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Carmona RDCC, Cilli A, da Costa AC, Reis FC, Leal É, dos Santos FCP, Machado BC, Lopes CS, Afonso AMS, Timenetsky MDCST. Pegivirus Detection in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Patients with Central Nervous System Infections of Unknown Etiology in Brazil by Viral Metagenomics. Microorganisms 2023; 12:19. [PMID: 38257846 PMCID: PMC10818654 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) methodology serves as an excellent supplement in cases where diagnosis is challenging to establish through conventional laboratory tests, and its usage is increasingly prevalent. Examining the causes of infectious diseases in the central nervous system (CNS) is vital for understanding their spread, managing outbreaks, and effective patient care. In a study conducted in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 500 patients with CNS diseases of indeterminate etiology, collected between 2017 and 2021, were analyzed. Employing a mNGS approach, we obtained the complete coding sequence of Pegivirus hominis (HPgV) genotype 2 in a sample from a patient with encephalitis (named IAL-425/BRA/SP/2019); no other pathogen was detected. Subsequently, to determine the extent of this virus's presence, both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or real-time PCR assays were utilized on the entire collection. The presence of the virus was identified in 4.0% of the samples analyzed. This research constitutes the first report of HPgV detection in CSF samples in South America. Analysis of the IAL-425 genome (9107 nt) revealed a 90% nucleotide identity with HPgV strains from various countries. Evolutionary analyses suggest that HPgV is both endemic and extensively distributed. The direct involvement of HPgV in CNS infections in these patients remains uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Audrey Cilli
- Enteric Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (A.C.); (F.C.R.); (B.C.M.)
| | | | - Fabricio Caldeira Reis
- Enteric Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (A.C.); (F.C.R.); (B.C.M.)
| | - Élcio Leal
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belem 66075-000, Brazil;
| | | | - Bráulio Caetano Machado
- Enteric Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (A.C.); (F.C.R.); (B.C.M.)
| | - Cristina Santiago Lopes
- Respiratory Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.C.P.d.S.); (C.S.L.); (A.M.S.A.)
| | - Ana Maria Sardinha Afonso
- Respiratory Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.C.P.d.S.); (C.S.L.); (A.M.S.A.)
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Nunes PF, da Cruz Coelho E, da Silva JR, da Silva Costa CC, Sampaio RMA, Frade PCR, Ponteira NA, da Cruz SS, Seabra AD, Carneiro DM, Burbano RMR, Martins LC. Hepatitis C and Human Pegivirus Coinfection in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C from the Brazilian Amazon Region: Prevalence, Genotypes and Clinical Data. Viruses 2023; 15:1892. [PMID: 37766298 PMCID: PMC10536978 DOI: 10.3390/v15091892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Coinfection of HPgV-1 with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common due to shared modes of transmission, with a prevalence of HPgV-1 viremia of approximately 20% among individuals with chronic HCV infection. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of HPgV-1 RNA and circulating genotypes in patients with hepatitis C from a health service located in the city of Belém, in the state of Pará, Northern Brazil. A total of 147 samples were included in the study from February to December 2019. Among the participants, 72.1% (106/147) were monoinfected with HCV, with detectable HCV viral RNA, and 27.9% (41/147) were coinfected with HCV/HPgV-1. The most frequently found genotypes were HPgV-1 genotypes 1 and 2 (36.6% and 63.4%), respectively. While for HCV there was a predominance of genotypes 1 and 3 (58.5% and 41.5%). No significant differences were found when comparing any risk, sociodemographic, or clinical factors between groups. Also, there was no statistically significant difference when relating the viral genotypes of both agents. This study indicated that the prevalence of infection by HPgV-1 is high in HCV carriers in Belém, Pará, and probably does not change the clinical course of HCV infection, however, further studies are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Ferreira Nunes
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Evelen da Cruz Coelho
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Joseane Rodrigues da Silva
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Camila Carla da Silva Costa
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Regiane Miranda Arnund Sampaio
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Paula Cristina Rodrigues Frade
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Nagib Abdon Ponteira
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
| | - Samara Silveira da Cruz
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Hospital Ophir Loyola, Belém 66063-240, PA, Brazil; (S.S.d.C.); (A.D.S.); (D.M.C.); (R.M.R.B.)
| | - Aline Damasceno Seabra
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Hospital Ophir Loyola, Belém 66063-240, PA, Brazil; (S.S.d.C.); (A.D.S.); (D.M.C.); (R.M.R.B.)
| | - Debora Monteiro Carneiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Hospital Ophir Loyola, Belém 66063-240, PA, Brazil; (S.S.d.C.); (A.D.S.); (D.M.C.); (R.M.R.B.)
| | - Rommel Mario Rodriguez Burbano
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Hospital Ophir Loyola, Belém 66063-240, PA, Brazil; (S.S.d.C.); (A.D.S.); (D.M.C.); (R.M.R.B.)
| | - Luisa Caricio Martins
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Laboratório de Patologia Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66055-240, PA, Brazil; (E.d.C.C.); (J.R.d.S.); (C.C.d.S.C.); (R.M.A.S.); (P.C.R.F.); (N.A.P.); (L.C.M.)
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Valyraki N, Maillart E, Pourcher V, Shor N, Tran S, Boudot de la Motte M, Houiller C, Domont F, Morvan E, Touat M, Del Mar Amador M, Aboab J, Mathon B, Hesters A, Vignal-Clermont C, Dehais C, Bonnin S, Lafitte F, Villain N, Varnous S, Gout O, Eloit M, Rodriguez C, Deschamps R. Human pegivirus identified in severe myelitis and optic neuritis in immunocompromised patients: A pathogenic role for a forgotten virus? Rev Neurol (Paris) 2022; 179:361-367. [PMID: 36302709 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The role of Human pegivirus (HPgV) in patients with encephalitis has been recently questioned. We present cases of 4 patients with similar clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics, including a past history of transplantation with long-term immunosuppression and a progressive course of severe and predominantly myelitis, associated in 3 cases with optic neuropathy causing blindness. Extensive workup was negative but analysis of the CSF by use of pan-microorganism DNA- and RNA-based shotgun metagenomics was positive for HPgV. This case series further supports the hypothesis of HPgV CNS infection and highlights the utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing of CSF in immunocompromised patients.
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Garand M, Huang SSY, Goessling LS, Santillan DA, Santillan MK, Brar A, Wylie TN, Wylie KM, Eghtesady P. A Case of Persistent Human Pegivirus Infection in Two Separate Pregnancies of a Woman. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1925. [PMID: 36296201 PMCID: PMC9610878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10101925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Human pegivirus (HPgV) is best known for persistent, presumably non-pathogenic, infection and a propensity to co-infect with human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus. However, unique attributes, such as the increased risk of malignancy or immune modulation, have been recently recognized for HPgV. We have identified a unique case of a woman with high levels HPgV infection in two pregnancies, which occurred 4 years apart and without evidence of human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus infection. The second pregnancy was complicated by congenital heart disease. A high level of HPgV infection was detected in the maternal blood from different trimesters by RT-PCR and identified as HPgV type 1 genotype 2 in both pregnancies. In the second pregnancy, the decidua and intervillous tissue of the placenta were positive for HPgV by PCR but not the chorion or cord blood (from both pregnancies), suggesting no vertical transmission despite high levels of viremia. The HPgV genome sequence was remarkably conserved over the 4 years. Using VirScan, sera antibodies for HPgV were detected in the first trimester of both pregnancies. We observed the same anti-HPgV antibodies against the non-structural NS5 protein in both pregnancies, suggesting a similar non-E2 protein humoral immune response over time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of persistent HPgV infection involving placental tissues with no clear indication of vertical transmission. Our results reveal a more elaborate viral-host interaction than previously reported, expand our knowledge about tropism, and opens avenues for exploring the replication sites of this virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Garand
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Susie S. Y. Huang
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lisa S. Goessling
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Donna A. Santillan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Mark K. Santillan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Anoop Brar
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Todd N. Wylie
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kristine M. Wylie
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Pirooz Eghtesady
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Mrzljak A, Simunov B, Balen I, Jurekovic Z, Vilibic-Cavlek T. Human pegivirus infection after transplant: Is there an impact? World J Transplant 2022; 12:1-7. [PMID: 35096551 PMCID: PMC8771596 DOI: 10.5500/wjt.v12.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiome's role in transplantation has received growing interest, but the role of virome remains understudied. Pegiviruses are single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses, historically associated with liver disease, but their path-ogenicity is controversial. In the transplantation setting, pegivirus infection does not seem to have a negative impact on the outcomes of solid-organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. However, the role of pegiviruses as proxies in immunosuppression monitoring brings novelty to the field of virome research in immunocompromised individuals. The possible immunomodulatory effect of pegivirus infections remains to be elucidated in further trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mrzljak
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Center Zagreb, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Bojana Simunov
- Department of Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Ivan Balen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, General Hospital “Dr. Josip Bencevic”, Slavonski Brod 35000, Croatia
| | - Zeljka Jurekovic
- Department of Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
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Fernández-Ruiz M, Forque L, Albert E, Redondo N, Giménez E, López-Medrano F, González E, Polanco N, Ruiz-Merlo T, Parra P, San Juan R, Andrés A, Aguado JM, Navarro D. Human pegivirus type 1 infection in kidney transplant recipients: Replication kinetics and clinical correlates. Transpl Infect Dis 2021; 24:e13771. [PMID: 34921747 DOI: 10.1111/tid.13771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that infection with the nonpathogenic human pegivirus type 1 (HPgV-1) exerts a clinical benefit in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, which could be attributable to immunomodulatory effects. Whether this impact can be extrapolated to kidney transplantation (KT) remains largely unknown. METHODS We measured plasma HPgV-1 RNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting the 5' untranslated region at various points (pretransplantation, day 7, months 1, 3, 6, and 12) in 199 KT recipients. Study outcomes included posttransplant serious infection, immunosuppression-related adverse event (opportunistic infection and/or de novo cancer), and acute graft rejection. RESULTS HPgV-1 infection was demonstrated in 52 (26.1%) patients, with rates increasing from 14.7% at baseline to 19.1% by month 12 (p-value = .071). De novo infection occurred in 13.8% of patients with no detectable HPgV-1 RNA before transplantation. Double-organ (liver-kidney or kidney-pancreas) transplantation (odds ratio [OR]: 5.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-20.82) and donation after brain death (OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.00-4.88) were associated with posttransplant HPgV-1 infection, whereas pretransplant hypertension was protective (OR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.09-0.55). There were no significant differences in the incidence of study outcomes according to HPgV-1 status. Plasma HPgV-1 RNA levels at different points did not significantly differ between patients that subsequently developed outcomes and those remaining free from these events. No correlation between HPgV-1 RNA and immune parameters or torque teno virus DNA load was observed either. CONCLUSION Unlike patients living with HIV, HPgV-1 infection does not seem to influence patient or graft outcomes after KT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Fernández-Ruiz
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorena Forque
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eliseo Albert
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Natalia Redondo
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Estela Giménez
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco López-Medrano
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther González
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Polanco
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Tamara Ruiz-Merlo
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Parra
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael San Juan
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amado Andrés
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - José María Aguado
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Navarro
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Human pegivirus 1 infection in lung transplant recipients: Prevalence, clinical relevance and kinetics of viral replication under immunosuppressive therapy. J Clin Virol 2021; 143:104937. [PMID: 34416522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human pegivirus 1 (HPgV1) may cause persistent infections in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed individuals. Its clinical relevance, however, has not been determined. Previous studies have described a higher prevalence of HPgV1 infection in organ transplant recipients compared to healthy controls, but its occurrence in lung transplant recipients (LTRs) and its association with immunosuppressive therapy has not been assessed. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of HPgV1 infection in LTRs, and to compare HPgV1 loads and kinetics to Torque Teno Virus (TTV) kinetics, which reflects the level of immunosuppression. STUDY DESIGN From each of 110 LTRs, five consecutive plasma samples were collected within the first year after transplantation and tested for HPgV1 RNA and TTV DNA loads by quantitative PCR. Data were related to demographic data and clinical parameters followed up for 3 years post transplantation. RESULTS HPgV1 prevalence in LTRs was 18,2%. HPgV1 detection was significantly associated with younger age, but not with graft rejections or other microbial infections. The viral replication level remained unaffected by immunosuppressive therapy. This was in contrast to TTV loads which increased after initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, independent of the patients' HPgV1 infection status. CONCLUSIONS In contrast to TTV, HPgV1 kinetics do not reflect the level of immunosuppression after lung transplantation, and there is no correlation between the replication of both persistent viruses in the post transplantation follow up. Thus the individual virus host interactions seem to differ substantially and require further investigation.
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Human pegivirus 1 in Cabo Verde: prevalence and genotypic distribution among HIV-infected individuals. Arch Virol 2021; 166:1345-1353. [PMID: 33689039 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-021-05014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) belongs to the genus Pegivirus, family Flaviviridae, and until now has been considered a non-pathogenic agent, despite being considered a risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, a beneficial impact of HPgV-1 on HIV disease progression has been extensively reported. Given the high prevalence of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and the scarcity of epidemiological data for many countries of West Africa, we conducted the first study of HPgV-1 in HIV-infected individuals from Cabo Verde. To obtain new data regarding prevalence and genetic diversity of HPgV-1 in Africa, serum samples from 102 HIV-infected Cabo Verdeans were tested for the presence of viral RNA, and the circulating genotypes were identified by sequencing of the 5' untranslated region. HPgV-1 RNA was detected in 19.6% (20/102) of the samples. In 72.2% (13/18) of the samples, the virus was identified as genotype 2 (11/13 subtype 2a and 2/13 subtype 2b), and in 27.8% (5/18), it was identified as genotype 1. The estimated substitution rate of HPgV-1 genotype 2 was 5.76 × 10-4, and Bayesian analysis indicated the existence of inner clusters within subtypes 2a and 2b. The prevalence of HPgV-1 viremia in Cabo Verde agrees with that reported previously in Africa. Genotypes 1 and 2 cocirculate, with genotype 2 being more common, and HIV/HPgV-1 coinfection was not associated with higher CD4 T cell counts in the studied population. This finding contributes for the expansion of the pegivirus research agenda in African countries.
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