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Jose-Abrego A, Trujillo-Trujillo ME, Laguna-Meraz S, Roman S, Panduro A. Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus in HIV Patients from West Mexico: Implications for Controlling and Preventing Viral Hepatitis. Pathogens 2024; 13:360. [PMID: 38787212 PMCID: PMC11123714 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050360] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The complex epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in West Mexico remains poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the HCV prevalence, HCV-associated risk factors, and HCV genotypes/subtypes and assess their impacts on liver fibrosis in 294 HIV patients (median age: 38 years; 88.1% male). HCV RNA was extracted and amplified by PCR. Hepatic fibrosis was assessed using three noninvasive methods: transient elastography (TE), the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelets ratio index score (APRI), and the fibrosis-4 score (FIB4). Patients with liver stiffness of ≥9.3 Kpa were considered to have advanced liver fibrosis. HCV genotypes/subtypes were determined by line probe assay (LiPA) or Sanger sequencing. The prevalence of HIV/HCV infection was 36.4% and was associated with injection drug use (odds ratio (OR) = 13.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.9-33.6; p < 0.001), imprisonment (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.7-5.4; p < 0.001), the onset of sexual life (OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.5-4.5; p < 0.001), blood transfusion (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.5-4.2; p = 0.001), tattooing (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.4-3.9; p = 0.001), being a sex worker (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.0-5.4; p = 0.046), and surgery (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.0-2.7; p = 0.042). The HCV subtype distribution was 68.2% for 1a, 15.2% for 3a, 10.6% for 1b, 3.0% for 2b, 1.5% for 2a, and 1.5% for 4a. The advanced liver fibrosis prevalence was highest in patients with HIV/HCV co-infection (47.7%), especially in those with HCV subtype 1a. CD4+ counts, albumin, direct bilirubin, and indirect bilirubin were associated with liver fibrosis. In conclusion, HCV infection had a significant impact on the liver health of Mexican HIV patients, highlighting the need for targeted preventive strategies in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Jose-Abrego
- Department of Genomic Medicine in Hepatology, Civil Hospital of Guadalajara, “Fray Antonio Alcalde”, Guadalajara 44280, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.J.-A.); (M.E.T.-T.); (S.L.-M.); (S.R.)
- Health Sciences Center, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Maria E. Trujillo-Trujillo
- Department of Genomic Medicine in Hepatology, Civil Hospital of Guadalajara, “Fray Antonio Alcalde”, Guadalajara 44280, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.J.-A.); (M.E.T.-T.); (S.L.-M.); (S.R.)
- Health Sciences Center, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Saul Laguna-Meraz
- Department of Genomic Medicine in Hepatology, Civil Hospital of Guadalajara, “Fray Antonio Alcalde”, Guadalajara 44280, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.J.-A.); (M.E.T.-T.); (S.L.-M.); (S.R.)
- Health Sciences Center, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Sonia Roman
- Department of Genomic Medicine in Hepatology, Civil Hospital of Guadalajara, “Fray Antonio Alcalde”, Guadalajara 44280, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.J.-A.); (M.E.T.-T.); (S.L.-M.); (S.R.)
- Health Sciences Center, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Arturo Panduro
- Department of Genomic Medicine in Hepatology, Civil Hospital of Guadalajara, “Fray Antonio Alcalde”, Guadalajara 44280, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.J.-A.); (M.E.T.-T.); (S.L.-M.); (S.R.)
- Health Sciences Center, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
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Kirkoyun Uysal H, Koksal MO, Sarsar K, Soguksu P, Erkose Genc G, Yapar G, Ozdemir E, Onel M, Mese S, Demirci M, Erturan Z, Yurtseven E, Eraksoy OH, Agacfidan A. Distribution of Opportunistic Pathogens in People Living with HIV at a University Hospital in Istanbul over a One-Year Treatment Period and Its Association with CD4 T Cell Counts. Pathogens 2023; 12:1226. [PMID: 37887742 PMCID: PMC10610261 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101226] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Among sexually transmitted diseases, HIV causes very serious clinical manifestations that can lead to death. As a result, millions of people have to live with this problem that threatens their health. The virus attacks the immune system of the host, especially CD4+ T lymphocytes, causing the suppression of the immune system. CD4, CD8 counts, and HIV RNA viral loads are monitored in HIV-infected patients with antiretroviral treatment, and CD4 counts play an important role in determining the effectiveness of the treatment. Despite the advances in treatment in the present day, opportunistic infections are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients, and the evaluation of immunological parameters is valuable for the prognosis of the disease in this process. In the present study, the purpose was to investigate the opportunistic infections faced by naive HIV-positive patients who applied to our laboratory and were diagnosed between 2019 and 2022 during their one-year treatment period, and the correlation of the immunological parameters was also evaluated retrospectively using the hospital automation system and laboratory data. A total of 107 opportunistic causative microorganisms were identified in 87 of the 230 HIV-positive patients over one year. T. pallidum was detected in 43 (18.6%) of these patients, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in 32 (13.9%), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in 9 (3.9%), Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 10 (4.3%), C. albicans in 7 (3%), M. tuberculosis in 3 (1.3%), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 2 (0.8%), and C. glabrata in 1 (0.4%) patient. Although mono-agent co-infections were determined in 69 of 87 people living with HIV, two-agent co-infections were detected in 16 HIV patients, and three-agent co-infections were identified in two HIV patients. Considering the correlation between the CD4/CD8 ratio and infection positivity, a moderate negative correlation was determined with HIV RNA viral load and CMV infection. The CD4/CD8 ratio had a low negative correlation with EBV and C. albicans infections. It was also found that the follow-up of HIV RNA load in the diagnosis of T. pallidum, CMV, EBV, and C. albicans may be meaningful. Opportunistic infections mainly affect immunosuppressed patients and can be prevented with effective treatment. Although it is already known that HIV patients may face different infections during their treatment, it was concluded that more attention should be paid to T. pallidum, CMV, EBV, and C. albicans agents. These infections should be routinely monitored with HIV viral load and the CD4/CD8 ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayriye Kirkoyun Uysal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Muammer Osman Koksal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Kutay Sarsar
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Pinar Soguksu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Gonca Erkose Genc
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Gizem Yapar
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Evrim Ozdemir
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Mustafa Onel
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Sevim Mese
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Mehmet Demirci
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kırklareli University, Kırklareli 39100, Turkey
| | - Zayre Erturan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
| | - Eray Yurtseven
- Department of Biostatistics, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey;
| | - Omer Haluk Eraksoy
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey
| | - Ali Agacfidan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey (E.O.); (M.O.); (A.A.)
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Evaluation of Clinical Biomarkers Related to CD4 Recovery in HIV-Infected Patients—5-Year Observation. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102287. [PMID: 36298842 PMCID: PMC9607521 DOI: 10.3390/v14102287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection leads to the impairment of immune system function. Even long-term antiretroviral therapy uncommonly leads to the normalization of CD4 count and CD4:CD8 ratio. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible clinical biomarkers which may be related to CD4 and CD4:CD8 ratio recovery among HIV-infected patients with long-term antiretroviral therapy. The study included 68 HIV-infected patients undergoing sustained antiretroviral treatment for a minimum of 5 years. Clinical biomarkers such as age, gender, advancement of HIV infection, coinfections, comorbidities and applied ART regimens were analyzed in relation to the rates of CD4 and CD4:CD8 increase and normalization rates. The results showed that higher rates of CD4 normalization are associated with younger age (p = 0.034), higher CD4 count (p = 0.034) and starting the therapy during acute HIV infection (p = 0.012). Higher rates of CD4:CD8 ratio normalization are correlated with higher CD4 cell count (p = 0.022), high HIV viral load (p = 0.006) and acute HIV infection (p = 0.013). We did not observe statistically significant differences in CD4 recovery depending on gender, HCV/HBV coinfections, comorbidities and opportunistic infections. The obtained results advocate for current recommendations of introducing antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible, preferably during acute HIV infection, since it increases the chances of sufficient immune reconstruction.
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