivers of nondisclosed combined antiretroviral therapy patients aged 10.0–17.8 years were invited to participate. Data were collected by separate one-on-one face-to-face interviews of caregivers and youth by study staff and medical record review by pediatricians at enrollment and 3 months after disclosure or after intervention discontinuation. Results To date, 65 Dominican Republic and 27 Haiti caregiver–youth pairs have enrolled. At enrollment, only 46.4% of youth had viral suppression and 43.4% of caregivers had clinically significant depressive symptomatology. To date, two serious study-related adverse events have occurred. Seven of the 92 (7.6%, 6 in the Dominican Republic) enrolled pairs discontinued participation before disclosure and 39 had completed postdisclosure participation. Median plasma HIV-RNA concentration was lower in youth who completed aBDM than in youth who discontinued participation before aBDM disclosure (<40 versus 8673 copies/ml; P = 0.027). Completers expressed considerable satisfaction with aBDM. Conclusion Preliminary results suggest safety, acceptability, and possible effectiveness of the aBDM. PMID:26049543

  7. Molecular insights on analogs of HIV PR inhibitors toward HTLV-1 PR through QM/MM interactions and molecular dynamics studies: comparative structure analysis of wild and mutant HTLV-1 PR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selvaraj, Chandrabose; Singh, Poonam; Singh, Sanjeev Kumar

    2014-12-01

    Retroviruses HTLV-1 and HIV-1 are the primary causative agents of fatal adult T-cell leukemia and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) disease. Both retroviruses are similar in characteristics mechanism, and it encodes for protease that mainly involved in the viral replication process. On the basis of the therapeutic success of HIV-1 PR inhibitors, the protease of HTLV-1 is mainly considered as a potential target for chemotherapy. At the same time, structural similarities in both enzymes that originate HIV PR inhibitors can also be an HTLV-1 PR inhibitor. But the expectations failed because of rejection of HIV PR inhibitors from the HTLV-1 PR binding pocket. In this present study, the reason for the HIV PR inhibitor rejection from the HTLV-1 binding site was identified through sequence analysis and molecular dynamics simulation method. Functional analysis of M37A mutation in HTLV PR clearly shows that the MET37 specificity and screening of potential inhibitors targeting MET37 is performed by using approved 90% similar HIV PR inhibitor compounds. From this approach, we report few compounds with a tendency to accept/donate electron specifically to an important site residue MET37 in HTLV-1 PR binding pocket. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. The cytosolic exonuclease TREX1 inhibits the innate immune response to HIV-1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Nan; Regalado-Magdos, Ashton D.; Stiggelbout, Bart; Lee-Kirsch, Min Ae; Lieberman, Judy

    2010-01-01

    Viral infection triggers innate immune sensors to produce type I interferons (IFN). However, HIV infection of T cells and macrophages does not trip these alarms. How HIV avoids activating nucleic acid sensors is unknown. The cytosolic exonuclease TREX1 suppressed IFN triggered by HIV. In Trex1−/− mouse cells and human CD4+ T cells and macrophages in which TREX1 was inhibited by RNA interference, cytosolic HIV DNA accumulated, and HIV infection induced type I IFN that inhibited HIV replication and spreading. TREX1 bound to cytosolic HIV DNA and digested excess HIV DNA that would otherwise activate IFN expression via a TBK1, STING and IRF3 dependent pathway. HIV-stimulated IFN production in cells deficient in TREX1 did not involve known nucleic acid sensors. PMID:20871604

  9. Cocaine modulates HIV-1 integration in primary CD4+ T cells: implications in HIV-1 pathogenesis in drug-abusing patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addai, Amma B.; Pandhare, Jui; Paromov, Victor; Mantri, Chinmay K.; Pratap, Siddharth; Dash, Chandravanu

    2015-01-01

    Epidemiologic studies suggest that cocaine abuse worsens HIV-1 disease progression. Increased viral load has been suggested to play a key role for the accelerated HIV disease among cocaine-abusing patients. The goal of this study was to investigate whether cocaine enhances proviral DNA integration as a mechanism to increase viral load. We infected CD4+ T cells that are the primary targets of HIV-1 in vivo and treated the cells with physiologically relevant concentrations of cocaine (1 µM–100 µM). Proviral DNA integration in the host genome was measured by nested qPCR. Our results illustrated that cocaine from 1 µM through 50 µM increased HIV-1 integration in CD4+ T cells in a dose-dependent manner. As integration can be modulated by several early postentry steps of HIV-1 infection, we examined the direct effects of cocaine on viral integration by in vitro integration assays by use of HIV-1 PICs. Our data illustrated that cocaine directly increases viral DNA integration. Furthermore, our MS analysis showed that cocaine is able to enter CD4+ T cells and localize to the nucleus-. In summary, our data provide strong evidence that cocaine can increase HIV-1 integration in CD4+ T cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that increased HIV-1 integration is a novel mechanism by which cocaine enhances viral load and worsens disease progression in drug-abusing HIV-1 patients. PMID:25691383

  10. 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.

  11. Development of an HIV-1 Subtype Panel in China: Isolation and Characterization of 30 HIV-1 Primary Strains Circulating in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingwan Han

    Full Text Available The complex epidemic and significant diversity of HIV-1 strains in China pose serious challenges for surveillance and diagnostic assays, vaccine development and clinical management. There is a lack of HIV-1 isolates in current canonical HIV-1 subtype panels that can represent HIV-1 diversity in China; an HIV-1 subtype panel for China is urgently needed.Blood samples were collected from HIV-1 infected patients participating in the drug-resistance surveillance program in China. The samples were isolated, cultured and stored as neat culture supernatant. The HIV-1 isolates were fully characterized. The panel was used to compare 2 viral load assays and 2 p24 assays as the examples of how this panel could be used.An HIV-1 subtype panel for China composed of 30 HIV-1 primary strains of four subtypes (B [including Thai-B], CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC and G was established. The samples were isolated and cultured to a high-titer (10(6-10(9 copies/ml/high-volume (40 ml. The HIV-1 isolates were fully characterized by the final viral load, p24 concentration, gag-pol and envC2V3 sequencing, co-receptor prediction, determination of the four amino acids at the tip of the env V3-loop, glycosylation sites in the V3 loop and the drug-resistance mutations. The comparison of two p24 assays and two viral load assays on the isolates illustrated how this panel may be used for the evaluation of diagnostic assay performance. The Pearson value between p24 assays were 0.938. The viral load results showed excellent concordance and agreement for samples of Thai-B, but lower correlations for samples of CRF01_AE.The current panel of 30 HIV-1 isolates served as a basis for the development of a comprehensive panel of fully characterized viral isolates, which could reflect the current dynamic and complex HIV-1 epidemic in China. This panel will be available to support HIV-1 research, assay evaluation, vaccine and drug development.

  12. A retrospective study of HIV, antiretroviral therapy, and pregnancy-associated hypertension among women in Lusaka, Zambia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoner, Marie C D; Vwalika, Bellington; Smid, Marcela C; George, Shalin; Chi, Benjamin H; Stringer, Elizabeth M; Stringer, Jeffrey S A

    2016-09-01

    To investigate the association between HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and pregnancy-associated hypertension (PAH) in an HIV-endemic setting. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of pregnant women for whom information was recorded between February 2006 and December 2012 in the Zambia Electronic Perinatal Record System, which captures data from 25 facilities in Lusaka, Zambia. PAH was defined as eclampsia, pre-eclampsia, hypertension, or elevated blood pressure (>140/80mm Hg) during delivery admission. Logistic regression estimated the odds of PAH among women by HIV serostatus, and by most recent CD4 T lymphocyte count and ART status among women with HIV infection. Among 249 771 women included in the analysis, 5354 (2.1%) had PAH. Compared with women without HIV infection, women with HIV infection not receiving ART had lower odds of PAH (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.95), whereas those with HIV infection who had initiated ART had higher odds of PAH (AOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01-1.32). No association was found between PAH and timing of ART initiation or CD4 lymphocyte count. In a large African urban cohort, women with untreated HIV infection had the lowest odds of PAH. Treatment with ART could increase PAH risk beyond that of women without HIV infection and those with untreated infection. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  13. HIV-1 Reservoir Association with Immune Activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Vallejo

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available In this issue of EBioMedicine, Ruggiero and colleagues describe immune activation biomarkers associated with the size of the HIV reservoir in a carefully designed cross-sectional study. The cohort consists of a homogeneous sample of HIV-1-infected patients with long-term plasma HIV-1 RNA suppression under antiretroviral treatment (ART. It is crucial to explore the potential utility of biomarkers that are easier (less labor intensive, less expensive to measure than integrated HIV DNA load, in order to quickly and accurately quantify cellular reservoirs of HIV.

  14. STD patients’ preferences for HIV prevention strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castro JG

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Jose G Castro,1 Deborah L Jones,2 Stephen M Weiss2 1Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA Abstract: The objective of this pilot study was to explore the knowledge of and preferences regarding effective biomedical interventions among high risk individuals attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic, and to examine the effect of a brief information intervention on preference. Participants completed a baseline assessment, attended a presentation on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV prevention methods, and completed a postintervention assessment. Outcome measures included: demographics and sexual risk factors, self-perceived HIV risk, and knowledge and attitudes regarding new biomedical methods of HIV prevention. After the baseline evaluation, participants were provided with information on new biomedical prevention strategies. Participants were given the option to review the information by reading a pamphlet or by viewing a brief video containing the same information. Participants (n=97 were female (n=51 and male (n=46. At baseline, only a small minority of participants were aware of the newer biomedical strategies to prevent HIV infection. Postintervention, 40% endorsed having heard about the use of HIV medications to prevent HIV infection; 72% had heard that male circumcision can decrease the risk of acquiring HIV infection in men; and 73% endorsed knowledge of the potential role of microbicides in decreasing the risk of acquiring HIV. Following the intervention, the most preferred prevention method was male condoms, followed by preexposure prophylaxis, and microbicides. The least preferred methods were male circumcision and female condoms. This study provides preliminary information on knowledge and attitudes regarding newer biomedical interventions to protect against HIV infection. Keywords: STD clinic, biomedical HIV prevention, PrEP, male

  15. Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination in HIV-1-Infected Young Adults: A Tool to Reduce the Size of HIV-1 Reservoirs?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekele, Yonas; Graham, Rebecka Lantto; Soeria-Atmadja, Sandra; Nasi, Aikaterini; Zazzi, Maurizio; Vicenti, Ilaria; Naver, Lars; Nilsson, Anna; Chiodi, Francesca

    2017-01-01

    During anti-retroviral therapy (ART) HIV-1 persists in cellular reservoirs, mostly represented by CD4+ memory T cells. Several approaches are currently being undertaken to develop a cure for HIV-1 infection through elimination (or reduction) of these reservoirs. Few studies have so far been conducted to assess the possibility of reducing the size of HIV-1 reservoirs through vaccination in virologically controlled HIV-1-infected children. We recently conducted a vaccination study with a combined hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine in 22 HIV-1-infected children. We assessed the size of the virus reservoir, measured as total HIV-1 DNA copies in blood cells, pre- and postvaccination. In addition, we investigated by immunostaining whether the frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and parameters of immune activation and proliferation on these cells were modulated by vaccination. At 1 month from the last vaccination dose, we found that 20 out of 22 children mounted a serological response to HBV; a majority of children had antibodies against HAV at baseline. The number of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood at 1 month postvaccination was reduced in comparison to baseline although this reduction was not statistically significant. A significant reduction of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood following vaccination was found in 12 children. The frequencies of CD4+ (naïve, effector memory) and CD8+ (central memory) T-cell subpopulations changed following vaccinations and a reduction in the activation and proliferation pattern of these cells was also noticed. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of CD8+ effector memory T cells prior to vaccination was strongly predictive of the reduction of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood following vaccination of the 22 HIV-1-infected children. The results of this study suggest a beneficial effect of vaccination to reduce the size of virus reservoir in HIV-1-infected children receiving ART. A reduced frequency of

  16. Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination in HIV-1-Infected Young Adults: A Tool to Reduce the Size of HIV-1 Reservoirs?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yonas Bekele

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available During anti-retroviral therapy (ART HIV-1 persists in cellular reservoirs, mostly represented by CD4+ memory T cells. Several approaches are currently being undertaken to develop a cure for HIV-1 infection through elimination (or reduction of these reservoirs. Few studies have so far been conducted to assess the possibility of reducing the size of HIV-1 reservoirs through vaccination in virologically controlled HIV-1-infected children. We recently conducted a vaccination study with a combined hepatitis A virus (HAV and hepatitis B virus (HBV vaccine in 22 HIV-1-infected children. We assessed the size of the virus reservoir, measured as total HIV-1 DNA copies in blood cells, pre- and postvaccination. In addition, we investigated by immunostaining whether the frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and parameters of immune activation and proliferation on these cells were modulated by vaccination. At 1 month from the last vaccination dose, we found that 20 out of 22 children mounted a serological response to HBV; a majority of children had antibodies against HAV at baseline. The number of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood at 1 month postvaccination was reduced in comparison to baseline although this reduction was not statistically significant. A significant reduction of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood following vaccination was found in 12 children. The frequencies of CD4+ (naïve, effector memory and CD8+ (central memory T-cell subpopulations changed following vaccinations and a reduction in the activation and proliferation pattern of these cells was also noticed. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of CD8+ effector memory T cells prior to vaccination was strongly predictive of the reduction of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood following vaccination of the 22 HIV-1-infected children. The results of this study suggest a beneficial effect of vaccination to reduce the size of virus reservoir in HIV-1-infected children receiving ART. A reduced

  17. Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination in HIV-1-Infected Young Adults: A Tool to Reduce the Size of HIV-1 Reservoirs?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekele, Yonas; Graham, Rebecka Lantto; Soeria-Atmadja, Sandra; Nasi, Aikaterini; Zazzi, Maurizio; Vicenti, Ilaria; Naver, Lars; Nilsson, Anna; Chiodi, Francesca

    2018-01-01

    During anti-retroviral therapy (ART) HIV-1 persists in cellular reservoirs, mostly represented by CD4+ memory T cells. Several approaches are currently being undertaken to develop a cure for HIV-1 infection through elimination (or reduction) of these reservoirs. Few studies have so far been conducted to assess the possibility of reducing the size of HIV-1 reservoirs through vaccination in virologically controlled HIV-1-infected children. We recently conducted a vaccination study with a combined hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine in 22 HIV-1-infected children. We assessed the size of the virus reservoir, measured as total HIV-1 DNA copies in blood cells, pre- and postvaccination. In addition, we investigated by immunostaining whether the frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and parameters of immune activation and proliferation on these cells were modulated by vaccination. At 1 month from the last vaccination dose, we found that 20 out of 22 children mounted a serological response to HBV; a majority of children had antibodies against HAV at baseline. The number of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood at 1 month postvaccination was reduced in comparison to baseline although this reduction was not statistically significant. A significant reduction of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood following vaccination was found in 12 children. The frequencies of CD4+ (naïve, effector memory) and CD8+ (central memory) T-cell subpopulations changed following vaccinations and a reduction in the activation and proliferation pattern of these cells was also noticed. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of CD8+ effector memory T cells prior to vaccination was strongly predictive of the reduction of HIV-1 DNA copies in blood following vaccination of the 22 HIV-1-infected children. The results of this study suggest a beneficial effect of vaccination to reduce the size of virus reservoir in HIV-1-infected children receiving ART. A reduced frequency of

  18. A HIV-1 heterosexual transmission chain in Guangzhou, China: a molecular epidemiological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Zhigang; Leung, Tommy W C; Zhao, Jinkou; Wang, Ming; Fan, Lirui; Li, Kai; Pang, Xinli; Liang, Zhenbo; Lim, Wilina W L; Xu, Huifang

    2009-09-25

    We conducted molecular analyses to confirm four clustering HIV-1 infections (Patient A, B, C & D) in Guangzhou, China. These cases were identified by epidemiological investigation and suspected to acquire the infection through a common heterosexual transmission chain. Env C2V3V4 region, gag p17/p24 junction and partial pol gene of HIV-1 genome from serum specimens of these infected cases were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nucleotide sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that their viral nucleotide sequences were significantly clustered together (bootstrap value is 99%, 98% and 100% in env, gag and pol tree respectively). Evolutionary distance analysis indicated that their genetic diversities of env, gag and pol genes were significantly lower than non-clustered controls, as measured by unpaired t-test (env gene comparison: p Epidemiological results and molecular analyses consistently illustrated these four cases represented a transmission chain which dispersed in the locality through heterosexual contact involving commercial sex worker.

  19. Southern African guidelines on the safe use of pre-exposure prophylaxis in persons at risk of acquiring HIV-1 infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda-Gail Bekker

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society published its first set of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP guidelines in June 2012 for men who have sex with men (MSM who are at risk of HIV infection. With the flurry of data that has been generated in PrEP clinical research since the first guideline, it became evident that there was a need to revise and expand the PrEP guidelines with new evidence of safety and efficacy of PrEP in several populations, including MSM, transgender persons, heterosexual men and women, HIV-serodiscordant couples and people who inject drugs. This need is particularly relevant following the World Health Organization (WHO Consolidated Treatment Guidelines released in September 2015. These guidelines advise that PrEP is a highly effective, safe, biomedical option for HIV prevention that can be incorporated with other combination prevention strategies in Southern Africa, given the high prevalence of HIV in the region. PrEP should be tailored to populations at highest risk of HIV acquisition, whilst further data from studies in the region accrue to guide optimal deployment to realise the greatest impact regionally. PrEP may be used intermittently during periods of perceived HIV acquisition risk, rather than continually and lifelong, as is the case with antiretroviral treatment. Recognition and accurate measurement of potential risk in individuals and populations also warrants discussion, but are not extensively covered in these guidelines.

  20. Southern African guidelines on the safe use of pre-exposure prophylaxis in persons at risk of acquiring HIV-1 infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebe, Kevin; Venter, Francois; Maartens, Gary; Moorhouse, Michelle; Conradie, Francesca; Wallis, Carole; Black, Vivian; Harley, Beth; Eakles, Robyn

    2016-01-01

    The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society published its first set of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) guidelines in June 2012 for men who have sex with men (MSM) who are at risk of HIV infection. With the flurry of data that has been generated in PrEP clinical research since the first guideline, it became evident that there was a need to revise and expand the PrEP guidelines with new evidence of safety and efficacy of PrEP in several populations, including MSM, transgender persons, heterosexual men and women, HIV-serodiscordant couples and people who inject drugs. This need is particularly relevant following the World Health Organization (WHO) Consolidated Treatment Guidelines released in September 2015. These guidelines advise that PrEP is a highly effective, safe, biomedical option for HIV prevention that can be incorporated with other combination prevention strategies in Southern Africa, given the high prevalence of HIV in the region. PrEP should be tailored to populations at highest risk of HIV acquisition, whilst further data from studies in the region accrue to guide optimal deployment to realise the greatest impact regionally. PrEP may be used intermittently during periods of perceived HIV acquisition risk, rather than continually and lifelong, as is the case with antiretroviral treatment. Recognition and accurate measurement of potential risk in individuals and populations also warrants discussion, but are not extensively covered in these guidelines. PMID:29568613

  1. [Tobacco control policies and perinatal health].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peelen, M J; Sheikh, A; Kok, M; Hajenius, P; Zimmermann, L J; Kramer, B W; Hukkelhoven, C W; Reiss, I K; Mol, B W; Been, J V

    2017-01-01

    Study the association between the introduction of tobacco control policies in the Netherlands and changes in perinatal outcomes. National quasi-experimental study. We used Netherlands Perinatal Registry data (now called Perined) for the period 2000-2011. We studied whether the introduction of smoke-free legislation in workplaces plus a tobacco tax increase and mass media campaign in January 2004, and extension of the smoke-free law to the hospitality industry accompanied by another tax increase and media campaign in July 2008, was associated with changes in perinatal outcomes. We studied all singleton births (gestational age: 24+0 to 42+6 weeks). Our primary outcome measures were: perinatal mortality, preterm birth and being small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Interrupted time series logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate changes in these outcomes occurred after the introduction of the aforementioned tobacco control policies (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02189265). Among 2,069,695 singleton births, 13,027 (0.6%) perinatal deaths, 116,043 (5.6%) preterm live-births and 187,966 (9.1%) SGA live-births were observed. The policies introduced in January 2004 were not associated with significant changes in any of the primary outcome measures. A -4.4% (95% CI: -6.4 to -2.4; p hospitality industry, a further tax increase and another media campaign. This translates to an estimated over 500 cases of SGA being averted per year. A reduction in SGA births, but not preterm birth or perinatal mortality, was observed in the Netherlands after extension of the smoke-free workplace law to include bars and restaurants, in conjunction with a tax increase and media campaign in 2008.

  2. Curcumin derivatives as HIV-1 protease inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sui, Z.; Li, J.; Craik, C.S.; Ortiz de Montellano, P.R. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

    1993-12-31

    Curcumin, a non-toxic natural compound from Curcuma longa, has been found to be an HIV-1 protease inhibitor. Some of its derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against the HIV-1 protease was tested. Curcumin analogues containing boron enhanced the inhibitory activity. At least of the the synthesized compounds irreversibly inhibits the HIV-1 protease.

  3. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1: advances and controversies of the twentieth centuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarlatti, G

    2004-01-01

    Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the overwhelming source of HIV-1 infection in young children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during the year 2003, despite effective antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, there were approximately 700,000 new infections in children worldwide, the majority of whom were from resource-limited countries. Alternative protocols to the long-course and complex regimens of ARV drugs, which in high-income countries have almost eradicated HIV MTCT, have been shown to reduce early transmission rates by 38-50%. However, the accumulation of drug resistance and the long-term toxicities of ARVs mean that alternative approaches need to be developed. Furthermore, transmission via breastfeeding, which accounts for one third of all transmission events, can reduce the benefits of short-course therapies given to women for the prevention of MTCT. The complex mechanisms and determinants of HIV-1 MTCT and its prevention in the different routes of transmission are still not completely understood. Despite the large contribution that many international agencies have made during the past 10-15 years in support of observational and intervention trials, as well as basic scientific research, HIV-1 MTCT intervention trials and basic research often are not integrated, leading to the generation of a fragmented picture. Maternal RNA levels, CD4+ T-cell counts, mode of delivery and gestational age were shown to be independent factors associated with transmission. However, these markers are only partial surrogates and cannot be used as absolute predictors of MTCT of HIV-1. Studies on the role of viral characteristics, immune response and host genomic polymorphisms did not always achieve conclusive results. Although CCR5-using viruses are preferentially carried by HIV-1 infected women as well as transmitted to their infants, the 32-basepair deletion of the CCR5 gene was not shown to influence perinatal MTCT. X4 viruses are apparently hampered in MTCT

  4. HIV-1 gp41 Fusion Intermediate: A Target for HIV Therapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chungen Pan

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 infection is initiated by the binding of gp120 envelope glyco-protein to its cell receptor (CD4 and a coreceptor (CXCR4 or CCR5, followed by a series of conformational changes in the gp41 transmembrane subunit. These changes include insertion of fusion peptide into the target cell membrane and association of C-heptad repeat (CHR peptide with the N-heptad repeat (NHR trimer, a pre-hairpin fusion intermediate. A stable six-helix bundle core is then formed, bringing the viral envelope and target cell membrane into close proximity for fusion. Peptides derived from the CHR region, such as T20 and C34, inhibit HIV-1 fusion by interacting with the gp41 fusion intermediate. A number of anti-HIV-1 peptides and small molecule compounds targeting the gp41 NHR-trimer have been identified. By combining HIV fusion/entry inhibitors targeting different sites in the gp41 fusion intermediate, a potent synergistic effect takes place, resulting in a potential new therapeutic strategy for the HIV infection/AIDS. Here, we present an overview of the current development of anti-HIV drugs, particularly those targeting the gp41 fusion intermediate.

  5. The dual action of poly(ADP-ribose polymerase -1 (PARP-1 inhibition in HIV-1 infection: HIV-1 LTR inhibition and diminution in Rho GTPase activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slava eRom

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The transcription of HIV-1 (HIV is regulated by complex mechanisms involving various cellular factors and virus-encoded transactivators. Poly(ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP-1 inhibition has emerged recently as a potent anti-inflammatory tool, since PARP-1 is involved in the regulation of some genes through its interaction with various transcription factors. We propose a novel approach to diminish HIV replication via PARP-1 inhibition using human primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM as an in vitro model system. PARP-1 inhibitors were able to reduce HIV replication in MDM by 60-80% after 7 days infection. Long Terminal Repeat (LTR acts as a switch in virus replication and can be triggered by several agents such as: Tat, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA. Overexpression of Tat in MDM transfected with an LTR reporter plasmid led to a 4.2-fold increase in LTR activation; PARP inhibition resulted in 70% reduction of LTR activity. LTR activity, which increased 3-fold after PMA or TNFα treatment, was reduced by PARP inhibition (by 85-95%. MDM treated with PARP inhibitors showed 90% reduction in NFκB activity (known to mediate PMA- and TNFα-induced HIV LTR activation. Cytoskeleton rearrangements are important in effective HIV-1 infection. PARP inactivation reduced actin cytoskeleton rearrangements by affecting Rho GTPase machinery. These findings suggest that HIV replication in MDM could be suppressed by PARP inhibition via NFκB suppression, diminution of LTR activation and its effects on the cytoskeleton. PARP appears to be essential for HIV replication and its inhibition may provide a potent approach to treatment of HIV infection.

  6. Accumulation of MxB/Mx2-resistant HIV-1 Capsid Variants During Expansion of the HIV-1 Epidemic in Human Populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Wei; Guo, Haoran; Ma, Min; Markham, Richard; Yu, Xiao-Fang

    2016-06-01

    Recent studies have identified human myxovirus resistance protein 2 (MxB or Mx2) as an interferon induced inhibitor of HIV-1 replication. However, whether HIV-1 can overcome MxB restriction without compromise of viral fitness has been undefined. Here, we have discovered that naturally occurring capsid (CA) variants can render HIV-1 resistant to the activity of MxB without losing viral infectivity or the ability to escape from interferon induction. Moreover, these MxB resistant HIV-1 variants do not lose MxB recognition. Surprisingly, MxB resistant CA variants are most commonly found in the Clade C HIV-1 that is the most rapidly expanding Clade throughout the world. Accumulation of MxB resistant mutations is also observed during HIV-1 spreading in human populations. These findings support a potential role for MxB as a selective force during HIV-1 transmission and evolution. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. The HIV-1 Rev/RRE system is required for HIV-1 5' UTR cis elements to augment encapsidation of heterologous RNA into HIV-1 viral particles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Hong

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The process of HIV-1 genomic RNA (gRNA encapsidation is governed by a number of viral encoded components, most notably the Gag protein and gRNA cis elements in the canonical packaging signal (ψ. Also implicated in encapsidation are cis determinants in the R, U5, and PBS (primer binding site from the 5' untranslated region (UTR. Although conventionally associated with nuclear export of HIV-1 RNA, there is a burgeoning role for the Rev/RRE in the encapsidation process. Pleiotropic effects exhibited by these cis and trans viral components may confound the ability to examine their independent, and combined, impact on encapsidation of RNA into HIV-1 viral particles in their innate viral context. We systematically reconstructed the HIV-1 packaging system in the context of a heterologous murine leukemia virus (MLV vector RNA to elucidate a mechanism in which the Rev/RRE system is central to achieving efficient and specific encapsidation into HIV-1 viral particles. Results We show for the first time that the Rev/RRE system can augment RNA encapsidation independent of all cis elements from the 5' UTR (R, U5, PBS, and ψ. Incorporation of all the 5' UTR cis elements did not enhance RNA encapsidation in the absence of the Rev/RRE system. In fact, we demonstrate that the Rev/RRE system is required for specific and efficient encapsidation commonly associated with the canonical packaging signal. The mechanism of Rev/RRE-mediated encapsidation is not a general phenomenon, since the combination of the Rev/RRE system and 5' UTR cis elements did not enhance encapsidation into MLV-derived viral particles. Lastly, we show that heterologous MLV RNAs conform to transduction properties commonly associated with HIV-1 viral particles, including in vivo transduction of non-dividing cells (i.e. mouse neurons; however, the cDNA forms are episomes predominantly in the 1-LTR circle form. Conclusions Premised on encapsidation of a heterologous RNA into

  8. Resultados de la aplicación de tres guías nacionales para prevenir la transmisión vertical del VIH en el Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal. Lima, Perú Results of the implementation of three national guidelines for the prevention of HIV vertical transmission in instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal. Lima, Perú

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Velásquez

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Se realiza un análisis retrospectivo de tres periodos sucesivos entre los años 1996 al 2009, para evaluar el impacto de la aplicación de tres guías nacionales para la prevención de la transmisión vertical del VIH. Se incluyeron 275 nacimientos en los 13 años de estudio. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en el porcentaje de casos de VIH entre los niños expuestos al virus en los tres periodos: 15 % durante el periodo en el cual solo se administraba zidovudina (AZT a la gestante; 6,4 % durante el segundo (administración de AZT a la gestante sin criterios de inicios de TARGA, y TARGA a las que tenían criterios para este tratamiento, y 4 % durante el tercer periodo en el cual se aplicó TARGA a todas las gestantes con infección por VIH. El 95 % de las gestantes culminaron el embarazo por cesárea y el 100 % de niños recibió fórmula maternizada. Los cambios realizados en las guías nacionales han producido un impacto favorable en la disminución de nacimientos de niños infectados por el VIH en el Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal en Perú.A retrospective analysis is performed in three successive periods between the years 1996 and 2009, in order to evaluate the impact of the implementation of three national guidelines for the prevention of the vertical transmission of HIV. 275 births were included in 13 years. Significant statistical differences were found in the percentage of HIV cases in the children exposed to the virus between the three periods: 15% during the period in which only zidovudine (AZT was administered to the pregnant woman, 6.4% during the second period (administration of AZT to the pregnant woman not fulfilling HAART initiation criteria and HAART to those fulfilling criteria for this treatment, and 4% during the third period in which HAART was applied to all pregnant women with HIV infection. 95% of pregnant women ended their pregnancy by cesarean section and the 100% of children received infant formula

  9. [HIV-1 genetic variability in non Spaniard infected children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñeiro Pérez, R; Mellado Peña, M J; Holguín, A; Cilleruelo, M J; García Hortelano, M; Villota, J; Martín Fontelos, P

    2009-01-01

    The prevalence of HIV-1 non-B subtypes (HIV-NBS) is increasing in Europe, because of emigration from countries where genetic variants are endemic. Although HIV-NBS could have a different clinical evolution and could respond differently to antiretrovirals (AR) than B-subtypes, these variant's response remain undocumented. To identify HIV-1 genetic variants and to determine clinical evolution in a non-Spaniard children infected with HIV-1. Children with HIV-1 infection from endemic countries were tested for HIV-1 subtypes between 1-1-1988 and 31-12-2006. Twelve children less than 18 years old and born abroad were selected. HIV-NBS were isolated in 5 children (42%): CRF2_AG recombinant in 3 cases (Equatorial Guinea), Subtype C in one (Equatorial Guinea) and CRF13_cpx in last one (India). Because of the increasing frequency of patients with HIV-NBS and their unknown long-term evolution, all children from endemic countries should be tested for HIV subtypes. We believe new studies with more patients during longer times could reveal differences in these patient's clinical, immunological and virological evolution.

  10. Venues for Meeting Sex Partners and Partner HIV Risk Characteristics: HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN064) Women's HIV Seroincidence Study (ISIS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roman Isler, M; Golin, C; Wang, J; Hughes, J; Justman, J; Haley, D; Kuo, I; Adimora, A; Chege, W; Hodder, S

    2016-06-01

    Identifying venues where women meet sexual partners, particular partners who increase women's risk of acquiring HIV, could inform prevention efforts. We categorized venues where women enrolled in HPTN 064 reported meeting their last three sex partners as: (1) Formal, (2) Public, (3) Private, and (4) Virtual spaces. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the association between these venues and women's individual characteristics and reports of their partners' HIV risk characteristics. The 2099 women reported meeting 3991 partners, 51 % at Public, 30 % Private, 17 % Formal and 3 % at Virtual venues. Women meeting partners at Formal venues reported more education and condom use than women meeting partners at other venues. Fewer partners met through Formal venues had "high" risk characteristics for HIV than through other venues and hence may pose less risk of HIV transmission. HIV prevention interventions can help women choose partners with fewer risk characteristics across all venue types.

  11. Comparison of the RealTime HIV-1, COBAS TaqMan 48 v1.0, Easy Q v1.2, and Versant v3.0 assays for Determination of HIV-1 Viral Loads in a Cohort of Canadian Patients with Diverse HIV Subtype Infections▿

    OpenAIRE

    Church, Deirdre; Gregson, Daniel; Lloyd, Tracie; Klein, Marina; Beckthold, Brenda; Laupland, Kevin; Gill, M. John

    2010-01-01

    HIV clinics in Canada provide care to an increasing number of patients born outside of Canada with HIV-1 non-B subtype infections. Because the Easy Q HIV-1 v1.2 assay (EQ; bioMérieux) failed to detect some non-B subtype infections, a multiassay HIV-1 viral load (VL) study was conducted with patients with diverse HIV subtype infections. Patients were enrolled from the Southern Alberta HIV Clinic (SAC), Calgary, Alberta, Canada (n = 349) and the McGill HIV Clinic (MHC), Montreal, Quebec, Canada...

  12. Current Peptide and Protein Candidates Challenging HIV Therapy beyond the Vaccine Era

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koollawat Chupradit

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV is a causative agent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART can slow down the replication of HIV-1, leading to an improvement in the survival of HIV-1-infected patients. However, drug toxicities and poor drug administration has led to the emergence of a drug-resistant strain. HIV-1 immunotherapy has been continuously developed, but antibody therapy and HIV vaccines take time to improve its efficiency and have limitations. HIV-1-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-based immunotherapy founded on neutralizing antibodies is now being developed. In HIV-1 therapy, anti-HIV chimeric antigen receptors showed promising data in the suppression of HIV-1 replication; however, autologous transfusion is still a problem. This has led to the development of effective peptides and proteins for an alternative HIV-1 treatment. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of potent anti-HIV-1 peptides and proteins that reveal promising therapeutic activities. The inhibitory mechanisms of each therapeutic molecule in the different stages of the HIV-1 life cycle will be discussed herein.

  13. HIV-1 viral load measurement in venous blood and fingerprick blood using Abbott RealTime HIV-1 DBS assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Ning; Pahalawatta, Vihanga; Frank, Andrea; Bagley, Zowie; Viana, Raquel; Lampinen, John; Leckie, Gregor; Huang, Shihai; Abravaya, Klara; Wallis, Carole L

    2017-07-01

    HIV RNA suppression is a key indicator for monitoring success of antiretroviral therapy. From a logistical perspective, viral load (VL) testing using Dried Blood Spots (DBS) is a promising alternative to plasma based VL testing in resource-limited settings. To evaluate the analytical and clinical performance of the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay using a fully automated one-spot DBS sample protocol. Limit of detection (LOD), linearity, lower limit of quantitation (LLQ), upper limit of quantitation (ULQ), and precision were determined using serial dilutions of HIV-1 Virology Quality Assurance stock (VQA Rush University), or HIV-1-containing armored RNA, made in venous blood. To evaluate correlation, bias, and agreement, 497 HIV-1 positive adult clinical samples were collected from Ivory Coast, Uganda and South Africa. For each HIV-1 participant, DBS-fingerprick, DBS-venous and plasma sample results were compared. Correlation and bias values were obtained. The sensitivity and specificity were analyzed at a threshold of 1000 HIV-1 copies/mL generated using the standard plasma protocol. The Abbott HIV-1 DBS protocol had an LOD of 839 copies/mL, a linear range from 500 to 1×10 7 copies/mL, an LLQ of 839 copies/mL, a ULQ of 1×10 7 copies/mL, and an inter-assay SD of ≤0.30 log copies/mL for all tested levels within this range. With clinical samples, the correlation coefficient (r value) was 0.896 between DBS-fingerprick and plasma and 0.901 between DBS-venous and plasma, and the bias was -0.07 log copies/mL between DBS-fingerprick and plasma and -0.02 log copies/mL between DBS-venous and plasma. The sensitivity of DBS-fingerprick and DBS-venous was 93%, while the specificity of both DBS methods was 95%. The results demonstrated that the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay with DBS sample protocol is highly sensitive, specific and precise across a wide dynamic range and correlates well with plasma values. The Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay with DBS sample protocol provides an

  14. In vivo evolution of HIV-1 co-receptor usage and sensitivity to chemokine-mediated suppression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarlatti, G; Tresoldi, E; Björndal, A; Fredriksson, R; Colognesi, C; Deng, H K; Malnati, M S; Plebani, A; Siccardi, A G; Littman, D R; Fenyö, E M; Lusso, P

    1997-11-01

    Following the identification of the C-C chemokines RANTES, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta as major human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-suppressive factors produced by CD8+ T cells, several chemokine receptors were found to serve as membrane co-receptors for primate immunodeficiency lentiretroviruses. The two most widely used co-receptors thus far recognized, CCR5 and CXCR4, are expressed by both activated T lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. CCR5, a specific RANTES, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1 receptor, is used preferentially by non-MT2-tropic HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains and by simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), whereas CXCR4, a receptor for the C-X-C chemokine SDF-1, is used by MT2-tropic HIV-1 and HIV-2, but not by SIV. Other receptors with a more restricted cellular distribution, such as CCR2b, CCR3 and STRL33, can also function as co-receptors for selected viral isolates. The third variable region (V3) of the gp120 envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1 has been fingered as a critical determinant of the co-receptor choice. Here, we document a consistent pattern of evolution of viral co-receptor usage and sensitivity to chemokine-mediated suppression in a longitudinal follow-up of children with progressive HIV-1 infection. Viral isolates obtained during the asymptomatic stages generally used only CCR5 as a co-receptor and were inhibited by RANTES, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta, but not by SDF-1. By contrast, the majority of the isolates derived after the progression of the disease were resistant to C-C chemokines, having acquired the ability to use CXCR4 and, in some cases, CCR3, while gradually losing CCR5 usage. Surprisingly, most of these isolates were also insensitive to SDF-1, even when used in combination with RANTES. An early acquisition of CXCR4 usage predicted a poor prognosis. In children who progressed to AIDS without a shift to CXCR4 usage, all the sequential isolates were CCR5-dependent but showed a reduced sensitivity to C-C chemokines. Discrete changes in the V3 domain

  15. 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.

  16. Community study of the relative impact of HIV-1 and HIV-2 on intrathoracic tuberculosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Seng, R; Gustafson, P; Gomes, VF

    2002-01-01

    BACKGROUND: HIV-1 infection is associated with an increased incidence of and mortality from tuberculosis. Few community studies have examined the effect of HIV-2 on tuberculosis. METHODS: We investigated the association between HIV-1, HIV-2 and active tuberculosis in four districts (population 42...

  17. Structural Study of a New HIV-1 Entry Inhibitor and Interaction with the HIV-1 Fusion Peptide in Dodecylphosphocholine Micelles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez, Yolanda; Gómara, Maria José; Yuste, Eloísa; Gómez-Gutierrez, Patricia; Pérez, Juan Jesús; Haro, Isabel

    2017-08-25

    Previous studies support the hypothesis that the envelope GB virus C (GBV-C) E1 protein interferes the HIV-1 entry and that a peptide, derived from the region 139-156 of this protein, has been defined as a novel HIV-1 entry inhibitor. In this work, we firstly focus on the characterization of the structural features of this peptide, which are determinant for its anti-HIV-1 activity and secondly, on the study of its interaction with the proposed viral target (i.e., the HIV-1 fusion peptide). We report the structure of the peptide determined by NMR spectroscopy in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles solved by using restrained molecular dynamics calculations. The acquisition of different NMR experiments in DPC micelles (i.e., peptide-peptide titration, diffusion NMR spectroscopy, and addition of paramagnetic relaxation agents) allows a proposal of an inhibition mechanism. We conclude that a 18-mer peptide from the non-pathogenic E1 GBV-C protein, with a helix-turn-helix structure inhibits HIV-1 by binding to the HIV-1 fusion peptide at the membrane level, thereby interfering with those domains in the HIV-1, which are critical for stabilizing the six-helix bundle formation in a membranous environment. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Correlation between HIV-1 genotype and clinical progression in HIV/AIDS patients in Surabaya, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachman, B. E.; Khairunisa, S. Q.; Witaningrum, A. M.; Yunifiar, M. Q.; Nasronudin

    2018-03-01

    Several factors such as host and viral factors can affect the progression of HIV/AIDS. This study aims to identify the correlation viral factors, especially the HIV-1 subtype with HIV/AIDS progression. Inpatient HIV/AIDS during the period March to September 2017 and willing to participate are included in the study. Historical data of disease and treatment was taken by medical record. Blood samples were amplified, sequenced and undergone phylogenetic analysis. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate beta coefficient (β) and 95%CI of HIV/AIDS progression (measured by the CD4 change rate, ΔCD4 cell count/time span in months).This study has 17 samples. The HIV-1 subtype was dominated by CRF01_AE (81.8%) followed by subtype B (18.2%). There was significant correlation between subtype HIV-1 (p = 0.04) and body mass index (p = 0.038) with HIV/AIDS clinical stage. Many factors were assumed to be correlated with increased rate of CD4, but we only subtype HIV-1 had a significant correlation (p = 0.024) with it. From multivariate analysis, we also found that subtype HIV-1 had a significant correlation (β = 0.788, 95%CI: 17.5-38.6, p = 0.004).

  19. Inhibition of HIV-1 infection in ex vivo cervical tissue model of human vagina by palmitic acid; implications for a microbicide development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xudong Lin

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Approximately 80% of all new HIV-1 infections are acquired through sexual contact. Currently, there is no clinically approved microbicide, indicating a clear and urgent therapeutic need. We recently reported that palmitic acid (PA is a novel and specific inhibitor of HIV-1 fusion and entry. Mechanistically, PA inhibits HIV-1 infection by binding to a novel pocket on the CD4 receptor and blocks efficient gp120-to-CD4 attachment. Here, we wanted to assess the ability of PA to inhibit HIV-1 infection in cervical tissue ex vivo model of human vagina, and determine its effect on Lactobacillus (L species of probiotic vaginal flora. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our results show that treatment with 100-200 µM PA inhibited HIV-1 infection in cervical tissue by up to 50%, and this treatment was not toxic to the tissue or to L. crispatus and jensenii species of vaginal flora. In vitro, in a cell free system that is independent of in vivo cell associated CD4 receptor; we determined inhibition constant (Ki to be ∼2.53 µM. SIGNIFICANCE: These results demonstrate utility of PA as a model molecule for further preclinical development of a safe and potent HIV-1 entry microbicide inhibitor.

  20. Lead Screening for HIV-1 Integrase (IN Inhibited by Traditional Chinese Medicine

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    Tzu-Chieh Hung

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS and becomes a serious world-wide problem because of this disease's rapid propagation and incurability. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs supports HIV have rapid drug resistance for antitreatment. Screening the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM database by simulating molecular docking and molecular dynamics may select molecular compounds to inhibit INSTIs against HIV drug resistance. (S-cathinone and (1S,2S-norpseudoephedrine are selected based on structure and ligand-based drugs are designed and then get higher bioactivity predicted score from SVM than Raltegravir and other TCM compounds. The molecular dynamics are helpful in the analysis and detection of protein-ligand interactions. According to the docking poses, hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bond variations define the main regions of important amino acids in integrase. In addition to the detection of TCM compound efficacy, we suggest (1S,2S-norpseudoephedrine is better than the others based on the analysis of interaction and the effect on the structural variation.

  1. Characterization of natural polymorphic sites of the HIV-1 integrase before the introduction of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors in Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meixenberger, Karolin; Pouran Yousef, Kaveh; Somogyi, Sybille; Fiedler, Stefan; Bartmeyer, Barbara; von Kleist, Max; Kücherer, Claudia

    2014-01-01

    Introduction The aim of our study was to analyze the occurrence and evolution of HIV-1 integrase polymorphisms during the HIV-1 epidemic in Germany prior to the introduction of the first integrase inhibitor raltegravir in 2007. Materials and Methods Plasma samples from drug-naïve HIV-1 infected individuals newly diagnosed between 1986 and 2006 were used to determine PCR-based population sequences of the HIV-1 integrase (amino acids 1–278). The HIV-1 subtype was determined using the REGA HIV-1 subtyping tool. We calculated the frequency of amino acids at each position of the HIV-1 integrase in 337 subtype B strains for the time periods 1986–1989, 1991–1994, 1995–1998, 1999–2002, and 2003–2006. Positions were defined as polymorphic if amino acid variation was >1% in any period. Logistic regression was used to identify trends in amino acid variation over time. Resistance-associated mutations were identified according to the IAS 2013 list and the HIVdb, ANRS and GRADE algorithms. Results Overall, 56.8% (158/278) amino acid positions were polymorphic and 15.8% (25/158) of these positions exhibited a significant trend in amino acid variation over time. Proportionately, most polymorphic positions (63.3%, 31/49) were detected in the N-terminal zinc finger domain of the HIV-1 integrase. Motifs and residues essential for HIV-1 integrase activity were little polymorphic, but within the minimal non-specific DNA binding region I220-D270 up to 18.1% amino acid variation was noticed, including four positions with significant amino acid variation over time (S230, D232, D256, A265). No major resistance mutations were identified, and minor resistance mutations were rarely observed without trend over time. E157Q considered by HIVdb, ANRS, and GRADE algorithms was the most frequent resistance-associated polymorphism with an overall prevalence of 2.4%. Conclusions Detailed knowledge of the evolutionary variation of HIV-1 integrase polymorphisms is important to understand

  2. HIV-1 transmitting couples have similar viral load set-points in Rakai, Uganda.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T Déirdre Hollingsworth

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available It has been hypothesized that HIV-1 viral load set-point is a surrogate measure of HIV-1 viral virulence, and that it may be subject to natural selection in the human host population. A key test of this hypothesis is whether viral load set-points are correlated between transmitting individuals and those acquiring infection. We retrospectively identified 112 heterosexual HIV-discordant couples enrolled in a cohort in Rakai, Uganda, in which HIV transmission was suspected and viral load set-point was established. In addition, sequence data was available to establish transmission by genetic linkage for 57 of these couples. Sex, age, viral subtype, index partner, and self-reported genital ulcer disease status (GUD were known. Using ANOVA, we estimated the proportion of variance in viral load set-points which was explained by the similarity within couples (the 'couple effect'. Individuals with suspected intra-couple transmission (97 couples had similar viral load set-points (p = 0.054 single factor model, p = 0.0057 adjusted and the couple effect explained 16% of variance in viral loads (23% adjusted. The analysis was repeated for a subset of 29 couples with strong genetic support for transmission. The couple effect was the major determinant of viral load set-point (p = 0.067 single factor, and p = 0.036 adjusted and the size of the effect was 27% (37% adjusted. Individuals within epidemiologically linked couples with genetic support for transmission had similar viral load set-points. The most parsimonious explanation is that this is due to shared characteristics of the transmitted virus, a finding which sheds light on both the role of viral factors in HIV-1 pathogenesis and on the evolution of the virus.

  3. Potential elucidation of a novel CTL epitope in HIV-1 protease by the protease inhibitor resistance mutation L90M.

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    Werner Smidt

    Full Text Available The combination of host immune responses and use of antiretrovirals facilitate partial control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection and result in delayed progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS. Both treatment and host immunity impose selection pressures on the highly mutable HIV-1 genome resulting in antiretroviral resistance and immune escape. Researchers have shown that antiretroviral resistance mutations can shape cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity by altering the epitope repertoire of HIV infected cells. Here it was discovered that an important antiretroviral resistance mutation, L90M in HIV protease, occurs at lower frequencies in hosts that harbor the B*15, B*48 or A*32 human leukocyte antigen subtypes. A likely reason is the elucidation of novel epitopes by L90M. NetMHCPan predictions reveal increased affinity of the peptide spanning the HIV protease region, PR 89-97 and PR 90-99 to HLA-B*15/B*48 and HLA-A*32 respectively due to the L90M substitution. The higher affinity could increase the chance of the epitope being presented and recognized by Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and perhaps provide additional immunological pressures in the presence of antiretroviral attenuating mutations. This evidence supports the notion that knowledge of HLA allotypes in HIV infected individuals could augment antiretroviral treatment by the elucidation of epitopes due to antiretroviral resistance mutations in HIV protease.

  4. Potential elucidation of a novel CTL epitope in HIV-1 protease by the protease inhibitor resistance mutation L90M.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smidt, Werner

    2013-01-01

    The combination of host immune responses and use of antiretrovirals facilitate partial control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and result in delayed progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Both treatment and host immunity impose selection pressures on the highly mutable HIV-1 genome resulting in antiretroviral resistance and immune escape. Researchers have shown that antiretroviral resistance mutations can shape cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity by altering the epitope repertoire of HIV infected cells. Here it was discovered that an important antiretroviral resistance mutation, L90M in HIV protease, occurs at lower frequencies in hosts that harbor the B*15, B*48 or A*32 human leukocyte antigen subtypes. A likely reason is the elucidation of novel epitopes by L90M. NetMHCPan predictions reveal increased affinity of the peptide spanning the HIV protease region, PR 89-97 and PR 90-99 to HLA-B*15/B*48 and HLA-A*32 respectively due to the L90M substitution. The higher affinity could increase the chance of the epitope being presented and recognized by Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and perhaps provide additional immunological pressures in the presence of antiretroviral attenuating mutations. This evidence supports the notion that knowledge of HLA allotypes in HIV infected individuals could augment antiretroviral treatment by the elucidation of epitopes due to antiretroviral resistance mutations in HIV protease.

  5. Cyclophilin B enhances HIV-1 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeBoer, Jason; Madson, Christian J; Belshan, Michael

    2016-02-01

    Cyclophilin B (CypB) is a member of the immunophilin family and intracellular chaperone. It predominantly localizes to the ER, but also contains a nuclear localization signal and is secreted from cells. CypB has been shown to interact with the Gag protein of human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1). Several proteomic and genetic studies identified it as a potential factor involved in HIV replication. Herein, we show that over-expression of CypB enhances HIV infection by increasing nuclear import of viral DNA. This enhancement was unaffected by cyclosporine treatment and requires the N-terminus of the protein. The N-terminus contains an ER leader sequence, putative nuclear localization signal, and is required for secretion. Deletion of the N-terminus resulted in mislocalization from the ER and suppression of HIV infection. Passive transfer experiments showed that secreted CypB did not impact HIV infection. Combined, these experiments show that intracellular CypB modulates a pathway of HIV nuclear import. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Fetal and perinatal outcomes in type 1 diabetes pregnancy: a randomized study comparing insulin aspart with human insulin in 322 subjects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hod, Moshe; Damm, Peter; Kaaja, Risto

    2008-01-01

    The objective of the study was a comparison of insulin aspart (IAsp) with human insulin (HI) in basal-bolus therapy with neutral protamine Hagedorn for fetal and perinatal outcomes of type 1 diabetes in pregnancy.......The objective of the study was a comparison of insulin aspart (IAsp) with human insulin (HI) in basal-bolus therapy with neutral protamine Hagedorn for fetal and perinatal outcomes of type 1 diabetes in pregnancy....

  7. Field evaluation of an open and polyvalent universal HIV-1/SIVcpz/SIVgor quantitative RT-PCR assay for HIV-1 viral load monitoring in comparison to Abbott RealTime HIV-1 in Cameroon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guichet, Emilande; Aghokeng, Avelin; Eymard-Duvernay, Sabrina; Vidal, Nicole; Ayouba, Ahidjo; Mpoudi Ngole, Eitel; Delaporte, Eric; Ciaffi, Laura; Peeters, Martine

    2016-11-01

    With the increasing demand of HIV viral load (VL) tests in resource-limited countries (RLCs) there is a need for assays at affordable cost and able to quantify all known HIV-1 variants. VLs obtained with a recently developed open and polyvalent universal HIV-1/SIVcpz/SIVgor RT-qPCR were compared to Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay in Cameroon. On 474 plasma samples, characterized by a wide range of VLs and a broad HIV-1 group M genetic diversity, 97.5% concordance was observed when using the lower detection limit of each assay. When using the threshold of 3.00 log 10 copies/mL, according to WHO guidelines to define virological failure (VF) in RLCs, the concordance was 94.7%, 360/474 versus 339/474 patients were identified with VF with the new assay and Abbott RealTime HIV-1, respectively. Higher VLs were measured with the new assay, +0.47 log 10 copies/mL (95% CI; 0.42-0.52) as shown with Bland-Altman analysis. Eleven samples from patients on VF with drug resistance were not detected by Abbott RealTime HIV-1 versus two only with the new assay. Overall, our study showed that the new assay can be easily implemented in a laboratory in RLCs with VL experience and showed good performance on a wide diversity of HIV-1 group M variants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The global transmission network of HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wertheim, Joel O; Leigh Brown, Andrew J; Hepler, N Lance; Mehta, Sanjay R; Richman, Douglas D; Smith, Davey M; Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei L

    2014-01-15

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is pandemic, but its contemporary global transmission network has not been characterized. A better understanding of the properties and dynamics of this network is essential for surveillance, prevention, and eventual eradication of HIV. Here, we apply a simple and computationally efficient network-based approach to all publicly available HIV polymerase sequences in the global database, revealing a contemporary picture of the spread of HIV-1 within and between countries. This approach automatically recovered well-characterized transmission clusters and extended other clusters thought to be contained within a single country across international borders. In addition, previously undescribed transmission clusters were discovered. Together, these clusters represent all known modes of HIV transmission. The extent of international linkage revealed by our comprehensive approach demonstrates the need to consider the global diversity of HIV, even when describing local epidemics. Finally, the speed of this method allows for near-real-time surveillance of the pandemic's progression.

  9. Behaviors Influencing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in the Context of Positive Prevention among People Living with HIV/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Iran: A Qualitative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Ramin Radfar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Identifying factors, which influence health behaviors is critical to designing appropriate and effective preventive programs. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV transmission is highly related to people behaviors and understanding factors influencing healthy behaviors among Iranian people living with HIVs (PLHIVs/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS is very important to tailor an effective response to HIV/AIDS epidemic. Methods: This study was conducted as a qualitative study by methods of focus group discussion and in-depth interview in six provinces of Iran with 64 PLHIVs to determine factors influence engagement in positive prevention. Results: Knowledge and education, feelings of responsibility and positive prevention practices were identified as the primary domains of engagement. These domains were found to be influenced by feelings of ostracism and frustration, poverty, barriers to disclosure of HIV status, access to and utilization of drug abuse treatment services and antiretroviral therapy, adherence to treatment, age, religiousness, sex work, singleness, and incarceration. Conclusions: Designing new interventions and updating current interventions directed toward the aforementioned factors should be addressed by responsible Iranian authorities in order to have a national effective response on the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

  10. Evaluation of four rapid tests for diagnosis and differentiation of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in Guinea-Conakry, West Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaillet, Pascale; Tayler-Smith, Katie; Zachariah, Rony; Duclos, Nanfack; Moctar, Diallo; Beelaert, Greet; Fransen, Katrien

    2010-09-01

    With both HIV-1 and HV-2 prevalent in Guinea-Conakry, accurate diagnosis and differentiation is crucial for treatment purposes. Thus, four rapid HIV tests were evaluated for their HIV-1 and HIV-2 diagnostic and discriminative capacity for use in Guinea-Conakry. These included SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 (Standard Diagnostics Inc.), Genie II HIV1/HIV2 (Bio-Rad), First Response HIV Card Test 1-2.0 (PMC Medical) and Immunoflow HIV1-HIV2 (Core Diagnostics). Results were compared with gold standard tests (INNO-LIA HIV-I/II Score) and NEW LAV BLOT II (Bio-Rad). Four hundred and forty three sequential stored HIV-positive serum samples, of known HIV-type, were evaluated. Genie II HIV1/HIV2, Immunoflow HIV1-HIV2 and SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 had 100% sensitivity (95% CI, 98.9-100%) while for First Response HIV Card Test 1-2.0 this was 99.5% (95% CI, 98.2%-99.9%). In terms of discriminatory capacity, Genie II HIV1/HIV2 identified 382/ 384(99.5%) HIV-1 samples, 49/ 52(95%) HIV-2 and 7/7(100%) HIV-positive untypable samples. Immunoflow HIV1-HIV2 identified 99% HIV-1, 67% HIV-2 and all HIV-positive untypable samples. First Response HIV Card Test 1-2.0 identified 94% HIV-1, 64% HIV-2 and 57% HIV-positive untypable samples. SD-Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 was the worst overall performer identifying 65% HIV-1, 69% HIV-2 and all HIV-positive untypable samples. The use of SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 (the current standard in Guinea-Conakry) as a discriminatory HIV test is poor and may be best replaced by Immunoflow HIV1-HIV2. Copyright 2010 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Perinatal tuberculosis: a diagnostic challenge

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    Edna Lúcia S. de Souza

    Full Text Available Despite the high prevalence of tuberculosis in adults and children, the congenital and perinatal forms of tuberculosis are rare. In Brazil, there has been only one published case of congenital tuberculosis and two cases of the perinatal form of this disease. We report a case of perinatal tuberculosis presenting with pneumonia. Alcohol-acid-resistant bacilli were found in the gastric lavage. Diagnosis of this disease presentation requires a high index of suspicion.

  12. HIV-1 proteins dysregulate motivational processes and dopamine circuitry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertrand, Sarah J; Mactutus, Charles F; Harrod, Steven B; Moran, Landhing M; Booze, Rosemarie M

    2018-05-18

    Motivational alterations, such as apathy, in HIV-1+ individuals are associated with decreased performance on tasks involving frontal-subcortical circuitry. We used the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat to assess effect of long-term HIV-1 protein exposure on motivated behavior using sucrose (1-30%, w/v) and cocaine (0.01-1.0 mg/kg/infusion) maintained responding with fixed-ratio (FR) and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. For sucrose-reinforced responding, HIV-1 Tg rats displayed no change in EC 50 relative to controls, suggesting no change in sucrose reinforcement but had a downward shifted concentration-response curves, suggesting a decrease in response vigor. Cocaine-maintained responding was attenuated in HIV-1 Tg rats (FR1 0.33 mg/kg/infusion and PR 1.0 mg/kg/infusion). Dose-response tests (PR) revealed that HIV-1 Tg animals responded significantly less than F344 control rats and failed to earn significantly more infusions of cocaine as the unit dose increased. When choosing between cocaine and sucrose, control rats initially chose sucrose but with time shifted to a cocaine preference. In contrast, HIV-1 disrupted choice behaviors. DAT function was altered in the striatum of HIV-1 Tg rats; however, prior cocaine self-administration produced a unique effect on dopamine homeostasis in the HIV-1 Tg striatum. These findings of altered goal directed behaviors may determine neurobiological mechanisms of apathy in HIV-1+ patients.

  13. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). AIDS is a ... time. The virus (HIV) and the disease it causes (AIDS) are often linked and referred to as " ...

  14. Profile of HIV-1 RNA viral load among HIV-TB co-infected patients in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Profile of HIV-1 RNA viral load among HIV-TB co-infected patients in a tertiary health facility in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. ... This study aims to estimate the HIV-1 RNA viral load and impact of anti TB therapy (ATT) ... HOW TO USE AJOL.

  15. [Studies on flomoxef in the perinatal period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, N; Fukunaga, K; Kunii, K; Kobayashi, I

    1991-06-01

    Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on flomoxef (FMOX) in the perinatal period were carried out with the following summary of the results. Antibacterial effects of FMOX on the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, MIC 400 micrograms/ml), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA, MIC 0.78 microgram/ml), Escherichia coli (MIC 3.13 micrograms/ml and MIC 0.20 microgram/ml) in amniotic fluid were determined and it was found that the activity of FMOX was enhanced in the amniotic fluid. FMOX rapidly penetrated into tissues and sera of pregnant women upon intravenous injection and its maternal serum concentrations reached their peak levels shortly after administration. Placental penetration of FMOX to the fetus was good and, after single intravenous injection of 1 g, the concentrations of FMOX in the umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid exceeded MICs against major causative organisms of perinatal infections. These results indicate that single intravenous injection of FMOX 1 g twice a day is effective for the treatment and prophylaxis of perinatal infections. Injection of FMOX for the treatment of 14 cases of puerperal infections showed excellent clinical effectiveness with 100% clinical effect and 81.8% bacteriological response. No side-effect was observed in any case. All of these results suggested clinical usefulness of FMOX in the perinatal period.

  16. Mortality in a cohort of children born to HIV-1 infected women from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The commonest diagnoses at the time of death were diarrhoea, pneumonia, failure to thrive and severe thrush. These findings, together with neurological abnormalities, often presaged rapid deterioration and death. Conclusions. Mortality among children with vertically acquired HIV infection is high in the first year of life.

  17. Sieve analysis in HIV-1 vaccine efficacy trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edlefsen, Paul T; Gilbert, Peter B; Rolland, Morgane

    2013-09-01

    The genetic characterization of HIV-1 breakthrough infections in vaccine and placebo recipients offers new ways to assess vaccine efficacy trials. Statistical and sequence analysis methods provide opportunities to mine the mechanisms behind the effect of an HIV vaccine. The release of results from two HIV-1 vaccine efficacy trials, Step/HVTN-502 (HIV Vaccine Trials Network-502) and RV144, led to numerous studies in the last 5 years, including efforts to sequence HIV-1 breakthrough infections and compare viral characteristics between the vaccine and placebo groups. Novel genetic and statistical analysis methods uncovered features that distinguished founder viruses isolated from vaccinees from those isolated from placebo recipients, and identified HIV-1 genetic targets of vaccine-induced immune responses. Studies of HIV-1 breakthrough infections in vaccine efficacy trials can provide an independent confirmation to correlates of risk studies, as they take advantage of vaccine/placebo comparisons, whereas correlates of risk analyses are limited to vaccine recipients. Through the identification of viral determinants impacted by vaccine-mediated host immune responses, sieve analyses can shed light on potential mechanisms of vaccine protection.

  18. The incidence rate of HIV type-1 drug resistance in patients on antiretroviral therapy: a nationwide population-based Danish cohort study 1999-2005

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Audelin, A.M.; Lohse, N.; Obel, N.

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Newer antiretroviral treatment regimens for HIV carry a lower risk of inducing drug resistance mutations. We estimated changes in incidence rates (IRs) of new mutations in HIV-infected individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Population-based data...... were obtained from the Danish HIV Cohort Study and the Danish HIV Sequence Database. We included treatment-naive patients initiating HAART after December 1997 and computed time to first drug resistance mutation, identified as new mutations detected within 1 year after a 60-day period of treatment.......077). The IR of PI resistance decreased from 7.5 (1.4-21.8) in 1999 to 2.9 (0.7-11.4) in 2002-2003 (P=0.148). The IRs were low for specific resistance mutations, except for M184V (IR 5.6 [4.0-7.9]) and K103N (IR 8.2 [5.6-12.0]). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of acquired drug resistance has decreased among HIV...

  19. Implementation of repeat HIV testing during pregnancy in southwestern Kenya: progress and missed opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Anna J; Akama, Eliud; Weke, Elly; Blackburn, Justin; Owino, George; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Oyaro, Patrick; Kwena, Zachary A; Cohen, Craig R; Turan, Janet M

    2017-12-01

    Repeat HIV testing during the late antenatal period is crucial to identify and initiate treatment for pregnant women with incident HIV infection to prevent perinatal HIV transmission and keep mothers alive. In 2012, the Kenya Ministry of Health adopted international guidelines suggesting that pregnant women be offered retesting three months after an initial negative HIV test. Our objectives were to determine the current rate of antenatal repeat HIV testing; identify successes, missed opportunities and factors associated with retesting; and estimate the incidence of HIV during pregnancy. Retrospective analysis of longitudinal data was conducted for a cohort of 2145 women attending antenatal care clinic at a large district hospital in southwestern Kenya. Data were abstracted from registers for all women who attended the clinic from the years 2011 to 2014. Although 90.2% of women first came to clinic prior to their third trimester and 27.5% had at least four clinic visits, 58.0% of all women went to delivery without a retest. Missed opportunities for retesting included not returning to clinic at all, not returning when eligible, or late gestational age (>28 weeks) at first clinic visit making them ineligible for retesting (accounting for 14.2%, 26.8% and 9.6% of all clinic attendees respectively); and failure to be retested even when eligible at one or more visits (accounting for 73.2% of eligible returnees). Being unmarried and aged 20 or younger was associated with an increase in mean gestational age of first visit by 2.52 weeks (95% CI: 1.56, 3.48) and a 2.59 increased odds (95% CI: 1.90, 3.54) of failing to return to clinic, compared to those who were married and over 20 years of age. On retest, two women tested HIV positive, suggesting an incidence rate of 4.4 per 100 person-years. After adjusting for potential confounders, only later year of last menstrual period (2013 vs. 2012 and 2011) was associated with retesting. Adoption of retesting guidelines in 2012

  20. HIV protease inhibitors in pregnancy : pharmacology and clinical use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andany, Nisha; Loutfy, Mona R

    2013-03-01

    The impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the natural history of HIV-1 infection has resulted in dramatic reductions in disease-associated morbidity and mortality. Additionally, the epidemiology of HIV-1 infection worldwide is changing, as women now represent a substantial proportion of infected adults. As more highly effective and tolerable antiretroviral regimens become available, and as the prevention of mother-to-child transmission becomes an attainable goal in the management of HIV-infected individuals, more and more HIV-positive women are choosing to become pregnant and have children. Consequently, it is important to consider the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral agents in pregnancy. Protease inhibitors are a common class of medication used in the treatment of HIV-1 infection and are increasingly being used in pregnancy. However, several studies have raised concerns regarding pharmacokinetic alterations in pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, which results in suboptimal drug concentrations and a theoretically higher risk of virologic failure and perinatal transmission. Drug level reductions have been observed with each individual protease inhibitor and dose adjustments in pregnancy are suggested for certain agents. Furthermore, studies have also raised concerns regarding the safety of protease inhibitors in pregnancy, particularly as they may increase the risk of pre-term birth and metabolic disturbances. Overall, protease inhibitors are safe and effective for the treatment of HIV-infected pregnant women. Specifically, ritonavir-boosted lopinavir- and atazanavir-based regimens are preferred in pregnancy, while ritonavir-boosted darunavir- and saquinavir-based therapies are reasonable alternatives. This paper reviews the use of protease inhibitors in pregnancy, focusing on pharmacokinetic and safety considerations, and outlines the recommendations for use of this class of medication in the HIV-1-infected pregnant woman.

  1. Constitutively Active MAVS Inhibits HIV-1 Replication via Type I Interferon Secretion and Induction of HIV-1 Restriction Factors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sachin Gupta

    Full Text Available Type I interferon is known to inhibit HIV-1 replication through the induction of interferon stimulated genes (ISG, including a number of HIV-1 restriction factors. To better understand interferon-mediated HIV-1 restriction, we constructed a constitutively active form of the RIG-I adapter protein MAVS. Constitutive MAVS was generated by fusion of full length MAVS to a truncated form of the Epstein Barr virus protein LMP1 (ΔLMP1. Supernatant from ΔLMP1-MAVS-transfected 293T cells contained high levels of type I interferons and inhibited HIV replication in both TZM-bl and primary human CD4+ T cells. Supernatant from ΔLMP1-MAVS-transfected 293T cells also inhibited replication of VSV-G pseudotyped single cycle SIV in TZM-bl cells, suggesting restriction was post-entry and common to both HIV and SIV. Gene array analysis of ΔLMP1-MAVS-transfected 293T cells and trans-activated CD4+ T cells showed significant upregulation of ISG, including previously characterized HIV restriction factors Viperin, Tetherin, MxB, and ISG56. Interferon blockade studies implicated interferon-beta in this response. In addition to direct viral inhibition, ΔLMP1-MAVS markedly enhanced secretion of IFN-β and IL-12p70 by dendritic cells and the activation and maturation of dendritic cells. Based on this immunostimulatory activity, an adenoviral vector (Ad5 expressing ΔLMP1-MAVS was tested as a molecular adjuvant in an HIV vaccine mouse model. Ad5-Gag antigen combined with Ad5-ΔLMP1-MAVS enhanced control of vaccinia-gag replication in a mouse challenge model, with 4/5 animals showing undetectable virus following challenge. Overall, ΔLMP1-MAVS is a promising reagent to inhibit HIV-1 replication in infected tissues and enhance vaccine-mediated immune responses, while avoiding toxicity associated with systemic type I interferon administration.

  2. Parental decision making around perinatal autopsy: a qualitative investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meaney, Sarah; Gallagher, Stephen; Lutomski, Jennifer E; O'Donoghue, Keelin

    2015-12-01

    Decades of decline in uptake rates of perinatal autopsies has limited investigation into the causes and risk factors for stillbirth. This study aimed to qualitatively explore perinatal autopsy decision-making processes in parents who experienced antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths. A qualitative semi-structured interview format was utilized. The line of questioning centred on how parents came to decide on consenting or declining to have a perinatal autopsy undertaken. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed as the analytic strategy. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 10 parents who either consented or declined autopsy from a large tertiary maternity hospital in Cork Ireland, where there were 30 stillbirths in 2011. Findings revealed four superordinate themes influencing parents' decision-making which varied with type of stillbirth experienced. Those parents who experienced antepartum stillbirths were more likely to consent; thus, knowing that the child was stillborn prior to delivery rather than on the day of delivery was associated with consent. In fact, these parents had more time for meaning-making; those consenting wanted to rule out self-blame and were fearful about future pregnancies. Parents who declined autopsy wanted to protect their infant from further harm. Interestingly, parents' knowledge and understanding of the autopsy itself were acquired primarily from public discourse. Parents' decision-making regarding autopsy is profoundly affected by their emotional response to stillbirth; clinicians and other health professionals may play a key role, especially if they can address parental concerns regarding the invasiveness of the autopsy procedure. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Frequency and site mapping of HIV-1/SIVcpz, HIV- 2/SIVsmm and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    out to analyze the effects of various restriction enzymes on the HIV genome. A computer simulated model using Web cutter Version 2.0, and cytogenetic analysis. 339 restriction enzymes from Promega database, 10 HIV-1/SIVcpz genes, 10 HIV-2/SIVsmm genes and 10 other SIV genes. Gene sequences were fed into Web ...

  4. The value of incorporating avoidable factors into perinatal audits ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To assess whether incorporating a system of identifying, classifying and grading avoidable factors into a perinatal audit can be useful in identifying problem areas. Design. Descriptive study. Setting. Black urban population, Pretoria, South Africa. Subjects. All perinatal deaths of infants weighing more than 1 000 g ...

  5. Damaging the Integrated HIV Proviral DNA with TALENs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christy L Strong

    Full Text Available HIV-1 integrates its proviral DNA genome into the host genome, presenting barriers for virus eradication. Several new gene-editing technologies have emerged that could potentially be used to damage integrated proviral DNA. In this study, we use transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs to target a highly conserved sequence in the transactivation response element (TAR of the HIV-1 proviral DNA. We demonstrated that TALENs cleave a DNA template with the HIV-1 proviral target site in vitro. A GFP reporter, under control of HIV-1 TAR, was efficiently inactivated by mutations introduced by transfection of TALEN plasmids. When infected cells containing the full-length integrated HIV-1 proviral DNA were transfected with TALENs, the TAR region accumulated indels. When one of these mutants was tested, the mutated HIV-1 proviral DNA was incapable of producing detectable Gag expression. TALEN variants engineered for degenerate recognition of select nucleotide positions also cleaved proviral DNA in vitro and the full-length integrated proviral DNA genome in living cells. These results suggest a possible design strategy for the therapeutic considerations of incomplete target sequence conservation and acquired resistance mutations. We have established a new strategy for damaging integrated HIV proviral DNA that may have future potential for HIV-1 proviral DNA eradication.

  6. Socio-cultural factors surrounding mental distress during the perinatal period in Zambia: a qualitative investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mwape Lonia

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The presence of mental distress during pregnancy and after childbirth imposes detrimental developmental and health consequences for families in all nations. In Zambia, the Ministry of Health (MoH has proposed a more comprehensive approach towards mental health care, recognizing the importance of the mental health of women during the perinatal period. Aim The study explores factors contributing to mental distress during the perinatal period of motherhood in Zambia. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in Lusaka, Zambia with nineteen focus groups comprising 149 women and men from primary health facilities and schools respectively. Findings There are high levels of mental distress in four domains: worry about HIV status and testing; uncertainty about survival from childbirth; lack of social support; and vulnerability/oppression. Conclusion Identifying mental distress and prompt referral for interventions is critical to improving the mental health of the mother and prevent the effects of mental distress on the baby. Recommendation Strategies should be put in place to ensure pregnant women are screened for possible perinatal mental health problems during their visit to antenatal clinic and referral made to qualified mental health professionals. In addition further research is recommended in order to facilitate evidence based mental health policy formulation and implementation in Zambia.

  7. The C-terminal sequence of IFITM1 regulates its anti-HIV-1 activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui Jia

    Full Text Available The interferon-inducible transmembrane (IFITM proteins inhibit a wide range of viruses. We previously reported the inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 strain BH10 by human IFITM1, 2 and 3. It is unknown whether other HIV-1 strains are similarly inhibited by IFITMs and whether there exists viral countermeasure to overcome IFITM inhibition. We report here that the HIV-1 NL4-3 strain (HIV-1NL4-3 is not restricted by IFITM1 and its viral envelope glycoprotein is partly responsible for this insensitivity. However, HIV-1NL4-3 is profoundly inhibited by an IFITM1 mutant, known as Δ(117-125, which is deleted of 9 amino acids at the C-terminus. In contrast to the wild type IFITM1, which does not affect HIV-1 entry, the Δ(117-125 mutant diminishes HIV-1NL4-3 entry by 3-fold. This inhibition correlates with the predominant localization of Δ(117-125 to the plasma membrane where HIV-1 entry occurs. In spite of strong conservation of IFITM1 among most species, mouse IFITM1 is 19 amino acids shorter at its C-terminus as compared to human IFITM1 and, like the human IFITM1 mutant Δ(117-125, mouse IFITM1 also inhibits HIV-1 entry. This is the first report illustrating the role of viral envelope protein in overcoming IFITM1 restriction. The results also demonstrate the importance of the C-terminal region of IFITM1 in modulating the antiviral function through controlling protein subcellular localization.

  8. Dual-mixed HIV-1 coreceptor tropism and HIV-associated neurocognitive deficits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Sheldon R; Woods, Steven Paul; Deutsch, Reena; Little, Susan J; Wagner, Gabriel; Morgan, Erin E; Heaton, Robert K; Letendre, Scott L; Grant, Igor; Smith, Davey M

    2013-10-01

    HIV coreceptor usage of CXCR4 (X4) is associated with decreased CD4+ T-cell counts and accelerated disease progression, but the role of X4 tropism in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) has not previously been described. This longitudinal study evaluated data on 197 visits from 72 recently HIV-infected persons who had undergone up to four sequential neurocognitive assessments over a median of 160 days (IQR, 138–192). Phenotypic tropism testing (Trofile ES, Monogram, Biosciences) was performed on stored blood samples. Multivariable mixed model repeated measures regression was used to determine the association between HAND and dual-mixed (DM) viral tropism, estimated duration of infection (EDI), HIV RNA, CD4 count, and problematic methamphetamine use. Six subjects (8.3 %) had DM at their first neurocognitive assessment and four converted to DM in subsequent sampling (for total of 10 DM) at a median EDI of 10.1 months (IQR, 7.2–12.2). There were 44 (61.1 %) subjects who demonstrated HAND on at least one study visit. HAND was associated with DM tropism (odds ratio, 4.4; 95 % CI, 0.9–20.5) and shorter EDI (odds ratio 1.1 per month earlier; 95 % CI, 1.0–1.2). This study found that recency of HIV-1 infection and the development of DM tropism may be associated with HAND in the relatively early stage of infection. Together, these data suggest that viral interaction with cellular receptors may play an important role in the early manifestation of HAND.

  9. HIV/HTLV-1 co-infection

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    result of a lymphoproliferative disorder. In the context of HIV co-infection, lympho- cytosis has been described during early sero- conversion associated with CMV, as well as in HIV/HTLV-1 co-infection where CD4+ lymphocytosis can be caused by both a reactive or clonal expansion. Consequently, patients with untreated ...

  10. Antiretroviral Therapy Helps HIV-Positive Women Navigate Social Expectations for and Clinical Recommendations against Childbearing in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasmine Kastner

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Understanding factors that influence pregnancy decision-making and experiences among HIV-positive women is important for developing integrated reproductive health and HIV services. Few studies have examined HIV-positive women’s navigation through the social and clinical factors that shape experiences of pregnancy in the context of access to antiretroviral therapy (ART. We conducted 25 semistructured interviews with HIV-positive, pregnant women receiving ART in Mbarara, Uganda in 2011 to explore how access to ART shapes pregnancy experiences. Main themes included: (1 clinical counselling about pregnancy is often dissuasive but focuses on the importance of ART adherence once pregnant; (2 accordingly, women demonstrate knowledge about the role of ART adherence in maintaining maternal health and reducing risks of perinatal HIV transmission; (3 this knowledge contributes to personal optimism about pregnancy and childbearing in the context of HIV; and (4 knowledge about and adherence to ART creates opportunities for HIV-positive women to manage normative community and social expectations of childbearing. Access to ART and knowledge of the accompanying lowered risks of mortality, morbidity, and HIV transmission improved experiences of pregnancy and empowered HIV-positive women to discretely manage conflicting social expectations and clinical recommendations regarding childbearing.

  11. Risk Factors for Acquired Rifamycin and Isoniazid Resistance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neesha Rockwood

    Full Text Available Studies looking at acquired drug resistance (ADR are diverse with respect to geographical distribution, HIV co-infection rates, retreatment status and programmatic factors such as regimens administered and directly observed therapy. Our objective was to examine and consolidate evidence from clinical studies of the multifactorial aetiology of acquired rifamycin and/or isoniazid resistance within the scope of a single systematic review. This is important to inform policy and identify key areas for further studies.Case-control and cohort studies and randomised controlled trials that reported ADR as an outcome during antitubercular treatment regimens including a rifamycin and examined the association of at least 1 risk factor were included. Post hoc, we carried out random effects Mantel-Haenszel weighted meta-analyses of the impact of 2 key risk factors 1 HIV and 2 baseline drug resistance on the binary outcome of ADR. Heterogeneity was assessed used I2 statistic. As a secondary outcome, we calculated median cumulative incidence of ADR, weighted by the sample size of the studies.Meta-analysis of 15 studies showed increased risk of ADR with baseline mono- or polyresistance (RR 4.85 95% CI 3.26 to 7.23, heterogeneity I2 58%, 95% CI 26 to 76%. Meta-analysis of 8 studies showed that HIV co-infection was associated with increased risk of ADR (RR 3.02, 95% CI 1.28 to 7.11; there was considerable heterogeneity amongst these studies (I2 81%, 95% CI 64 to 90%. Non-adherence, extrapulmonary/disseminated disease and advanced immunosuppression in HIV co-infection were other risk factors noted. The weighted median cumulative incidence of acquired multi drug resistance calculated in 24 studies (assuming whole cohort as denominator, regardless of follow up DST was 0.1% (5th to 95th percentile 0.07 to 3.2%.Baseline drug resistance and HIV co-infection were significant risk factors for ADR. There was a trend of positive association with non-adherence which is likely

  12. Correlates of HIV-1 genital shedding in Tanzanian women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clare Tanton

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the correlates of HIV shedding is important to inform strategies to reduce HIV infectiousness. We examined correlates of genital HIV-1 RNA in women who were seropositive for both herpes simplex virus (HSV-2 and HIV-1 and who were enrolled in a randomised controlled trial of HSV suppressive therapy (aciclovir 400 mg b.i.d vs. placebo in Tanzania.Samples, including a cervico-vaginal lavage, were collected and tested for genital HIV-1 and HSV and reproductive tract infections (RTIs at randomisation and 6, 12 and 24 months follow-up. Data from all women at randomisation and women in the placebo arm during follow-up were analysed using generalised estimating equations to determine the correlates of cervico-vaginal HIV-1 RNA detection and load.Cervico-vaginal HIV-1 RNA was detected at 52.0% of 971 visits among 482 women, and was independently associated with plasma viral load, presence of genital ulcers, pregnancy, bloody cervical or vaginal discharge, abnormal vaginal discharge, cervical ectopy, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, an intermediate bacterial vaginosis score and HSV DNA detection. Similar factors were associated with genital HIV-1 RNA load.RTIs were associated with increased presence and quantity of genital HIV-1 RNA in this population. These results highlight the importance of integrating effective RTI treatment into HIV care services.

  13. Eating disorders and trauma history in women with perinatal depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meltzer-Brody, Samantha; Zerwas, Stephanie; Leserman, Jane; Holle, Ann Von; Regis, Taylor; Bulik, Cynthia

    2011-06-01

    Although the prevalence of perinatal depression (depression occurring during pregnancy and postpartum) is 10%, little is known about psychiatric comorbidity in these women. We examined the prevalence of comorbid eating disorders (ED) and trauma history in women with perinatal depression. A research questionnaire was administered to 158 consecutive patients seen in a perinatal psychiatry clinic during pregnancy (n=99) or postpartum (n=59). Measures included Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID) IV-based questions for lifetime eating psychopathology and assessments of comorbid psychiatric illness including the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Trauma Inventory. In this cohort, 37.1% reported a putative lifetime ED history; 10.1% reported anorexia nervosa (AN), 10.1% reported bulimia nervosa (BN), 10.1% reported ED not otherwise specified-purging subtype (EDNOS-P), and 7.0% reported binge eating disorder (BED). Women with BN reported more severe depression (EPDS score, 19.1, standard deviation [SD 4.3], p=0.02; PHQ-severity 14.5, SD 7.4, p=0.02) than the referent group of women with perinatal depression and no ED history (EPDS 13.3, SD=6.1; PHQ 9.0, SD=6.2). Women with AN were more likely to report sexual trauma history than the referent group (62.5% vs. 29.3%, pdepression and histories of physical and sexual trauma. Screening for histories of eating psychopathology is important in women with perinatal depression.

  14. The microbiome and HIV persistence: implications for viral remission and cure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koay, Wei Li A; Siems, Lilly V; Persaud, Deborah

    2018-01-01

    This article discusses the interaction between HIV infection, the gut microbiome, inflammation and immune activation, and HIV reservoirs, along with interventions to target the microbiome and their implications for HIV remission and cure. Most studies show that HIV-infected adults have a gut microbiome associated with decreased bacterial richness and diversity, and associated systemic inflammation and immune activation. A unique set of individuals, elite controllers, who spontaneously control HIV replication, have a similar microbiome to HIV-uninfected individuals. Conversely, exposure to maternal HIV in infants was shown to alter the gut microbiome, even in infants who escaped perinatal infection. Emerging research highlights the importance of the metabolomics and metaproteomics of the gut microbiome, which may have relevance for HIV remission and cure. Together, these studies illustrate the complexity of the relationship between HIV infection, the gut microbiome, and its systemic effects. Understanding the association of HIV with the microbiome, metabolome, and metaproteome may lead to novel therapies to decrease inflammation and immune activation, and impact HIV reservoir size and vaccine responses. Further research in this area is important to inform HIV remission and cure treatments.

  15. Frequent intra-subtype recombination among HIV-1 circulating in Tanzania.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ireen E Kiwelu

    Full Text Available The study estimated the prevalence of HIV-1 intra-subtype recombinant variants among female bar and hotel workers in Tanzania. While intra-subtype recombination occurs in HIV-1, it is generally underestimated. HIV-1 env gp120 V1-C5 quasispecies from 45 subjects were generated by single-genome amplification and sequencing (median (IQR of 38 (28-50 sequences per subject. Recombination analysis was performed using seven methods implemented within the recombination detection program version 3, RDP3. HIV-1 sequences were considered recombinant if recombination signals were detected by at least three methods with p-values of ≤0.05 after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. HIV-1 in 38 (84% subjects showed evidence for intra-subtype recombination including 22 with HIV-1 subtype A1, 13 with HIV-1 subtype C, and 3 with HIV-1 subtype D. The distribution of intra-patient recombination breakpoints suggested ongoing recombination and showed selective enrichment of recombinant variants in 23 (60% subjects. The number of subjects with evidence of intra-subtype recombination increased from 29 (69% to 36 (82% over one year of follow-up, although the increase did not reach statistical significance. Adjustment for intra-subtype recombination is important for the analysis of multiplicity of HIV infection. This is the first report of high prevalence of intra-subtype recombination in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Tanzania, a region where multiple HIV-1 subtypes co-circulate. HIV-1 intra-subtype recombination increases viral diversity and presents additional challenges for HIV-1 vaccine design.

  16. Regional gene expression of LOX-1, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 in aorta of HIV-1 transgenic rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Mette Fisker Hag

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Increased prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected patients has been observed. The cause of this accelerated atherosclerosis is a matter of controversy. As clinical studies are complicated by a multiplicity of risk-factors and a low incidence of hard endpoints, studies in animal models could be attractive alternatives. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We evaluated gene expression of lectin-like oxidized-low-density-lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1 in HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1Tg rats; these genes are all thought to play important roles in early atherogenesis. Furthermore, the plasma level of sICAM-1 was measured. We found that gene expressions of LOX-1 and VCAM-1 were higher in the aortic arch of HIV-1Tg rats compared to controls. Also, the level of sICAM-1 was elevated in the HIV-1Tg rats compared to controls, but the ICAM-1 gene expression profile did not show any differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: HIV-1Tg rats have gene expression patterns indicating endothelial dysfunction and accelerated atherosclerosis in aorta, suggesting that HIV-infection per se may cause atherosclerosis. This transgenic rat model may be a very promising model for further studies of the pathophysiology behind HIV-associated cardiovascular disease.

  17. HIV epidemiology. The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faria, Nuno R; Rambaut, Andrew; Suchard, Marc A; Baele, Guy; Bedford, Trevor; Ward, Melissa J; Tatem, Andrew J; Sousa, João D; Arinaminpathy, Nimalan; Pépin, Jacques; Posada, David; Peeters, Martine; Pybus, Oliver G; Lemey, Philippe

    2014-10-03

    Thirty years after the discovery of HIV-1, the early transmission, dissemination, and establishment of the virus in human populations remain unclear. Using statistical approaches applied to HIV-1 sequence data from central Africa, we show that from the 1920s Kinshasa (in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo) was the focus of early transmission and the source of pre-1960 pandemic viruses elsewhere. Location and dating estimates were validated using the earliest HIV-1 archival sample, also from Kinshasa. The epidemic histories of HIV-1 group M and nonpandemic group O were similar until ~1960, after which group M underwent an epidemiological transition and outpaced regional population growth. Our results reconstruct the early dynamics of HIV-1 and emphasize the role of social changes and transport networks in the establishment of this virus in human populations. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  18. HIV-1 protease inhibitory substances from Cassia garrettiana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jindaporn Puripattanvong

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Cassia garrettiana Craib, a Thai medicinal plant locally known as Samae-sarn, was investigated for its active constituents against HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the heart woodof this plant led to the isolation of a stilbene derivative (1, piceatannol and an anthraquinone derivative (2, chrysophanol. Piceatannol exhibited appreciable inhibitory effect against HIV-1 PR with an IC50 value of25.4 μg/ml, whereas that of chrysophanol was 73.5 μg/ml. In addition, other two stilbenoids together with three anthraquinone derivatives were also investigated for their anti-HIV-1 PR activities. The resultindicated that resveratrol possessed anti-HIV-1 PR activity with an IC50 value of 85.0 μg/ml, whereas other stilbenoid (oxyresveratrol and anthraquinone derivatives (emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein were inactive (IC50 > 100 μg/ml.

  19. Heterosexual transmission of HIV in Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roumelioutou-Karayannis, A; Nestoridou, K; Mandalaki, T; Stefanou, T; Papaevangelou, G

    1988-06-01

    To provide further evidence for the heterosexual transmission of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Greece we examined 53 Greek female steady heterosexual partners of 53 anti-HIV-positive men. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission was estimated by the detection of anti-HIV antibodies. Our results showed that 27.8% (5 of 18) of the female partners of bisexuals, 33.3% (2 of 6) of intravenous drug abusers (IVDA), and 100% (4 of 4) of those who had lived for a long time in Africa were found anti-HIV positive. In contrast, only 4% (1 of 25) of the studied sexual partners of hemophiliac carriers were found to be HIV seropositive. The use of condoms seemed to be the most important factor in reducing HIV transmission. According to our results the duration of sexual relationships and the practice of anal intercourse did not increase the possibility of seroconversion. These results confirm the heterosexual transmission of HIV. However, further studies should be conducted to evaluate the relative role of various risk factors and the overall importance of heterosexual spread of HIV infections.

  20. The Epidemiology of HIV-1 Transmitted Drug Resistance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D. Frentz (Dineke)

    2012-01-01

    textabstractThe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first discovered in 1983. In 2009, it was estimated that 33.3 (31.4 -35.3) million individuals are infected with HIV worldwide. In that year 1.8 (1.6-2.1) million people died from HIV. Although the virus continues to spread, the number of new

  1. Knowledge, attitudes and personal beliefs about HIV and AIDS among mentally ill patients in Soweto, Johannesburg

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Jonsson

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Aim. The aim of the study was to determine knowledge, attitudes and personal beliefs regarding HIV and AIDS in a group of mentally ill patients attending outpatient clinics in Soweto, Johannesburg. Method. All patients attending four randomly chosen clinics in Soweto were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire after obtaining informed written consent. The 63-item questionnaire, developed from others specifically for this study, included questions on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics; knowledge on how HIV is acquired and spread; attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV and AIDS; and condom usage. The statements in the knowledge sections were used to calculate a composite score, which if greater than or equal to 75% was defined as ‘adequate knowledge’. Results. A total of 1 151 patients with mental illness participated in the study. The mean age was 41.9 years (standard deviation 11.6 and the majority were males (50%; single (55%, and had achieved only a secondary level of education (53.3%. Overall, most of the study population did not believe in the myths surrounding the spread and acquisition of HIV and AIDS. There were however, significant associations between a low level of education and the belief that HIV is acquired from mosquito bites (odds ratio (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.19 - 2.18; p=0.002 and through masturbation or body rubbing (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.34 - 2.33; p=0.000. Although more than 90% of the patients were aware of the facts regarding the spread of HIV, approximately 40% did not believe that one could acquire HIV through a single sexual encounter. The composite scoring for knowledge showed that less than half the patients had adequate knowledge of HIV/AIDS. This was significantly associated with gender and level of education: females were 1.6 times (p

  2. Increased Risk of Female HIV-1 Acquisition Throughout Pregnancy and Postpartum: A Prospective Per-coital Act Analysis Among Women with HIV-1 Infected Partners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomson, Kerry A; Hughes, James; Baeten, Jared M; John-Stewart, Grace; Celum, Connie; Cohen, Craig R; Ngure, Kenneth; Kiarie, James; Mugo, Nelly; Heffron, Renee

    2018-03-05

    Understanding the absolute and relative risk of HIV-1 acquisition during pregnancy and postpartum can inform HIV-1 prevention strategies for women. We used a complementary log-log model and data from 2,751 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples to compare the probability of women's HIV-1 acquisition risk per sex act during early pregnancy, late pregnancy, postpartum, and non-pregnant periods. At total of 686 pregnancies were identified and 82 incident HIV-1 infections occurred. After adjustment for condom use, age, PrEP use, and HIV-1 viral load, the per act probability of HIV-1 acquisition was higher in late pregnancy (aRR 2.82, p=0.01) and postpartum (aRR 3.97, p=0.01) compared to non-pregnant periods. The HIV-1 acquisition probability per condomless sex act for a 25 year old woman not taking PrEP with an HIV-1 infected male partner with viral load of 10,000 copies/ml was 0.0011 (95% CI: 0.005, 0.0019), 0.0022 (95% CI: 0.0004, 0.0093), 0.0030 (95% CI: 0.0007, 0.0108), and 0.0042 (95% CI: 0.0007, 0.0177) in the non-pregnant, early pregnant, late pregnant, and postpartum periods, respectively. The HIV-1 acquisition probability per condomless sex act steadily increased through pregnancy and was highest during the postpartum period, suggesting that biological changes during pregnancy and postpartum increase female HIV-1 susceptibility.

  3. Total perinatally related losses at Tygerberg Hospital – a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To determine the leading causes of perinatal deaths and to evaluate any changes, with the inclusion of placental histology. Method. At perinatal mortality meetings, primary and final causes of death were assigned for the period 1 July 2006 - 30 June 2007. All singleton babies born to women residing in the ...

  4. The Depsipeptide Romidepsin Reverses HIV-1 Latency In Vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ole S Søgaard

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Pharmacologically-induced activation of replication competent proviruses from latency in the presence of antiretroviral treatment (ART has been proposed as a step towards curing HIV-1 infection. However, until now, approaches to reverse HIV-1 latency in humans have yielded mixed results. Here, we report a proof-of-concept phase Ib/IIa trial where 6 aviremic HIV-1 infected adults received intravenous 5 mg/m2 romidepsin (Celgene once weekly for 3 weeks while maintaining ART. Lymphocyte histone H3 acetylation, a cellular measure of the pharmacodynamic response to romidepsin, increased rapidly (maximum fold range: 3.7–7.7 relative to baseline within the first hours following each romidepsin administration. Concurrently, HIV-1 transcription quantified as copies of cell-associated un-spliced HIV-1 RNA increased significantly from baseline during treatment (range of fold-increase: 2.4–5.0; p = 0.03. Plasma HIV-1 RNA increased from <20 copies/mL at baseline to readily quantifiable levels at multiple post-infusion time-points in 5 of 6 patients (range 46–103 copies/mL following the second infusion, p = 0.04. Importantly, romidepsin did not decrease the number of HIV-specific T cells or inhibit T cell cytokine production. Adverse events (all grade 1–2 were consistent with the known side effects of romidepsin. In conclusion, romidepsin safely induced HIV-1 transcription resulting in plasma HIV-1 RNA that was readily detected with standard commercial assays demonstrating that significant reversal of HIV-1 latency in vivo is possible without blunting T cell-mediated immune responses. These finding have major implications for future trials aiming to eradicate the HIV-1 reservoir.clinicaltrials.gov NTC02092116.

  5. Clustering patterns of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitopes in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) proteins reveal imprints of immune evasion on HIV-1 global variation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yusim, K.; Kesmir, Can; Gaschen, B.

    2002-01-01

    The human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been intensely studied, and hundreds of CTL epitopes have been experimentally defined, published, and compiled in the HIV Molecular Immunology Database. Maps of CTL epitopes on HIV-1 protein sequenc...

  6. Vertically transmitted HIV-l infection in children

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1990-08-09

    Aug 9, 1990 ... Rogers MF, Thomas PA, Starcher ET, Noa MC, Bush TJ, Jaffe HW. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in children: report of tbe Centers for. Disease Control national surveillance, 1982-1985. Pediaerics 1987; 79: 1008-1014. 16. Ryder RW, Nsa, W, Hassig SE ec al. Perinatal transmission of the human.

  7. HIV-1 impairs human retinal pigment epithelial barrier function: possible association with the pathogenesis of HIV-associated retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Suiyi; Duan, Heng; Xun, Tianrong; Ci, Wei; Qiu, Jiayin; Yu, Fei; Zhao, Xuyan; Wu, Linxuan; Li, Lin; Lu, Lu; Jiang, Shibo; Liu, Shuwen

    2014-07-01

    The breakdown of human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) barrier is considered as the etiology of retinopathy, which affects the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. Here we demonstrate that HIV-1 could directly impair HRPE barrier function, which leads to the translocation of HIV-1 and bacteria. HRPE cells (D407) were grown to form polarized, confluent monolayers and treated with different HIV-1 infectious clones. A significant increase of monolayer permeability, as measured by trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and apical-basolateral movements of sodium fluorescein, was observed. Disrupted tightness of HRPE barrier was associated with the downregulation of several tight junction proteins in D407 cells, including ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1, Claudin-2, Claudin-3, Claudin-4, and Claudin-5, after exposure to HIV-1, without affecting the viability of cells. HIV-1 gp120 was shown to participate in the alteration of barrier properties, as evidenced by decreased TEER and weakened expression of tight junction proteins in D407 monolayers after exposure to pseudotyped HIV-1, UV-inactivated HIV-1, and free gp120, but not to an envelope (Env)-defective mutant of HIV. Furthermore, exposure to HIV-1 particles could induce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in D407, including IL-6 and MCP-1, both of which downregulated the expression of ZO-1 in the HRPE barrier. Disrupted HRPE monolayer allowed translocation of HIV-1 and bacteria across the epithelium. Overall, these findings suggest that HIV-1 may exploit its Env glycoprotein to induce an inflammatory state in HRPE cells, which could result in impairment of HRPE monolayer integrity, allowing virus and bacteria existing in ocular fluids to cross the epithelium and penetrate the HRPE barrier. Our study highlights the role of HIV-1 in the pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS-related retinopathy and suggests potential therapeutic targets for this ocular complication.

  8. ANALYSIS OF HIV SUBTYPES AND CLINICAL STAGING OF HIV DISEASE/AIDS IN EAST JAVA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yulia Ismail

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1 known to cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS disease are divided into several subtypes (A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K and Circulating Recombinant Form (CRF. Different characteristics of subtype of the virus and its interaction with the host can affect the severity of the disease. This study was to analyze HIV-1 subtypes circulating in HIV/AIDS patients from the East Java region descriptively and to analyze its relationship with clinical stadiums of HIV/AIDS. Information from this research was expected to complement the data of mocular epidemiology of HIV in Indonesia. This study utilited blood plasma from patients who had been tested to be HIV positive who sected treatment to or were reffered to the Intermediate Care Unit of Infectious Disease (UPIPI Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya from various area representing the East Java regions. Plasma was separated from blood samples by centrifugation for use in the the molecular biology examination including RNA extraction, nested PCR using specific primer for HIV gp120 env gene region, DNA purifying, DNA sequencing, and homology and phylogenetic analysis. Based on the nucleotide sequence of the HIV gp120 env gene, it was found that the most dominant subtypes in East Java were in one group of Circulating Recombinant Form (CRF that is CRF01_AE, CRF33_01B and CRF34_01B which was also found in Southeast Asia. In the phylogenetic tree, most of HIV samples (30 samples are in the same branch with CRF01_AE, CRF33_01B and CRF34_01B, except for one sample (HIV40 which is in the same branch with subtype B. HIV subtypes are associated with clinical stadiums (disease severity since samples from different stages of HIV disease have the same subtype.

  9. Trends of HIV-1, HIV-2 and dual infection in women attending outpatient clinics in Senegal, 1990–2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heitzinger, K; Sow, P S; Badiane, N M Dia; Gottlieb, G S; N’Doye, I; Toure, M; Kiviat, N B; Hawes, S E

    2013-01-01

    Summary We assessed trends in the relative prevalences of HIV-1, HIV-2 and dual HIV-1/HIV-2 infection in 10,321 women attending outpatient clinics in Senegal between 1990 and 2009. The relative prevalence of HIV-1 (defined as the proportion of seropositive subjects having HIV-1) rose sharply from 38% in 1990 until 1993 (P Senegal. From 1993 to 2009, the relative prevalence of HIV-1 increased at a slower rate, while the relative prevalences of HIV-2 and dual infection decreased. These results confirm trends in HIV prevalence observed in other West African populations and provide a critical update on HIV transmission risk among women in Senegal. PMID:23104745

  10. Structure of HIV-1 protease determined by neutron crystallography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adachi, Motoyasu; Kuroki, Ryota

    2009-01-01

    HIV-1 protease is an aspartic protease, and plays an essential role in replication of HIV. To develop HIV-1 protease inhibitors through structure-based drug design, it is necessary to understand the catalytic mechanism and inhibitor recognition of HIV-1 protease. We have determined the crystal structure of HIV-1 protease in complex with KNI-272 to 1.9 A resolution by neutron crystallography in combination with 1.4 A resolution X-ray diffraction data. The results show that the carbonyl group of hydroxymethylcarbonyl (HMC) in KNI-272 forms a hydrogen bonding interaction with protonated Asp 25 and the hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group of HMC forms a hydrogen bonding interaction with the deprotonated Asp125. This is the first neutron report for HIV-1/inhibitor complex and shows directly the locations of key hydrogen atoms in catalysis and in the binding of a transition-state analog. The results confirm key aspect of the presumed catalytic mechanism of HIV-1 protease and will aid in the further development of protease inhibitors. (author)

  11. Hyperthyroidism caused by acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, J-J; Zhou, J-J; Yuan, X-L; Li, C-Y; Sheng, H; Su, B; Sheng, C-J; Qu, S; Li, H

    2014-01-01

    Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an immune deficiency disease. The etiology of hyperthyroidism, which can also be immune-related, is usually divided into six classical categories, including hypophyseal, hypothalamic, thyroid, neoplastic, autoimmune and inflammatory hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a rare complication of highly active antimicrobial therapy (HAART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Hyperthyroidism caused directly by AIDS has not been previously reported. A 29-year-old man who complained of dyspnea and asthenia for 1 month, recurrent fever for more than 20 days, and breathlessness for 1 week was admitted to our hospital. The thyroid function test showed that the level of free thyroxine (FT4) was higher than normal and that the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was below normal. He was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Additional investigations revealed a low serum albumin level and chest infection, along with diffuse lung fibrosis. Within 1 month, he experienced significant weight loss, no hand tremors, intolerance of heat, and perspiration proneness. We recommended an HIV examination; subsequently, AIDS was diagnosed based on the laboratory parameters. This is the first reported case of hyperthyroidism caused by AIDS. AIDS may cause hyperthyroidism by immunization regulation with complex, atypical, and easily ignored symptoms. Although hyperthyroidism is rare in patients with AIDS, clinicians should be aware of this potential interaction and should carefully monitor thyroid function in HIV-positive patients.

  12. Perinatal mortality in eastern Uganda: a community based prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nankabirwa, Victoria; Tumwine, James K; Tylleskär, Thorkild; Nankunda, Jolly; Sommerfelt, Halvor

    2011-05-09

    To achieve a child mortality reduction according to millennium development goal 4, it is necessary to considerably reduce neonatal mortality. We report stillbirth and early neonatal mortality risks as well as determinants of perinatal mortality in Eastern Uganda. A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted between 2006 and 2008. A total of 835 pregnant women were followed up for pregnancy outcome and survival of their children until 7 days after delivery. Mother's residence, age, parity, bed net use and whether delivery took place at home were included in multivariable regression analyses to identify risk factors for perinatal death. The stillbirth risk was 19 per 1,000 pregnancies and the early neonatal death risk 22 per 1,000 live births. Overall, the perinatal mortality risk was 41 [95%CI: 27, 54] per 1,000 pregnancies. Of the deaths, 47% followed complicated deliveries and 24% preterm births. Perinatal mortality was 63/1,000 pregnancies among teenage mothers, 76/1,000 pregnancies among nulliparous women and 61/1,000 pregnancies among women delivering at home who, after controlling for potential confounders, had a 3.7 (95%CI: 1.8, 7.4) times higher perinatal mortality than women who gave birth in a health facility. This association was considerably stronger among nulliparous women [RR 8.0 (95%CI: 2.9, 21.6)] than among women with a previous live birth [RR 1.8 (95%CI: 0.7, 4.5)]. All perinatal deaths occurred among women who did not sleep under a mosquito net. Women living in urban slums had a higher risk of losing their babies than those in rural areas [RR: 2.7 (95%CI: 1.4, 5.3)]. Our findings strengthen arguments for ensuring that pregnant women have access to and use adequate delivery facilities and bed nets.

  13. Perinatal mortality in eastern Uganda: a community based prospective cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria Nankabirwa

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available To achieve a child mortality reduction according to millennium development goal 4, it is necessary to considerably reduce neonatal mortality. We report stillbirth and early neonatal mortality risks as well as determinants of perinatal mortality in Eastern Uganda.A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted between 2006 and 2008. A total of 835 pregnant women were followed up for pregnancy outcome and survival of their children until 7 days after delivery. Mother's residence, age, parity, bed net use and whether delivery took place at home were included in multivariable regression analyses to identify risk factors for perinatal death.The stillbirth risk was 19 per 1,000 pregnancies and the early neonatal death risk 22 per 1,000 live births. Overall, the perinatal mortality risk was 41 [95%CI: 27, 54] per 1,000 pregnancies. Of the deaths, 47% followed complicated deliveries and 24% preterm births. Perinatal mortality was 63/1,000 pregnancies among teenage mothers, 76/1,000 pregnancies among nulliparous women and 61/1,000 pregnancies among women delivering at home who, after controlling for potential confounders, had a 3.7 (95%CI: 1.8, 7.4 times higher perinatal mortality than women who gave birth in a health facility. This association was considerably stronger among nulliparous women [RR 8.0 (95%CI: 2.9, 21.6] than among women with a previous live birth [RR 1.8 (95%CI: 0.7, 4.5]. All perinatal deaths occurred among women who did not sleep under a mosquito net. Women living in urban slums had a higher risk of losing their babies than those in rural areas [RR: 2.7 (95%CI: 1.4, 5.3].Our findings strengthen arguments for ensuring that pregnant women have access to and use adequate delivery facilities and bed nets.

  14. Infection with Hepatitis C Virus among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women in Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denise J. Jamieson

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV and HIV among a cohort of pregnant Thai women. Methods. Samples from 1771 pregnant women enrolled in three vertical transmission of HIV studies in Bangkok, Thailand, were tested for HCV. Results. Among HIV-infected pregnant women, HCV seroprevelance was 3.8% and the active HCV infection rate was 3.0%. Among HIV-uninfected pregnant women, 0.3% were HCV-infected. Intravenous drug use by the woman was the factor most strongly associated with HCV seropositivity. Among 48 infants tested for HCV who were born to HIV/HCV coinfected women, two infants were HCV infected for an HCV transmission rate of 4.2% (95% 0.51–14.25%. Conclusions. HCV seroprevalence and perinatal transmission rates were low among this Thai cohort of HIV-infected pregnant women.

  15. Molecular Basis for Drug Resistance in HIV-1 Protease

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    Celia A. Schiffer

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 protease is one of the major antiviral targets in the treatment of patients infected with HIV-1. The nine FDA approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors were developed with extensive use of structure-based drug design, thus the atomic details of how the inhibitors bind are well characterized. From this structural understanding the molecular basis for drug resistance in HIV-1 protease can be elucidated. Selected mutations in response to therapy and diversity between clades in HIV-1 protease have altered the shape of the active site, potentially altered the dynamics and even altered the sequence of the cleavage sites in the Gag polyprotein. All of these interdependent changes act in synergy to confer drug resistance while simultaneously maintaining the fitness of the virus. New strategies, such as incorporation of the substrate envelope constraint to design robust inhibitors that incorporate details of HIV-1 protease’s function and decrease the probability of drug resistance, are necessary to continue to effectively target this key protein in HIV-1 life cycle.

  16. Cardiac Dysfunction in HIV-1 Transgenic Mouse: Role of Stress and BAG3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Joseph Y; Gordon, Jennifer; Wang, JuFang; Song, Jianliang; Zhang, Xue-Qian; Tilley, Douglas G; Gao, Erhe; Koch, Walter J; Rabinowitz, Joseph; Klotman, Paul E; Khalili, Kamel; Feldman, Arthur M

    2015-08-01

    Since highly active antiretroviral therapy improved long-term survival of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, AIDS cardiomyopathy has become an increasingly relevant clinical problem. We used human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 transgenic (Tg26) mouse to explore molecular mechanisms of AIDS cardiomyopathy. Tg26 mice had significantly lower left ventricular (LV) mass and smaller end-diastolic and end-systolic LV volumes. Under basal conditions, cardiac contractility and relaxation and single myocyte contraction dynamics were not different between wild-type (WT) and Tg26 mice. Ten days after open heart surgery, contractility and relaxation remained significantly depressed in Tg26 hearts, suggesting that Tg26 mice did not tolerate surgical stress well. To simulate heart failure in which expression of Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is reduced, we down-regulated BAG3 by small hairpin ribonucleic acid in WT and Tg26 hearts. BAG3 down-regulation significantly reduced contractility in Tg26 hearts. BAG3 overexpression rescued contractile abnormalities in myocytes expressing the HIV-1 protein Tat. We conclude: (i) Tg26 mice exhibit normal contractile function at baseline; (ii) Tg26 mice do not tolerate surgical stress well; (iii) BAG3 down-regulation exacerbated cardiac dysfunction in Tg26 mice; (iv) BAG3 overexpression rescued contractile abnormalities in myocytes expressing HIV-1 protein Tat; and (v) BAG3 may occupy a role in pathogenesis of AIDS cardiomyopathy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. 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

  18. An anti-HIV microbicide engineered in commensal bacteria: secretion of HIV-1 fusion inhibitors by lactobacilli

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pusch, O.; Kalyanaraman, R.; Tucker, L.D.; Wells, J.; Rmanratnam, B.; Boden, D.

    2006-01-01

    Objectives: To engineer Lactobacillus spp. to secrete HIV-1 fusion inhibitors with potent neutralizing activity against primary HIV-1 isolates. Methods: HIV-1 fusion inhibitors (FI-1, FI-2, and FI-3) were introduced into the previously developed shuttle vector pTSV2 and transformed in L. plantarum

  19. Exosomes from Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)-Infected Cells License Quiescent CD4+ T Lymphocytes To Replicate HIV-1 through a Nef- and ADAM17-Dependent Mechanism

    OpenAIRE

    Arenaccio, Claudia; Chiozzini, Chiara; Columba-Cabezas, Sandra; Manfredi, Francesco; Affabris, Elisabetta; Baur, Andreas; Federico, Maurizio

    2014-01-01

    Resting CD4+ T lymphocytes resist human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Here, we provide evidence that exosomes from HIV-1-infected cells render resting human primary CD4+ T lymphocytes permissive to HIV-1 replication. These results were obtained with transwell cocultures of HIV-1-infected cells with quiescent CD4+ T lymphocytes in the presence of inhibitors of exosome release and were confirmed using exosomes purified from supernatants of HIV-1-infected primary CD4+ T lymphocytes. We...

  20. Diagnostic Value of Culture and Serological Tests in the Diagnosis of Histoplasmosis in HIV and non-HIV Colombian Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arango-Bustamante, Karen; Restrepo, Angela; Cano, Luz Elena; de Bedout, Catalina; Tobón, Angela Maria; González, Angel

    2013-01-01

    We determined the value of culture and serological tests used to diagnose histoplasmosis. The medical records of 391 histoplasmosis patients were analyzed. Diagnosis of the mycosis was assessed by culture, complement fixation, and immunodiffusion tests; 310 patients (79.5%) were male, and 184 patients (47.1%) were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Positivity value for cultures was 35.7% (74/207), reactivity of serological tests was 95.2% (160/168), and a combination of both methodologies was 16.9% (35/207) for non-HIV patients. Positivity value for cultures was 75.0% (138/184), reactivity of serological tests was 92.4% (85/92), and a combination of both methodologies was 26.0% (48/184) for HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients; 48.1% (102/212) of extrapulmonary samples from HIV/AIDS patients yielded positive cultures compared with 23.1% (49/212) in non-HIV patients. Lymphocyte counts made for 33.1% (61/184) of HIV/AIDS patients showed a trend to low CD4+ numbers and higher proportion of positive cultures. These results indicate that culture is the most reliable fungal diagnostic method for HIV/AIDS patients, and contrary to what is generally believed, serological assays are useful for diagnosing histoplasmosis in these patients. PMID:24043688

  1. Análisis del comportamiento de la mortalidad materna y perinatal

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    Angélica Uribe-Meneses

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Este estudio se orientó a identificar las causas, calcular la tasa y caracterizar los casos de mortalidad materna y perinatal en la Empresa Social del Estado Hospital Regional Noroccidental del departamento Norte de Santander, entre los años 2006 a 2009. La investigación es de carácter cuantitativo, descriptivo, con enfoque retrospectivo. Se emplearon los siguientes instrumentos para la recolección de información: Ficha SIVIGILA de notificación mortalidad materno perinatal del Instituto Nacional de Salud, encuesta de visita de campo del protocolo para la vigilancia de la mortalidad materno-perinatal del Instituto Nacional de Salud, historias clínicas de cada uno de los casos objeto de estudio. La población es tomada del total de muertes maternas y perinatales de procedencia de la Empresa Social del Estado Hospital Regional Noroccidental del departamento Norte de Santander, la muestra está representada en el 100% de los de casos de mortalidad materna y perinatal de la ESE, que en total son 65 casos, 7 de mortalidad materna y 58 de mortalidad perinatal. Entre las causas identificadas como más prevalentes para la mortalidad materna fueron la eclampsia y/ pre-eclampsia, y la causa de mortalidad perinatal fue el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria, la tasa más alta de mortalidad materna la presentó el municipio del Carmen con 1.49 y convención con 1.41 por 10.000 MEF y la tasa de mortalidad perinatal la presentó el municipio del Carmen con una tasa de 29.65 por 1.000 nacidos vivos.

  2. Rational development of radiopharmaceuticals for HIV-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lau, Chuen-Yen; Maldarelli, Frank; Eckelman, William C.; Neumann, Ronald D.

    2014-01-01

    The global battle against HIV-1 would benefit from a sensitive and specific radiopharmaceutical to localize HIV-infected cells. Ideally, this probe would be able to identify latently infected host cells containing replication competent HIV sequences. Clinical and research applications would include assessment of reservoirs, informing clinical management by facilitating assessment of burden of infection in different compartments, monitoring disease progression and monitoring response to therapy. A “rational” development approach could facilitate efficient identification of an appropriate targeted radiopharmaceutical. Rational development starts with understanding characteristics of the disease that can be effectively targeted and then engineering radiopharmaceuticals to hone in on an appropriate target, which in the case of HIV-1 (HIV) might be an HIV-specific product on or in the host cell, a differentially expressed gene product, an integrated DNA sequence specific enzymatic activity, part of the inflammatory response, or a combination of these. This is different from the current approach that starts with a radiopharmaceutical for a target associated with a disease, mostly from autopsy studies, without a strong rationale for the potential to impact patient care. At present, no targeted therapies are available for HIV latency, although a number of approaches are under study. Here we discuss requirements for a radiopharmaceutical useful in strategies targeting persistently infected cells. The radiopharmaceutical for HIV should be developed based on HIV biology, studied in an animal model and then in humans, and ultimately used in clinical and research settings

  3. Novel host restriction factors implicated in HIV-1 replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghimire, Dibya; Rai, Madhu; Gaur, Ritu

    2018-04-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is known to interact with multiple host cellular proteins during its replication in the target cell. While many of these host cellular proteins facilitate viral replication, a number of them are reported to inhibit HIV-1 replication at various stages of its life cycle. These host cellular proteins, which are known as restriction factors, constitute an integral part of the host's first line of defence against the viral pathogen. Since the discovery of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme 3G (APOBEC3G) as an HIV-1 restriction factor, several human proteins have been identified that exhibit anti-HIV-1 restriction. While each restriction factor employs a distinct mechanism of inhibition, the HIV-1 virus has equally evolved complex counter strategies to neutralize their inhibitory effect. APOBEC3G, tetherin, sterile alpha motif and histidine-aspartate domain 1 (SAMHD1), and trim-5α are some of the best known HIV-1 restriction factors that have been studied in great detail. Recently, six novel restriction factors were discovered that exhibit significant antiviral activity: endoplasmic reticulum α1,2-mannosidase I (ERManI), translocator protein (TSPO), guanylate-binding protein 5 (GBP5), serine incorporator (SERINC3/5) and zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP). The focus of this review is to discuss the antiviral mechanism of action of these six restriction factors and provide insights into the probable counter-evasion strategies employed by the HIV-1 virus. The recent discovery of new restriction factors substantiates the complex host-pathogen interactions occurring during HIV-1 pathogenesis and makes it imperative that further investigations are conducted to elucidate the molecular basis of HIV-1 replication.

  4. Macrosomia, Perinatal and Infant Mortality in Cree Communities in Quebec, 1996-2010.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Xiao

    Full Text Available Cree births in Quebec are characterized by the highest reported prevalence of macrosomia (~35% in the world. It is unclear whether Cree births are at greater elevated risk of perinatal and infant mortality than other First Nations relative to non-Aboriginal births in Quebec, and if macrosomia may be related.This was a population-based retrospective birth cohort study using the linked birth-infant death database for singleton births to mothers from Cree (n = 5,340, other First Nations (n = 10,810 and non-Aboriginal (n = 229,960 communities in Quebec, 1996-2010. Community type was ascertained by residential postal code and municipality name. The primary outcomes were perinatal and infant mortality.Macrosomia (birth weight for gestational age >90th percentile was substantially more frequent in Cree (38.0% and other First Nations (21.9% vs non-Aboriginal (9.4% communities. Comparing Cree and other First Nations vs non-Aboriginal communities, perinatal mortality rates were 1.52 (95% confidence intervals 1.17, 1.98 and 1.34 (1.10, 1.64 times higher, and infant mortality rates 2.27 (1.71, 3.02 and 1.49 (1.16, 1.91 times higher, respectively. The risk elevations in perinatal and infant death in Cree communities attenuated after adjusting for maternal characteristics (age, education, marital status, parity, but became greater after further adjustment for birth weight (small, appropriate, or large for gestational age.Cree communities had greater risk elevations in perinatal and infant mortality than other First Nations relative to non-Aboriginal communities in Quebec. High prevalence of macrosomia did not explain the elevated risk of perinatal and infant mortality in Cree communities.

  5. HIV-1 persistence following extremely early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART during acute HIV-1 infection: An observational study.

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    Timothy J Henrich

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available It is unknown if extremely early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART may lead to long-term ART-free HIV remission or cure. As a result, we studied 2 individuals recruited from a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP program who started prophylactic ART an estimated 10 days (Participant A; 54-year-old male and 12 days (Participant B; 31-year-old male after infection with peak plasma HIV RNA of 220 copies/mL and 3,343 copies/mL, respectively. Extensive testing of blood and tissue for HIV persistence was performed, and PrEP Participant A underwent analytical treatment interruption (ATI following 32 weeks of continuous ART.Colorectal and lymph node tissues, bone marrow, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF, plasma, and very large numbers of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs were obtained longitudinally from both participants and were studied for HIV persistence in several laboratories using molecular and culture-based detection methods, including a murine viral outgrowth assay (mVOA. Both participants initiated PrEP with tenofovir/emtricitabine during very early Fiebig stage I (detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA, antibody negative followed by 4-drug ART intensification. Following peak viral loads, both participants experienced full suppression of HIV-1 plasma viremia. Over the following 2 years, no further HIV could be detected in blood or tissue from PrEP Participant A despite extensive sampling from ileum, rectum, lymph nodes, bone marrow, CSF, circulating CD4+ T cell subsets, and plasma. No HIV was detected from tissues obtained from PrEP Participant B, but low-level HIV RNA or DNA was intermittently detected from various CD4+ T cell subsets. Over 500 million CD4+ T cells were assayed from both participants in a humanized mouse outgrowth assay. Three of 8 mice infused with CD4+ T cells from PrEP Participant B developed viremia (50 million input cells/surviving mouse, but only 1 of 10 mice infused with CD4+ T cells from PrEP Participant A (53 million input

  6. HIV-1 replication in cell lines harboring INI1/hSNF5 mutations

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    Wu Xuhong

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background INI1/hSNF5 is a cellular protein that directly interacts with HIV-1 integrase (IN. It is specifically incorporated into HIV-1 virions. A dominant negative mutant derived from INI1 inhibits HIV-1 replication. Recent studies indicate that INI1 is associated with pre-integration and reverse transcription complexes that are formed upon viral entry into the target cells. INI1 also is a tumor suppressor, biallelically deleted/mutated in malignant rhabdoid tumors. We have utilized cell lines derived from the rhabdoid tumors, MON and STA-WT1, that harbor either null or truncating mutations of INI1 respectively, to assess the effect of INI1 on HIV-1 replication. Results We found that while HIV-1 virions produced in 293T cells efficiently transduced MON and STA-WT1 cells, HIV-1 particle production was severely reduced in both of these cells. Reintroduction of INI1 into MON and STA-WT1 significantly enhanced the particle production in both cell lines. HIV-1 particles produced in MON cells were reduced for infectivity, while those produced in STA-WT1 were not. Further analysis indicated the presence of INI1 in those virions produced from STA-WT1 but not from those produced from MON cells. HIV-1 produced in MON cells were defective for synthesis of early and late reverse transcription products in the target cells. Furthermore, virions produced in MON cells were defective for exogenous reverse transcriptase activity carried out using exogenous template, primer and substrate. Conclusion Our results suggest that INI1-deficient cells exhibit reduced particle production that can be partly enhanced by re-introduction of INI1. Infectivity of HIV-1 produced in some but not all INI1 defective cells, is affected and this defect may correlate to the lack of INI1 and/or some other proteins in these virions. The block in early events of virion produced from MON cells appears to be at the stage of reverse transcription. These studies suggest that

  7. HIV-1 replication in cell lines harboring INI1/hSNF5 mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorin, Masha; Yung, Eric; Wu, Xuhong; Kalpana, Ganjam V

    2006-08-31

    INI1/hSNF5 is a cellular protein that directly interacts with HIV-1 integrase (IN). It is specifically incorporated into HIV-1 virions. A dominant negative mutant derived from INI1 inhibits HIV-1 replication. Recent studies indicate that INI1 is associated with pre-integration and reverse transcription complexes that are formed upon viral entry into the target cells. INI1 also is a tumor suppressor, biallelically deleted/mutated in malignant rhabdoid tumors. We have utilized cell lines derived from the rhabdoid tumors, MON and STA-WT1, that harbor either null or truncating mutations of INI1 respectively, to assess the effect of INI1 on HIV-1 replication. We found that while HIV-1 virions produced in 293T cells efficiently transduced MON and STA-WT1 cells, HIV-1 particle production was severely reduced in both of these cells. Reintroduction of INI1 into MON and STA-WT1 significantly enhanced the particle production in both cell lines. HIV-1 particles produced in MON cells were reduced for infectivity, while those produced in STA-WT1 were not. Further analysis indicated the presence of INI1 in those virions produced from STA-WT1 but not from those produced from MON cells. HIV-1 produced in MON cells were defective for synthesis of early and late reverse transcription products in the target cells. Furthermore, virions produced in MON cells were defective for exogenous reverse transcriptase activity carried out using exogenous template, primer and substrate. Our results suggest that INI1-deficient cells exhibit reduced particle production that can be partly enhanced by re-introduction of INI1. Infectivity of HIV-1 produced in some but not all INI1 defective cells, is affected and this defect may correlate to the lack of INI1 and/or some other proteins in these virions. The block in early events of virion produced from MON cells appears to be at the stage of reverse transcription. These studies suggest that presence of INI1 or some other host factor in virions and

  8. Infection of human and non-human cells by a highly fusogenic primary CD4-independent HIV-1 isolate with a truncated envelope cytoplasmic tail

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saha, Kunal; Yan Hui; Nelson, Julie A.E.; Zerhouni-Layachi, Bouchra

    2005-01-01

    Truncation of the envelope cytoplasmic tail has enabled FIV, SIV, and some laboratory HIV-1 strains to acquire broader cellular tropism and enhanced fusogenicity. Here we have characterized a primary CD4-independent HIV-1 isolate (92UG046-T8) with a truncated cytoplasmic tail that was able to infect and induce syncytia in primary lymphocytes from human, chimpanzee, and monkey, as well as CD4-negative cell lines from human and monkey. Increased syncytia were also noticeable with 293 cells expressing the cloned envelope from the 92UG046-T8 isolate suggesting envelope-mediated cellular fusion. Except pooled serum from HIV-1-infected individuals, monoclonal anti-envelope antibodies or antibodies/antagonists against CD4, CXCR4, and CCR5 were not able to prevent infection by the 92UG046-T8 isolate. This is the first report showing a primary HIV-1 variant with truncated cytoplasmic tail which is highly fusogenic and can infect a broad range of cells from human and non-human origins. In vivo evolution of similar HIV-1 mutants may have important implications in AIDS pathogenesis

  9. HIV Positive Diagnosis During Pregnancy Increases Risk of IPV Postpartum Among Women with No History of IPV in Their Relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, Allison K; Reyes, H Luz McNaughton; Moodley, Dhayendre; Maman, Suzanne

    2017-07-24

    There has been limited study of whether and for whom physical intimate partner violence (IPV) is a consequence of an HIV-positive diagnosis. Per the diathesis stress model, the consequences of HIV infection may be worse for women with a history of IPV. We hypothesize that the positive association between HIV diagnosis in pregnancy and postpartum IPV will be exacerbated for women with a history of IPV. Data come from a prospective cohort study with 1015 participants who completed a baseline antenatal and 9-month postpartum visit. Using logistic regression analyses, we found a statistically significant interaction between HIV diagnosis, history of IPV and postpartum IPV (AOR: 0.40, 95% CI 0.17-0.96). The findings were in the opposite direction as expected: HIV-diagnosis was not associated with IPV for women with a history of IPV (AOR: 2.17, 95% CI 1.06, 4.42). However, HIV-positive women without a history of IPV faced more than two times the risk of incident postpartum IPV than HIV-negative women (AOR: 2.17, 95% CI 1.06, 4.42). Interventions to reduce incident and ongoing IPV during the perinatal period are needed.

  10. Health care transition for youth living with HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowshen, Nadia; D'Angelo, Lawrence

    2011-10-01

    There are ~1 million people in the United States living with HIV/AIDS, and >50,000 new infections occur each year. With an estimated 13% of all new infections occurring among young people aged 13 to 24 years and an increasing number of perinatally infected youth surviving to adulthood, there is now an increasing need to transition both perinatally and behaviorally infected youth to the adult health care setting. Recently, pediatric providers and professional societies have prioritized the development of transition programs for adolescents with chronic disease to address the many challenges these youth face in the process. Although multiple position papers have called for continuous, coordinated, culturally appropriate, compassionate, family-centered transition programs for youth with special health care needs and have recognized the need for evidence-based models, few data exist on what strategies are most effective. To date, published data on health care transition for HIV-positive youth are limited and include only 2 studies, which considered behaviorally infected youth. In this state-of-the-art review, we discuss the unique transition challenges to consider for this population, including socioeconomic and health insurance status, the special role of the pediatric or adolescent provider as family, stigma and disclosure issues, cognitive development and mental health issues, medication adherence, and sexual, reproductive, and gender health concerns. Future research will need to include the experiences of transition in low-resource settings and examine clinical outcomes and factors that may predict success or failure of the transition process.

  11. Increasing adolescent HIV prevalence in Eastern Zimbabwe--evidence of long-term survivors of mother-to-child transmission?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey W Eaton

    Full Text Available Recent data from the Manicaland HIV/STD Prevention Project, a general-population open HIV cohort study, suggested that between 2004 and 2007 HIV prevalence amongst males aged 15-17 years in eastern Zimbabwe increased from 1.20% to 2.23%, and in females remained unchanged at 2.23% to 2.39%, while prevalence continued to decline in the rest of the adult population. We assess whether the more likely source of the increase in adolescent HIV prevalence is recent sexual HIV acquisition, or the aging of long-term survivors of perinatal HIV acquisition that occurred during the early growth of the epidemic. Using data collected between August 2006 and November 2008, we investigated associations between adolescent HIV and (1 maternal orphanhood and maternal HIV status, (2 reported sexual behaviour, and (3 reporting recurring sickness or chronic illness, suggesting infected adolescents might be in a late stage of HIV infection. HIV-infected adolescent males were more likely to be maternal orphans (RR = 2.97, p<0.001 and both HIV-infected adolescent males and females were more likely to be maternal orphans or have an HIV-infected mother (male RR = 1.83, p<0.001; female RR = 16.6, p<0.001. None of 22 HIV-infected adolescent males and only three of 23 HIV-infected females reported ever having had sex. HIV-infected adolescents were 60% more likely to report illness than HIV-infected young adults. Taken together, all three hypotheses suggest that recent increases in adolescent HIV prevalence in eastern Zimbabwe are more likely attributable to long-term survival of mother-to-child transmission rather than increases in risky sexual behaviour. HIV prevalence in adolescents and young adults cannot be used as a surrogate for recent HIV incidence, and health systems should prepare for increasing numbers of long-term infected adolescents.

  12. HIV-1 infection during pregnancy and in children : significance of HIV-1 variability and the placental barrier

    OpenAIRE

    Casper, Charlotte

    2001-01-01

    With the global increase in human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection in women of childbearing age, there has also been an alarming increase in the number of mother-to-child transmissions of HIV-1. Although antiretroviral therapy and Cesarian section have been demonstrated to significantly decrease the vertical transmission rate of , these interventions are not widely available in the developing world. Therefore, studies of the mechanisms of vertical transmission are ...

  13. CCL28 induces mucosal homing of HIV-1-specific IgA-secreting plasma cells in mice immunized with HIV-1 virus-like particles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veronica Rainone

    Full Text Available Mucosae-associated epithelial chemokine (MEC or CCL28 binds to CCR3 and CCR10 and recruits IgA-secreting plasma cells (IgA-ASCs in the mucosal lamina propria. The ability of this chemokine to enhance migration of IgA-ASCs to mucosal sites was assessed in a mouse immunization model using HIV-1(IIIB Virus-like particles (VLPs. Mice receiving either HIV-1(IIIB VLPs alone, CCL28 alone, or the irrelevant CCL19 chemokine were used as controls. Results showed a significantly increased CCR3 and CCR10 expression on CD19(+ splenocytes of HIV-1(IIIB VPL-CCL28-treated mice. HIV-1 Env-specific IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-5 production, total IgA, anti-Env IgA as well as gastro-intestinal mucosal IgA-secreting plasma cells were also significantly augmented in these mice. Notably, sera and vaginal secretions from HIV-1(IIIB VLP-CCL28-treated mice exhibited an enhanced neutralizing activity against both a HIV-1/B-subtype laboratory strain and a heterologous HIV-1/C-subtype primary isolate. These data suggest that CCL28 could be useful in enhancing the IgA immune response that will likely play a pivotal role in prophylactic HIV vaccines.

  14. Viral dynamics in primary HIV-1 infection. Karolinska Institutet Primary HIV Infection Study Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindbäck, S; Karlsson, A C; Mittler, J; Blaxhult, A; Carlsson, M; Briheim, G; Sönnerborg, A; Gaines, H

    2000-10-20

    To study the natural course of viremia during primary HIV infection (PHI). Eight patients were followed from a median of 5 days from the onset of PHI illness. Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were measured frequently and the results were fitted to mathematical models. HIV-1 RNA levels were also monitored in nine patients given two reverse transcriptase inhibitors and a protease inhibitor after a median of 7 days from the onset of PHI illness. HIV-1 RNA appeared in the blood during the week preceding onset of PHI illness and increased rapidly during the first viremic phase, reaching a peak at a mean of 7 days after onset of illness. This was followed by a phase of rapidly decreasing levels of HIV-1 RNA to an average of 21 days after onset. Viral density continued to decline thereafter but at a 5- to 50-fold lower rate; a steady-state level was reached at a median of 2 months after onset of PHI. Peak viral density levels correlated significantly with levels measured between days 50 and 600. Initiation of antiretroviral treatment during PHI resulted in rapidly declining levels to below 50 copies/mL. This study demonstrates the kinetic phases of viremia during PHI and indicates two new contributions to the natural history of HIV-1 infection: PHI peak levels correlate with steady-state levels and HIV-1 RNA declines biphasically; an initial rapid decay is usually followed by a slow decay, which is similar to the initial changes seen with antiviral treatment.

  15. Cultural processes in psychotherapy for perinatal loss: Breaking the cultural taboo against perinatal grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markin, Rayna D; Zilcha-Mano, Sigal

    2018-03-01

    This paper argues that there is a cultural taboo against the public recognition and expression of perinatal grief that hinders parents' ability to mourn and their psychological adjustment following a loss. It is proposed that this cultural taboo is recreated within the therapy relationship, as feelings of grief over a perinatal loss are minimized or avoided by the therapist and parent or patient. Importantly, it is suggested that if these cultural dynamics are recognized within the therapy relationship, then psychotherapy has the immense opportunity to break the taboo by validating the parent's loss as real and helping the parent to mourn within an empathic and affect-regulating relationship. Specifically, it is suggested that therapists break the cultural taboo against perinatal grief and help parents to mourn through: acknowledging and not pathologizing perinatal grief reactions, considering intrapsychic and cultural factors that impact a parent's response to loss, exploring cultural reenactments within the therapy relationship, empathizing with the parent's experience of loss and of having to grieve within a society that does not recognize perinatal loss, coregulating the parent's feelings of grief and loss, and helping patients to create personally meaningful mourning rituals. Lastly, the impact of within and between cultural differences and therapist attitudes on the therapy process is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. Factors associated with late Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) diagnosis among peoples living with it, Northwest Ethiopia: hospital based unmatched case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aniley, Abebayehu Bitew; Ayele, Tadesse Awoke; Zeleke, Ejigu Gebeye; Kassa, Assefa Andargie

    2016-10-12

    Early HIV diagnosis and access to treatment is one of the most effective ways to prevent its further spread and to protect the health of those living with the virus. However, delay in diagnosis is the major risk factor for uptake of and response to antiretroviral therapy. Institution-based unmatched case-control study design was used in the study. The study was conducted in Debre-Markos and Finote-Selam Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia. Cases were people living with HIV who had CD4 count study as World Health Organization recommended. A total of 392 respondents (196 cases and 196 controls) were recruited and selected systematically. The data were collected by trained nurses using chart review and interviewer administered structured questionnaire. Binary Logistic Regression Model was used to identify the factors associated with late HIV diagnosis. About 95.9 % of study participants provided complete response. Having no understanding, compared to having understanding, about HIV/AIDS (AOR = 1.7, 95 %CI = 1.08-2.79) and ART (AOR = 2.1, 95 %CI: 1.25-3.72), being tested as a result of symptoms/ illness, compared to being tested for risk exposure (inverted AOR =2.5, 95 %CI: 1.64-4.76), and acquiring HIV through sexual contact, compared to acquiring it through other modes (AOR = 2.5, 95 %CI = 1.52-4.76) were positively and independently associated with late HIV diagnosis. Unlike perceived HIV stigma, having no understanding about HIV and ART, being tested for presence of symptoms/illness, and acquiring HIV through sexual contact were independent and significant factors for late HIV diagnosis.

  17. Prenatal and perinatal risk factors and the clinical implications on autism spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chien, Yi-Ling; Chou, Miao-Chun; Chou, Wen-Jiun; Wu, Yu-Yu; Tsai, Wen-Che; Chiu, Yen-Nan; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

    2018-06-01

    Prenatal and perinatal factors may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. However, little is known about whether unaffected siblings of probands with autism spectrum disorder also share the phenomenon and whether the prenatal/perinatal factors are related to the clinical severity of autistic symptoms. We compared the frequency of prenatal and perinatal factors among 323 probands with autism spectrum disorder (mean age ± standard deviation, 10.7 ± 3.5 years; males, 91.0%), 257 unaffected siblings (11.7 ± 4.5; 42.8%), and 1504 typically developing controls (8.9 ± 1.6 years; 53.1%); and investigated their effects on the severity of autistic symptoms. We found that probands with autism spectrum disorder and their unaffected siblings had more prenatal/perinatal events than typically developing controls with higher numbers of prenatal/perinatal factors in probands than in unaffected siblings. The prenatal/perinatal events were associated with greater stereotyped behaviors, social-emotional problems, socio-communication deficits, and overall severity. We also found that six prenatal/perinatal factors (i.e. preeclampsia, polyhydramnios, oligoamnios, placenta previa, umbilical cord knot, and gestational diabetes) were associated with the severity of autistic symptoms, particularly stereotyped behaviors and socio-communication deficits. Our findings suggest that prenatal and perinatal factors may potentially moderate the clinical expression of autism spectrum disorder. The underlying mechanism warrants further research.

  18. Evaluation of four rapid tests for diagnosis and differentiation of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in Guinea-Conakry, West Africa.

    OpenAIRE

    Chaillet, Pascale; Tayler-Smith, Katie; Zachariah, Rony; Duclos, Nanfack; Moctar, Diallo; Beelaert, Greet; Fransen, Katrien

    2010-01-01

    With both HIV-1 and HV-2 prevalent in Guinea-Conakry, accurate diagnosis and differentiation is crucial for treatment purposes. Thus, four rapid HIV tests were evaluated for their HIV-1 and HIV-2 diagnostic and discriminative capacity for use in Guinea-Conakry. These included SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 (Standard Diagnostics Inc.), Genie II HIV1/HIV2 (Bio-Rad), First Response HIV Card Test 1-2.0 (PMC Medical) and Immunoflow HIV1-HIV2 (Core Diagnostics). Results were compared with gold standard tes...

  19. Cerebrospinal fluid HIV-1 RNA levels in asymptomatic patients with early stage chronic HIV-1 infection: support for the hypothesis of local virus replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García, F; Niebla, G; Romeu, J; Vidal, C; Plana, M; Ortega, M; Ruiz, L; Gallart, T; Clotet, B; Miró, J M; Pumarola, T; Gatell, J M

    1999-08-20

    To assess HIV-1 RNA levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and their potential correlation with plasma viral load and central nervous system (CNS) HIV-1 infection markers in stable asymptomatic patients with a CD4 T cell count >500x10(6) cells/l. Consecutive patients screened for two trials were eligible for lumbar puncture assessment. At day 0, simultaneous samples of CSF and plasma were obtained and levels of total proteins, albumin, IgG, antibodies against HIV-1 p24 antigen, HIV-1 RNA (using the polymerase chain technique) and white cells were measured. The integrity of the blood-brain barrier was preserved (albumin index > or =7) in 59 out of 70 patients (84%). Intrathecal production of antibodies against HIV-1 p24 antigen was demonstrated in 55 out of 70 individuals (78%). Viral load in CSF was significantly lower than plasma values (3.13+/-0.95 versus 4.53+/-0.53, P = 0.0001). HIV-1 RNA was not detected in CSF in only three of the 70 patients (4%). Overall, there was a significant correlation between plasma and CSF HIV-1 RNA levels (r = 0.43, P = 0.0001); however, in 29 patients (41%) there were significant differences (>1.5 log10 copies/ml) between the viral loads in plasma and CSF. In the multivariate analysis, a high level of protein and white cells in CSF, but not the HIV-1 RNA plasma level, were factors independently associated with a higher level of HIV-1 RNA in CSF (P = 0.0001). HIV-1 RNA can be detected almost always in CSF of asymptomatic patients in early stages of HIV-1 infection including those with a preserved integrity of the blood-brain barrier. The important discrepancies between plasma and CSF viral load, and the independent association between CSF abnormalities and CSF viral load, support the hypothesis of local production of HIV-1.

  20. Acute seronegative polyarthritis associated with lymphogranuloma venereum infection in a patient with prevalent HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kober, C; Richardson, D; Bell, C; Walker-Bone, K

    2011-01-01

    A 44-year-old man who has sex with men presented with a three-month asymmetrical polyarthropathy. He had a positive HIV-1 antibody test consistent with infection acquired more than six months previously. Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)-associated DNA was detected from a rectal swab. Following successful treatment for LGV his arthritis resolved completely. Infection with HIV-1 has been hypothesized to cause reactive arthritis but this has been disputed. The most likely diagnosis in this patient was sexually acquired reactive arthritis secondary to LGV infection. As LGV can be asymptomatic and treatment differs from that of the other serovars, screening should be considered in all men who have sex with men (MSM) presenting with acute arthritis, particularly if they are HIV infected.

  1. Characteristics of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 Dually Seropositive Adults in West Africa Presenting for Care and Antiretroviral Therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekouevi, Didier K; Balestre, Eric; Coffie, Patrick A

    2013-01-01

    HIV-2 is endemic in West Africa. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis, management and antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-2 or HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infections. Because of these issues, we designed a West African collaborative cohort for HIV-2 infection within the framework o...... of the International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA)....

  2. HIV-1 subtypes D and F are prevalent in Guinea Conakry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freimanis, G L; Loua, A; Allain, J P

    2012-04-01

    Limited data is available upon the distribution of different HIV-1/2 genotypes in the blood donor population from Guinea Conakry. To investigate the prevalence of HIV-1/2 subtypes in asymptomatic blood donors in Guinea Conakry, in order to update knowledge of HIV-1/2 epidemiology within this country. Samples from 104 blood donors seropositive for HIV-1/2 were tested for HIV-1 by real-time RT-PCR. Those negative for HIV-1 were tested with HIV-2 nested RT-PCR. Positive samples were further amplified in the HIV-1 gag and pol regions and sequenced. Subtypes were determined by phylogenetic analysis on amplicon sequences. 61 samples were positive by HIV-1 real-time RT-PCR. Of the 43 negative, 2 (4.6%) were positive for HIV-2. 52/61 (85.3%) samples were positive by nested RT-PCR. Of the 52, 43 (70.5%) and 31(59.6%) sequences were obtained in the gag and pol regions, respectively; 23 for both regions. HIV-1 subtype distribution was 1 B (2.1%), 8 F (17%), 8 D (17%) and 28 CRF02_AG (59.6%) with 2 unclassified recombinants (4.3%). Unique clusters for subtype D and F distinguished Guinea from HIV-1 subtype distribution in neighboring countries. Subtype F and subtype D strains, uncommon in West Africa, are a substantial part of HIV-1 epidemiology in Guinea. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Minor drug-resistant HIV type-1 variants in breast milk and plasma of HIV type-1-infected Ugandan women after nevirapine single-dose prophylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilger, Daniel; Hauser, Andrea; Kuecherer, Claudia; Mugenyi, Kizito; Kabasinguzi, Rose; Somogyi, Sybille; Harms, Gundel; Kunz, Andrea

    2011-01-01

    Nevirapine single-dose (NVP-SD) reduces mother-to-child transmission of HIV type-1 (HIV-1), but frequently induces resistance mutations in the HIV-1 genome. Little is known about drug-resistant HIV-1 variants in the breast milk of women who have taken NVP-SD. Blood and breast milk samples of 39 HIV-1-infected Ugandan women were taken 6-12 weeks after NVP-SD intake. Samples were analysed by population sequencing and allele-specific real-time PCR (AS-PCR) with detection limits for NVP-resistant HIV-1 variants (K103N and Y181C) of D n = 5, G n = 2 and C n = 1). A total of 7 (37%) and 10 (53%) women carried NVP-resistant virus in breast milk and plasma, respectively. Overall, 71% (5/7) women with NVP-resistant HIV-1 in breast milk displayed >1 drug-resistant variant. Resistance in breast milk was higher at week 6 (6/13 samples [46%]) compared with week 12 (1/6 samples [17%]). In total, 10 drug-resistant populations harbouring the K103N and/or Y181C mutation were detected in the 19 breast milk samples; 7 (70%) were caused by resistant minorities (< 5% of the total HIV-1 population). In the four women with drug-resistant virus in both plasma and breast milk, the mutation patterns differed between the two compartments. Minor populations of drug-resistant HIV-1 were frequently found in breast milk of Ugandan women after exposure to NVP-SD. Further studies need to explore the role of minor drug-resistant variants in the postnatal transmission of (resistant) HIV-1.

  4. Comparison of the Abbott m2000 HIV-1 Real-Time and Roche AMPLICOR Monitor v1.5 HIV-1 assays on plasma specimens from Rakai, Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ssebugenyi, I; Kizza, A; Mpoza, B; Aluma, G; Boaz, I; Newell, K; Laeyendecker, O; Shott, J P; Serwadda, D; Reynolds, S J

    2011-07-01

    The need for viral load (VL) monitoring of HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings (RLS) has become apparent with studies showing the limitations of immunological monitoring. We compared the Abbott m2000 Real-Time (Abbott) HIV-1 assay with the Roche AMPLICOR Monitor v1.5 (Roche) HIV-1 assay over a range of VL concentrations. Three hundred and eleven plasma samples were tested, including 164 samples from patients on ART ≥ six months and 147 from ART-naïve patients. The Roche assay detected ≥400 copies/mL in 158 (50.8%) samples. Of these, Abbott produced 145 (91.8%) detectable results ≥400 copies/mL; 13 (8.2%) samples produced discrepant results. Concordance between the assays for detecting HIV-1 RNA ≥400 copies/mL was 95.8% (298/311). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Abbott to detect HIV-1 RNA ≥400 copies/mL were 91.8%, 100%, 100% and 92.2%, respectively. For the 151 samples with HIV-1 RNA ≥400 copies/mL for both assays, a good linear correlation was found (r = 0.81, P Abbott assay performed well in our setting, offering an alternative methodology for HIV-1 VL for laboratories with realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR) capacity.

  5. South African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Vol 16, No 1 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Risk factors for perinatal HIV-1 transmission in pregnant women requiring lifelong antiretroviral therapy: A longitudinal study at a tertiary hospital in South ... High prevalence of urinary incontinence and poor knowledge of pelvic floor exercises among women in Ladysmith · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

  6. A cost-effective melting temperature assay for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism in the MBL2 gene of HIV-1-infected children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arraes L.C.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a fast (less than 3 h and cost-effective melting temperature assay method for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the MBL2 gene. The protocol, which is based on the Corbett Rotor Gene real time PCR platform and SYBR Green I chemistry, yielded, in the cohorts studied, sensitive (100% and specific (100% PCR amplification without the use of costly fluorophore-labeled probes or post-PCR manipulation. At the end of the PCR, the dissociation protocol included a slow heating from 60º to 95ºC in 0.2ºC steps, with an 8-s interval between steps. Melting curve profiles were obtained using the dissociation software of the Rotor Gene-3000 apparatus. Samples were analyzed in duplicate and in different PCR runs to test the reproducibility of this technique. No supplementary data handling is required to determine the MBL2 genotype. MBL2 genotyping performed on a cohort of 164 HIV-1-positive Brazilian children and 150 healthy controls, matched for age and sex and ethnic origin, yielded reproducible results confirmed by direct sequencing of the amplicon performed in blind. The three MBL2 variants (Arg52Cys, Gly54Asp, Gly57Glu were grouped together and called allele 0, while the combination of three wild-type alleles was called allele A. The frequency of the A/A homozygotes was significantly higher among healthy controls (0.68 than in HIV-infected children (0.55; P = 0.0234 and the frequency of MBL2 0/0 homozygotes was higher among HIV-1-infected children than healthy controls (P = 0.0296. The 0 allele was significantly more frequent among the 164 HIV-1-infected children (0.29 than among the 150 healthy controls (0.18; P = 0.0032. Our data confirm the association between the presence of the mutated MBL2 allele (allele 0 and HIV-1 infection in perinatally exposed children. Our results are in agreement with the literature data which indicate that the presence of the allele 0 confers a relative risk of 1.37 for HIV-1 infection through

  7. Introduction of HIV type 1 into an isolated population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Tina V; Leitner, Thomas; Lohse, Nicolai

    2007-01-01

    Introduction of HIV-1 into a population may not always give rise to a subsequent epidemic. Greenland is an isolated and sparsely populated island in The Danish Kingdom. We aimed to estimate the number of introductions of HIV-1 into Greenland, the number of subsequent epidemics, and the countries...... from which the virus was introduced. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on three regions of HIV-1 (gag, pol, and env) in samples from 70 Greenlandic patients. Furthermore, we included gene sequences from contemporary Danish HIV-1-infected patients and sequences from the Los Alamos HIV Sequence...... Database. All Greenlandic sequences were subtype B except one sequence found to be a recombinant (probably CRF13). Sequence clusters in the phylogenetic trees indicated that there had been at least nine introductions of HIV-1 into Greenland. One cluster, supported by bootstrap values of 81, 76, and 96...

  8. Substandard factors in perinatal care in The Netherlands : a regional audit of perinatal deaths

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wolleswinkel-van den Bosch, JH; Vredevoogd, CB; Borkent-Polet, M; van Eyck, J; Fetter, WPF; Lagro-Janssen, TLM; Rosink, IH; Treffers, PE; Amelink, M; Richardus, JH; Verloove-Vanhorick, P; Mackenbach, JP

    Background. To determine: 1) whether substandard factors were present in cases of perinatal death, and to what extent another course of action might have resulted in a better outcome, and 2) whether there were differences in the frequency of substandard factors by level of care, particularly between

  9. Is it safe? Talking to teens with HIV/AIDS about death and dying: a 3-month evaluation of Family Centered Advance Care (FACE planning – anxiety, depression, quality of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maureen E Lyon

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Maureen E Lyon1, Patricia A Garvie2, Linda Briggs3, Jianping He4, Robert Malow5, Lawrence J D’Angelo1, Robert McCarter41Children’s National Medical Center and George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia; 2St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; 3Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin; 4Children’s Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia; 5Florida International University, Miami, FloridaPurpose: To determine the safety of engaging HIV-positive (HIV+ adolescents in a Family Centered Advance Care (FACE planning intervention.Patients and methods: We conducted a 2-armed, randomized controlled clinical trial in 2 hospital-based outpatient clinics from 2006–2008 with HIV+ adolescents and their surrogates (n = 76. Three 60–90 minutes sessions were conducted weekly. FACE intervention groups received: Lyon FCACP Survey©, the Respecting Choices® interview, and completion of The Five Wishes©. The Healthy Living Control (HLC received: Developmental History, Healthy Tips, Future Planning (vocational, school or vocational rehabilitation. Three-month post-intervention outcomes were: completion of advance directive (Five Wishes©; psychological adjustment (Beck Depression, Anxiety Inventories; quality of life (PedsQL™; and HIV symptoms (General Health Self-Assessment.Results: Adolescents had a mean age, 16 years; 40% male; 92% African-American; 68% with perinatally acquired HIV, 29% had AIDS diagnosis. FACE participants completed advance directives more than controls, using time matched comparison (P < 0.001. Neither anxiety, nor depression, increased at clinically or statistically significant levels post-intervention. FACE adolescents maintained quality of life. FACE families perceived their adolescents as worsening in their school (P = 0.018 and emotional (P = 0.029 quality of life at 3 months, compared with controls.Conclusions: Participating

  10. Bacterial vaginosis, alterations in vaginal flora and HIV genital shedding among HIV-1-infected women in Mozambique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert D Kirkcaldy

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. We investigated whether abnormal vaginal flora, including bacterial vaginosis (BV, are associated with detection of cervical HIV-1 RNA among HIV-infected women in Mozambique. Methods. We obtained clinical data and vaginal specimens from HIV-infected women registering for their first visit at one of two HIV care clinics in Mozambique. We compared women with detectable cervical HIV viral load (≥40 copies/ml with women with undetectable cervical HIV. Results. We enrolled 106 women. Women with abnormal vaginal flora (intermediate Nugent scores, 4 - 6 were more likely to have detectable cervical HIV RNA then women with normal vaginal flora (adjusted odds ratio 7.2 (95% confidence interval 1.8 - 29.1, adjusted for CD4 count. Women with BV had a non-significantly higher likelihood of detectable cervical HIV than women with normal flora. Conclusions. Abnormal vaginal flora were significantly associated with cervical HIV expression. Further research is needed to confirm this relationship.

  11. Sensitive non-radioactive detection of HIV-1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Teglbjærg, Lars Stubbe; Nielsen, C; Hansen, J E

    1992-01-01

    This report describes the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the non-radioactive detection of HIV-1 proviral genomic sequences in HIV-1 infected cells. We have developed a sensitive assay, using three different sets of nested primers and our results show that this method is superior...... to standard PCR for the detection of HIV-1 DNA. The assay described features the use of a simple and inexpensive sample preparation technique and a non-radioactive hybridization procedure for confirmation of results. To test the suitability of the assay for clinical purposes, we tested cell samples from 76...

  12. Characteristics of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 Dually Seropositive Adults in West Africa Presenting for Care and Antiretroviral Therapy: The IeDEA-West Africa HIV-2 Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekouevi, Didier K; Balestre, Eric; Coffie, Patrick A; Minta, Daouda; Messou, Eugene; Sawadogo, Adrien; Minga, Albert; Sow, Papa Salif; Bissagnene, Emmanuel; Eholie, Serge P; Gottlieb, Geoffrey S; Dabis, François; Zannou, Djimon Marcel; Ahouada, Carin; Akakpo, Jocelyn; Ahomadegbé, Christelle; Bashi, Jules; Gougounon-Houéto, Alice; Azon-Kouanou, Angèle; Houngbé, Fabien; Koumakpaï, Sikiratou; Alihonou, Florence; d'Almeida, Marcelline; Hodonou, Irvine; Hounhoui, Ghislaine; Sagbo, Gracien; Tossa-Bagnan, Leïla; Adjide, Herman; Drabo, Joseph; Bognounou, René; Dienderé, Arnaud; Traore, Eliezer; Zoungrana, Lassane; Zerbo, Béatrice; Sawadogo, Adrien Bruno; Zoungrana, Jacques; Héma, Arsène; Soré, Ibrahim; Bado, Guillaume; Tapsoba, Achille; Yé, Diarra; Kouéta, Fla; Ouedraogo, Sylvie; Ouédraogo, Rasmata; Hiembo, William; Gansonré, Mady; Messou, Eugène; Gnokoro, Joachim Charles; Koné, Mamadou; Kouakou, Guillaume Martial; Bosse, Clarisse Amani; Brou, Kouakou; Assi, Achi Isidore; Chenal, Henri; Hawerlander, Denise; Soppi, Franck; Minga, Albert; Abo, Yao; Bomisso, Germain; Eholié, Serge Paul; Amego, Mensah Deborah Noelly; Andavi, Viviane; Diallo, Zelica; Ello, Frédéric; Tanon, Aristophane Koffi; Koule, Serge Olivier; Anzan, Koffi Charles; Guehi, Calixte; Aka, Edmond Addi; Issouf, Koffi Ladji; Kouakou, Jean-Claude; N'gbeche, Marie-Sylvie; Touré, Pety; Avit-Edi, Divine; Kouakou, Kouadio; Moh, Magloire; Yao, Valérie Andoblé; Folquet, Madeleine Amorissani; Dainguy, Marie-Evelyne; Kouakou, Cyrille; Méa-Assande, Véronique Tanoh; Oka-Berete, Gladys; Zobo, Nathalie; Acquah, Patrick; Kokora, Marie-Berthe; Eboua, Tanoh François; Timité-Konan, Marguerite; Ahoussou, Lucrèce Diecket; Assouan, Julie Kebé; Sami, Mabéa Flora; Kouadio, Clémence; Renner, Lorna; Goka, Bamenla; Welbeck, Jennifer; Sackey, Adziri; Owiafe, Seth Ntiri; Wejse, Christian; Silva, Zacarias José Da; Paulo, Joao; Rodrigues, Amabelia; da Silva, David; Medina, Candida; Oliviera-Souto, Ines; Ostergaard, Lars; Laursen, Alex; Sodemann, Morten; Aaby, Peter; Fomsgaard, Anders; Erikstrup, Christian; Eugen-Olsen, Jesper; Maïga, Moussa Y; Diakité, Fatoumata Fofana; Kalle, Abdoulaye; Katile, Drissa; Traore, Hamar Alassane; Minta, Daouda; Cissé, Tidiani; Dembelé, Mamadou; Doumbia, Mohammed; Fomba, Mahamadou; Kaya, Assétou Soukho; Traoré, Abdoulaye M; Traoré, Hamady; Toure, Amadou Abathina; Dicko, Fatoumata; Sylla, Mariam; Berthé, Alima; Traoré, Hadizatou Coulibaly; Koïta, Anta; Koné, Niaboula; N'diaye, Clémentine; Coulibaly, Safiatou Touré; Traoré, Mamadou; Traoré, Naïchata; Charurat, Man; Ajayi, Samuel; Dapiap, Stephen; Otu; Igbinoba, Festus; Benson, Okwara; Adebamowo, Clément; James, Jesse; Obaseki; Osakede, Philip; Olasode, John; Sow, Papa Salif; Diop, Bernard; Manga, Noël Magloire; Tine, Judicael Malick; Signate Sy, Haby; Ba, Abou; Diagne, Aida; Dior, Hélène; Faye, Malick; Gueye, Ramatoulaye Diagne; Mbaye, Aminata Diack; Patassi, Akessiwe; Kotosso, Awèrou; Kariyare, Benjamin Goilibe; Gbadamassi, Gafarou; Komi, Agbo; Mensah-Zukong, Kankoé Edem; Pakpame, Pinuwe; Lawson-Evi, Annette Koko; Atakouma, Yawo; Takassi, Elom; Djeha, Améyo; Ephoévi-Gah, Ayoko; Djibril, Sherifa El-Hadj; Dabis, François; Bissagnene, Emmanuel; Arrivé, Elise; Coffie, Patrick; Ekouevi, Didier; Jaquet, Antoine; Leroy, Valériane; Lewden, Charlotte; Sasco, Annie; Azani, Jean-Claude; Allou, Gérard; Balestre, Eric; Bohossou, Franck; Karcher, Sophie; Gonsan, Jules Mahan; Carrou, Jérôme Le; Lenaud, Séverin; Nchot, Célestin; Malateste, Karen; Yao, Amon Roseamonde; Siloué, Bertine; Clouet, Gwenaelle; Djetouan, Hugues; Doring, Alexandra; Kouakou, Adrienne; Rabourdin, Elodie; Rivenc, Jean; Anglaret, Xavier; Ba, Boubacar; Essanin, Jean Bosco; Ciaranello, Andrea; Datté, Sébastien; Desmonde, Sophie; Diby, Jean-Serge Elvis; Gottlieb, Geoffrey S; Horo, Apollinaire Gninlgninrin; Kangah, Serge N'zoré; Malvy, Denis; Meless, David; Mounkaila-Harouna, Aida; Ndondoki, Camille; Shiboski, Caroline; Thiébaut, Rodolphe; Pac-Ci; Abidjan

    2013-01-01

    HIV-2 is endemic in West Africa. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis, management and antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-2 or HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infections. Because of these issues, we designed a West African collaborative cohort for HIV-2 infection within the framework of the International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA). We collected data on all HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dually seropositive patients (both ARV-naive and starting ART) and followed-up in clinical centres in the IeDEA-WA network including a total of 13 clinics in five countries: Benin, Burkina-Faso Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal, in the West Africa region. Data was merged for 1,754 patients (56% female), including 1,021 HIV-2 infected patients (551 on ART) and 733 dually seropositive for both HIV-1 and HIV 2 (463 on ART). At ART initiation, the median age of HIV-2 patients was 45.3 years, IQR: (38.3-51.7) and 42.4 years, IQR (37.0-47.3) for dually seropositive patients (p = 0.048). Overall, 16.7% of HIV-2 patients on ART had an advanced clinical stage (WHO IV or CDC-C). The median CD4 count at the ART initiation is 166 cells/mm(3), IQR (83-247) among HIV-2 infected patients and 146 cells/mm(3), IQR (55-249) among dually seropositive patients. Overall, in ART-treated patients, the CD4 count increased 126 cells/mm(3) after 24 months on ART for HIV-2 patients and 169 cells/mm(3) for dually seropositive patients. Of 551 HIV-2 patients on ART, 5.8% died and 10.2% were lost to follow-up during the median time on ART of 2.4 years, IQR (0.7-4.3). This large multi-country study of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infection in West Africa suggests that routine clinical care is less than optimal and that management and treatment of HIV-2 could be further informed by ongoing studies and randomized clinical trials in this population.

  13. Characteristics of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 Dually Seropositive Adults in West Africa Presenting for Care and Antiretroviral Therapy: The IeDEA-West Africa HIV-2 Cohort Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Didier K Ekouevi

    Full Text Available HIV-2 is endemic in West Africa. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis, management and antiretroviral therapy (ART for HIV-2 or HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infections. Because of these issues, we designed a West African collaborative cohort for HIV-2 infection within the framework of the International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA.We collected data on all HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dually seropositive patients (both ARV-naive and starting ART and followed-up in clinical centres in the IeDEA-WA network including a total of 13 clinics in five countries: Benin, Burkina-Faso Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal, in the West Africa region.Data was merged for 1,754 patients (56% female, including 1,021 HIV-2 infected patients (551 on ART and 733 dually seropositive for both HIV-1 and HIV 2 (463 on ART. At ART initiation, the median age of HIV-2 patients was 45.3 years, IQR: (38.3-51.7 and 42.4 years, IQR (37.0-47.3 for dually seropositive patients (p = 0.048. Overall, 16.7% of HIV-2 patients on ART had an advanced clinical stage (WHO IV or CDC-C. The median CD4 count at the ART initiation is 166 cells/mm(3, IQR (83-247 among HIV-2 infected patients and 146 cells/mm(3, IQR (55-249 among dually seropositive patients. Overall, in ART-treated patients, the CD4 count increased 126 cells/mm(3 after 24 months on ART for HIV-2 patients and 169 cells/mm(3 for dually seropositive patients. Of 551 HIV-2 patients on ART, 5.8% died and 10.2% were lost to follow-up during the median time on ART of 2.4 years, IQR (0.7-4.3.This large multi-country study of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infection in West Africa suggests that routine clinical care is less than optimal and that management and treatment of HIV-2 could be further informed by ongoing studies and randomized clinical trials in this population.

  14. Perinatal mental health service provision in Switzerland and in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiel Castro, Rita T; Schroeder, Katrin; Pinard, Claudia; Blöchlinger, Patricia; Künzli, Hansjörg; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Kammerer, Martin

    2015-01-01

    The epidemiology of maternal perinatal-psychiatric disorders as well as their effect on the baby is well recognised. Increasingly well researched specialised treatment methods can reduce maternal morbidity, positively affect mother-baby bonding and empower women's confidence as a mother. Here, we aimed to compare guidelines and the structure of perinatal-psychiatric service delivery in the United Kingdom and in Switzerland from the government's perspective. Swiss cantons provided information regarding guidelines and structure of service delivery in 2000. A subsequent survey using the same questionnaire was carried out in 2007. In the UK, similar information was accessed through published reports from 2000-2012. Guidelines for perinatal psychiatry exist in the UK, whereas in Switzerland in 2000 none of the 26 cantons had guidelines, and in 2007 only one canton did. Joint mother-baby admissions on general psychiatric wards were offered by 92% of the Swiss cantons. In the UK, pregnant women and joint mother-baby admissions are only advised onto specialised perinatal-psychiatric units. In Switzerland, in 2007, three specialised units (max. 24 beds) were in place corresponding to 1 unit per 2.5 million people, while in the UK there were 22 mother-baby units (168 beds) in 2012 (1 unit per 2.8 million). In the UK, less than 50% of trusts provided specialised perinatal-psychiatric health care. The main difference between the UK and Switzerland was the absence of guidelines, regular assessment and plans for future development of perinatal psychiatry in Switzerland. There are still geographical differences in the provision of perinatal-psychiatric services in the UK.

  15. The implementation of unit-based perinatal mortality audit in perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Diem Mariet Th

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Perinatal (mortality audit can be considered to be a way to improve the careprocess for all pregnant women and their newborns by creating an opportunity to learn from unwanted events in the care process. In unit-based perinatal audit, the caregivers involved in cases that result in mortality are usually part of the audit group. This makes such an audit a delicate matter. Methods The purpose of this study was to implement unit-based perinatal mortality audit in all 15 perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands between September 2007 and March 2010. These units consist of hospital-based and independent community-based perinatal caregivers. The implementation strategy encompassed an information plan, an organization plan, and a training plan. The main outcomes are the number of participating perinatal cooperation units at the end of the project, the identified substandard factors (SSF, the actions to improve care, and the opinions of the participants. Results The perinatal mortality audit was implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. 677 different caregivers analyzed 112 cases of perinatal mortality and identified 163 substandard factors. In 31% of cases the guidelines were not followed and in 23% care was not according to normal practice. In 28% of cases, the documentation was not in order, while in 13% of cases the communication between caregivers was insufficient. 442 actions to improve care were reported for ‘external cooperation’ (15%, ‘internal cooperation’ (17%, ‘practice organization’ (26%, ‘training and education’ (10%, and ‘medical performance’ (27%. Valued aspects of the audit meetings were: the multidisciplinary character (13%, the collective and non-judgmental search for substandard factors (21%, the perception of safety (13%, the motivation to reflect on one’s own professional performance (5%, and the inherent postgraduate education (10%. Conclusion

  16. Cocaine promotes both initiation and elongation phase of HIV-1 transcription by activating NF-κB and MSK1 and inducing selective epigenetic modifications at HIV-1 LTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahu, Geetaram; Farley, Kalamo; El-Hage, Nazira; Aiamkitsumrit, Benjamas; Fassnacht, Ryan; Kashanchi, Fatah; Ochem, Alex; Simon, Gary L.; Karn, Jonathan; Hauser, Kurt F.; Tyagi, Mudit

    2015-01-01

    Cocaine accelerates human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) replication by altering specific cell-signaling and epigenetic pathways. We have elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms through which cocaine exerts its effect in myeloid cells, a major target of HIV-1 in central nervous system (CNS). We demonstrate that cocaine treatment promotes HIV-1 gene expression by activating both nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-ĸB) and mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1 (MSK1). MSK1 subsequently catalyzes the phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10, and p65 subunit of NF-ĸB at 276th serine residue. These modifications enhance the interaction of NF-ĸB with P300 and promote the recruitment of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) to the HIV-1 LTR, supporting the development of an open/relaxed chromatin configuration, and facilitating the initiation and elongation phases of HIV-1 transcription. Results are also confirmed in primary monocyte derived macrophages (MDM). Overall, our study provides detailed insights into cocaine-driven HIV-1 transcription and replication. - Highlights: • Cocaine induces the initiation phase of HIV transcription by activating NF-ĸB. • Cocaine induced NF-ĸB phosphorylation promotes its interaction with P300. • Cocaine enhances the elongation phase of HIV transcription by stimulating MSK1. • Cocaine activated MSK1 catalyzes the phosphorylation of histone H3 at its Ser10. • Cocaine induced H3S10 phosphorylation facilitates the recruitment of P-TEFb at LTR

  17. Cocaine promotes both initiation and elongation phase of HIV-1 transcription by activating NF-κB and MSK1 and inducing selective epigenetic modifications at HIV-1 LTR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sahu, Geetaram; Farley, Kalamo [Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC (United States); El-Hage, Nazira [Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (United States); Aiamkitsumrit, Benjamas; Fassnacht, Ryan [Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC (United States); Kashanchi, Fatah [George Mason University, Manassas, VA (United States); Ochem, Alex [ICGEB, Wernher and Beit Building, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925 Cape Town (South Africa); Simon, Gary L. [Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC (United States); Karn, Jonathan [Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (United States); Hauser, Kurt F. [Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (United States); Tyagi, Mudit, E-mail: tmudit@email.gwu.edu [Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC (United States); Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037 (United States)

    2015-09-15

    Cocaine accelerates human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) replication by altering specific cell-signaling and epigenetic pathways. We have elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms through which cocaine exerts its effect in myeloid cells, a major target of HIV-1 in central nervous system (CNS). We demonstrate that cocaine treatment promotes HIV-1 gene expression by activating both nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-ĸB) and mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1 (MSK1). MSK1 subsequently catalyzes the phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10, and p65 subunit of NF-ĸB at 276th serine residue. These modifications enhance the interaction of NF-ĸB with P300 and promote the recruitment of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) to the HIV-1 LTR, supporting the development of an open/relaxed chromatin configuration, and facilitating the initiation and elongation phases of HIV-1 transcription. Results are also confirmed in primary monocyte derived macrophages (MDM). Overall, our study provides detailed insights into cocaine-driven HIV-1 transcription and replication. - Highlights: • Cocaine induces the initiation phase of HIV transcription by activating NF-ĸB. • Cocaine induced NF-ĸB phosphorylation promotes its interaction with P300. • Cocaine enhances the elongation phase of HIV transcription by stimulating MSK1. • Cocaine activated MSK1 catalyzes the phosphorylation of histone H3 at its Ser10. • Cocaine induced H3S10 phosphorylation facilitates the recruitment of P-TEFb at LTR.

  18. The role of virologic and immunologic factors in mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colognesi, C; Halapi, E; Jansson, M; Hodara, V; Steuer, G; Tresoldi, E; Leitner, T; Scarlatti, G

    1997-09-01

    More than 90% of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in children is acquired by mother-to-child transmission. However, infection of the child occurs in between 14 and 35% of cases. To understand the mechanisms involved in HIV-1 transmission, we have investigated the antigenic, molecular, and phenotypic characteristics of the virus harbored in infected mothers and their children. A clear correlation was observed between the transmission of the virus and the isolation of viral variants with a rapidly replicating and syncytium-inducing phenotype from the mother. Furthermore, non-transmitting mothers were able to neutralize several primary isolates more frequently than transmitting mothers. The comparison of the viral phenotype and genotype of mother-child pairs showed that the transmitted virus did not have common features, suggesting that transmission is usually not a selective process. This study suggests that transmission is governed by an interaction of both viral and immunological factors. The results obtained indicate that different strategies can be applied for the prevention of transmission.

  19. Performance of 3 Rapid Tests for Discrimination Between HIV-1 and HIV-2 in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hønge, Bo Langhoff; Bjarnason Obinah, Magnús Pétur; Jespersen, Sanne

    2014-01-01

    As HIV-2 is intrinsically resistant to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, it is mandatory to discriminate between HIV types before initiating antiretroviral treatment. Guinea-Bissau has the world's highest prevalence of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dually infected individuals. We evaluated ...... (agreement 90.9%) and SD Bioline HIV-1/2 3.0 (agreement 84.5%). Our results underscore the need for evaluation of tests in relevant populations before implementation....

  20. Disclosure of HIV Serostatus and Sexual Orientation Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Xiuyun; Chi, Peilian; Zhang, Liying; Zhang, Yan; Fang, Xiaoyi; Qiao, Shan; Li, Xiaoming

    2016-05-01

    This study addressed the issue of disclosing HIV status and sexual orientation, and explored the consequences of such disclosures among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 37 HIV-positive MSM. Of these participants, 3 (8.1%) disclosed neither their HIV status nor their sexual orientation to anyone; 24 (64.9%) voluntarily disclosed both their HIV-positive status and their sexual orientation; 7 (18.9%) voluntarily disclosed their HIV status only, and 3 (8.1%) involuntarily disclosed their HIV status and sexual orientation. Parents, partners, siblings and close friends were the most common disclosure targets. HIV-positive MSM were less likely to disclose their sexual orientation than their HIV status. The positive consequences of disclosure included receiving support, acquiring family care, reducing stress, improving mood and developing more positive values and beliefs. The negative consequences included the participants' perception of rejection and stigma toward themselves and their families. However, the stigma mainly comes from "outsiders" rather than family members and close friends. We did not find any differences with respect to consequences between participants who disclosed their HIV status only and those who disclosed both their HIV status and sexual orientation. In conclusion, partners, siblings and friends were main disclosure targets, and HIV positive MSM preferred to disclose their HIV serostatus than their sexual orientation. Voluntarily disclosing one's HIV status to significant others resulted in more positive consequences than negative consequences. Theses results were informative for developing mental health and coping interventions.