1
|
Facciolà A, D’Amato S, Calimeri S, Giudice DL, Micali C, Russotto Y, Venanzi Rullo E, Nunnari G, Squeri R, Pellicanò GF. Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccination in People Living with HIV: A Public Health Fundamental Tool for the Protection of Patients and the Correct Management of Infection. Infect Dis Rep 2022; 14:784-793. [PMID: 36286201 PMCID: PMC9602118 DOI: 10.3390/idr14050080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV/AIDS is considered a risk factor for increased mortality due to COVID-19. For this reason, it is essential to include this population in vaccination campaigns. Studies found that antibodies are lower in HIV+ patients than in healthy individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the immune response in a cohort of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccination in order to evaluate the role played by the HIV infection in the efficacy of this vaccine. We carried out a cross-sectional study in the period April-September 2021, involving a cohort of PLWH and a cohort of HIV-uninfected people as the control group. The efficacy of vaccination was high in both groups despite a slight and not significant difference between them. However, important differences were found according to the intensity of the immune response. Specifically, while in the HIV+ group almost a quarter of people had a low response, it is important to remark that the control group had only a high or intermediate response after vaccination. Our results suggest the high efficacy of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in PLWH and the importance to vaccinate against COVID-19 in these patients in order to increase their protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Facciolà
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Smeralda D’Amato
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Calimeri
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Lo Giudice
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Cristina Micali
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Ylenia Russotto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Emmanuele Venanzi Rullo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nunnari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Raffaele Squeri
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni Francesco Pellicanò
- Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and the Developmental Age “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Venanzi Rullo E, Ceccarelli M, Condorelli F, Facciolà A, Visalli G, D'Aleo F, Paolucci I, Cacopardo B, Pinzone MR, Di Rosa M, Nunnari G, Pellicanò GF. Investigational drugs in HIV: Pros and cons of entry and fusion inhibitors (Review). Mol Med Rep 2019; 19:1987-1995. [PMID: 30628713 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.9840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the profound changes and improvements reached in the field of HIV treatment, tolerability and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy remains a challenge. Furthermore, multi-experienced patients could take advantage of drugs with different mechanisms of action to combat the spread of resistance to actual therapy. For these reasons identification of new HIV drugs is crucial. Among all the molecules that at present are under investigation, entry and fusion inhibitors pose an interesting class owing to their peculiar characteristics, including prevention of entry of the virus into the human cells. In this study, we reviewed articles, clinical trials, and conference communications about all the drugs under investigation belonging to the class of entry and fusion inhibitors that are at least in phase I clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuele Venanzi Rullo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Manuela Ceccarelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Condorelli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont 'A. Avogadro', I-13100 Novara, Italy
| | - Alessio Facciolà
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppa Visalli
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco D'Aleo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Ivana Paolucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Bruno Cacopardo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Marilia Rita Pinzone
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michele Di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Human Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nunnari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-90124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni F Pellicanò
- Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and the Developmental Age 'G. Barresi', Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-98122 Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pinzone MR, Ceccarelli M, Venanzi Rullo E, Maresca M, Bruno R, Condorelli F, Di Rosa M, Madeddu G, Focà E, Calcagno A, Celesia BM, Cacopardo B, Nunnari G, Pellicanò GF. Circulating angiopoietin-like protein 2 levels are associated with decreased renal function in HIV + subjects on cART: A potential marker of kidney disease. Biomed Rep 2019; 10:140-144. [PMID: 30675354 DOI: 10.3892/br.2019.1183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals, even in the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era. Inflammatory cytokines and adipokines have been suggested to play a role in the development of CKD. The aim of the present study was to examine the circulating levels of a novel proinflammatory cytokine, angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2), in a cohort of 72 HIV-positive subjects on ART. HIV-positive patients were on cART for at least one year. Urine and blood samples were collected. Various factors were analyzed including body mass index (BMI), smoking, and presence/treatment for comorbidities such as diabetes. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated by using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Plasma samples obtained were stored and used to measure sCD14 and ANGPTL2 levels. Data were presented as mean (± standard deviation) or median (interquartile range) for continuous variables. Categorical variables were expressed as number (%). Variables were compared using Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test, or χ2 test. The results showed an independent negative association between plasma ANGPTL2 and CKD-EPI values. Further prospective studies on larger cohorts are needed to evaluate the pathogenetic role of ANGPTL2 as well as its use as a diagnostic marker of renal dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Rita Pinzone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Manuela Ceccarelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Emmanuele Venanzi Rullo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Mauro Maresca
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Roberto Bruno
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Condorelli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont 'A. Avogadro', I-13100 Novara, Italy
| | - Michele Di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Human Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giordano Madeddu
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Sassari, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Emanuele Focà
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Brescia, I-25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Andrea Calcagno
- Department of Medical Sciences, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Torino, I-10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Benedetto Maurizio Celesia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Bruno Cacopardo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nunnari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni F Pellicanò
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age 'G. Barresi', University of Messina, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ceccarelli M, Rullo EV, Condorelli F, Vitale F, Marco VD, Nunnari G, Pellicanò GF. Unusual Signs and Symptoms in HIV-Positive Patients Coinfected with Leishmania spp: The Importance of Neglected Tropical Disease in Differential Diagnosis. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2018; 6:843-847. [PMID: 29875857 PMCID: PMC5985878 DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2018.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease affecting both animals and humans, acquired with the bite of sand flies or, in Injection Drug Users (IDUs), with contaminated needles, still hypoendemic in Sicily and the Mediterranean basin. Even though it is responsible for 20,000 to 40,000 deaths per year, this parasitic infection is still considered a neglected tropical disease. People Living with HIV (PLWH) are considered at high-risk of developing Leishmaniasis and, despite the introduction of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART), mortality rate and relapses prevalence are still high in coinfected people. CASE REPORT: We present a case of HIV-Leishmania coinfection, posing the attention on the atypical signs and symptoms and the importance of thinking about other causes than the HIV infection progression when the patient presents with a worsening of his immune status during HAART. CONCLUSION: This parasitic disease has a high mortality rate, so it is mandatory to think about it in all the patients having a low CD4+ T-cell count and an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio under HAART.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Ceccarelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Emmanuele Venanzi Rullo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Condorelli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vitale
- Zoo-prophylactic Experimental Institute of Sicily, Palermo (PA), Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marco
- Zoo-prophylactic Experimental Institute of Sicily, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nunnari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni Francesco Pellicanò
- Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and the Developmental Age "G. Barresi", Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ceccarelli M, Rullo EV, Facciolà A, Madeddu G, Cacopardo B, Taibi R, D'Aleo F, Pinzone MR, Picerno I, di Rosa M, Visalli G, Condorelli F, Nunnari G, Pellicanò GF. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and its correlation with human papillomavirus in people living with HIV: a systematic review. Oncotarget 2018; 9:17171-17180. [PMID: 29682214 PMCID: PMC5908315 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last 20 years we assisted to an increase in the mean age of People Living with HIV and their comorbidities. Especially, there was an increase in Human Papillomavirus-related head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Despite their increasing incidence in HIV-positive people, mechanisms that lead to their development and progression are only partially understood. The aim of this review is to identify key data and factors about HPV-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in HIV-seropositive patients. Systematic search and review of the relevant literature-peer-reviewed and grey-was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We included in our review only the 35 full-text articles we considered the most substantial. It is mandatory to improve our knowledge about the interactions existing between HPV and HIV, and about their actions on oral mucosa immune system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Ceccarelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Emmanuele Venanzi Rullo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Alessio Facciolà
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giordano Madeddu
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Bruno Cacopardo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosaria Taibi
- Department of Medical Oncology A, National Cancer Institute of Aviano, Aviano, Italy
| | - Francesco D'Aleo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Marilia Rita Pinzone
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Isa Picerno
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Michele di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Human Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppa Visalli
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Condorelli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Novara, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nunnari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni Francesco Pellicanò
- Department of Human Pathology of The Adult and The Developmental Age “G. Barresi”, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|