Prevalence of hepatitis B co-infection among HIV positive patients: narrative review article

Hepatitis B virus [HBV] is the most prevalent viral infection and is among the leading causes of human liver diseases. Nearly 360 millions of people are world widely infected with prolonged forms of hepatitis B including active and inactive chronic forms. Chronic hepatitis B [CHB] is associated with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] in patients suffering from congenital and/or acquired immunodeficiency and also following immunosuppressive therapy. The target cell of human acquired immunodeficiency virus [HIV] is CD4 positive T cells. These cells play central role[s] in both cellular and humoral immunity so that the HIV attack of CD4 positive T cells causes suppression of both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses. One of the frequent complications in HIV positive patients is HBV co-infection and as a result, the co-transmission of these viral diseases is common. Due to the paramount importance of the co-infection of HBV and HIV, it is noteworthy to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis B in these patients for planning of an effective therapeutic strategy. Based on these considerations, the main aim of this review article was to collect and analyze the recent and relevant studies regarding the prevalence rate of hepatitis B co-infection among HIV positive patients world widely

Interleukin-10 serum levels after vaccination with in vivo prepared Toxoplasma gondii excreted/secreted antigens

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide prevalent zoonotic parasite which causes toxoplasmosis. An appropriate vaccine for animals could interrupt the circle between animals and humans. Our previous study showed that excreted/secreted antigens [E/ SA], derived from the peritoneum of mice infected with T. gondii tachyzoites could be considered as a good candidate for animal vaccination. Interleukin-10 [IL-10] inhibits proliferation of B and T lymphocytes and induces homeostasis in immune system responses. However, since IL-10 has also been shown to suppress the killing of T. gondii by human macrophages, the aim of this study was to evaluate IL-10 serum levels after vaccination with T. gondii E/SA prepared in vivo. T. gondii tachyzoites were inoculated in the peritoneum of mice and harvested E/SA were used as a vaccine, with and without adjuvant, in T. gondii infected and un-infected mice. IL-10 serum levels were evaluated using the ELISA technique. The data showed that although serum levels of IL-10 were not changed at the early phases, they were elevated at the end phases of vaccination with T. gondii E/SA. Based on these and our previous results, it can be concluded that in vivo prepared T. gondii E/SA could be considered as a good candidate for animal vaccination