Phylogeographical Analysis Reveals Distinct Sources of HIV-1 and HCV Transmitted to Former Blood Donors in China

Hepatitis C Co-infection in People Living With HIV—Epidemiologic Differences Between Men Who Have Sex With Men MSM and Non-MSM

People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) constitute a unique group at higher risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection. In light of the diverse profiles of PLHIV, we differentiated between men who have sex with men (MSM) and non-MSM in the characterization of the epidemiologic features of HIV/HCV co-infection. Clinical data of HCV co-infection patients from the HIV specialist clinic in Hong Kong were retrospectively collected in conjunction with their HIV subtypes and HCV genotypes. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with HIV/HCV co-infection in MSM. Survival analysis was performed to compare the time lag between HIV and HCV diagnoses between two groups. Latent class analysis was conducted to describe the features of different classes of co-infections. Four classes of HIV/HCV co-infections were identified: local MSM acquiring HCV after HIV diagnosis, local MSM with HIV/HCV co-diagnoses, local non-MSM, and non-local non-MSM. Accounting for over half of the co-infections, MSM were more likely to be younger, local residents, and associated with HCV genotype 3, compared to genotypes 1 and 6 in non-MSM. Overall, MSM had higher odds of achieving HIV viral suppression and co-diagnosing with a sexually transmitted infection at HCV diagnosis, and having a longer time lag between HIV and HCV diagnoses. Drug injection accounted for a majority of non-MSM HCV infection. There were distinctive epidemiologic differences between MSM and non-MSM co-infected with HIV and HCV, the characteristics of which could inform intervention strategies for achieving HCV micro-elimination.

Consistency of spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV among HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users in China

BACKGROUND

As the transmission routes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are similar, previous studies based on separate research on HIV-1 and HCV assumed a similar transmission pattern. However, few studies have focused on the possible correlation of the spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV among HIV-1/HCV coinfected patients.

METHODS

A total of 310 HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users were recruited in Yingjiang and Kaiyuan prefectures, Yunnan Province, China. HIV-1 env, p17, pol and HCV C/E2, NS5B fragments were amplified and sequenced from serum samples. The genetic characteristics and spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV were explored by phylogenetic, bootscanning, and phylogeographic analyses.

RESULTS

Among HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users, eight HCV subtypes (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b, 6a, 6n, 6v, and 6u) and two HIV-1 subtypes (subtype B and subtype C), three HIV-1 circulating recombinant forms (CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC), and four unique recombinant forms (URF_BC, URF_01B, URF_01C and URF_01BC) were identified. HCV subtype 3b was the most predominant subtype in both Yingjiang and Kaiyuan prefectures. The dominant circulating HIV-1 subtypes for drug users among the two areas were CRF08_BC and URF_BC. Maximum clade credibility trees revealed that both HIV-1 and HCV were transmitted from Yingjiang to Kaiyuan.

CONCLUSIONS

The spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV among HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users seem to have high consistency, providing theoretical evidence for the prevention of HIV-1 and HCV simultaneously.

Immunogenicity of an influenza virus-vectored vaccine carrying the hepatitis C virus protein epitopes in mice

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a devastating impact on human health, and infections can progress into liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. There is no effective HCV vaccine. In this study, we rescued a recombinant PR8 influenza viral vector, called rgFLU-HCV_CE1E2, carrying the core and envelope glycoprotein (C/E1/E2) epitopes of HCV inserted into the influenza nonstructural protein 1 gene. The morphological characteristics of rgFLU-HCV_CE1E2 and the expression of the C/E1/E2 epitopes of HCV were examined. rgFLU-HCV_CE1E2 replicated in various cell lines, including MDCK, A549, and Huh7.5 cells. More importantly, in BALB/c mice immunized intranasally twice at a 21-day interval with 10⁴, 10⁵, or 10⁶ TCID₅₀ rgFLU-HCV_CE1E2, the viral vector induced a robust antibody response to influenza and HCV and potent IFN-γ and IL-4 secretion in response to HCV antigens in a dose-dependent manner. The rgFLU-HCV_CE1E2 virus also stimulated IFN-γ production by virus-specific peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with chronic HCV infection. The study demonstrated that rgFLU-HCV_CE1E2 carrying HCV antigens is immunogenic in vivo and has potential for the development of a HCV vaccine.