Molecular characterisation of hepatitis B virus in the resident Chinese population in Panama City

Despite the effectiveness of current hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines, it is estimated that 350 million individuals suffer from chronic HBV infection and more than 50% of these affected individuals live on the Asian continent. Panama is a country with a great diversity of foreign groups; the Chinese community is a large example of this phenomenon. There is an urgent need to perform studies that evaluate the prevalence and the genetic diversity of HBV in this community. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HBV and its genotypes and mutant variants in the Chinese population residing in Panama. In total, 320 subjects were enrolled in the study. Forty-two subjects (13.1%) were positive for HBsAg and HBV-DNA from 18 subjects revealed the presence of genotypes B2 and C1. Secondary mutations associated with drug resistance at positions rtV207L and rtN239T of the reverse transcriptase gene were identified. Additionally, the mutation pair A1762T/G1764A was found in three samples and the mutation G1896A was detected in an HBeAg-negative subject. In conclusion, to our knowledge, this is the first study to report high HBV prevalence rates in resident ethnic Chinese in Central America and the presence of genotypes B2 and C1 in this region.

HIV transmitted drug resistance in adult and pediatric populations in Panama / Farmacorresistencia transmitida del VIH en poblaciones adultas y pediátricas en Panamá

Objetivo. Investigar la prevalencia de farmacorresistencia transmitida del VIH en adultos en Panamá mediante un estudio del umbral modificado de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) e investigar las tasas de resistencia inicial en lactantesseropositivos para el VIH en Panamá.Métodos. En el Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas, en 47 adultos seropositivos al VIH se efectuó la genotipificación de las mutaciones asociadas con la farmacorresistencia transmitida en los genes de la transcriptasa inversa y la proteasa del VIH-1, según las directrices del estudio umbral de la OMS, modificadas para incluir a las personas ≤ 26 años de edad. Las tasas de prevalencia de las mutaciones farmacorresistentes contra tres clases de fármacos antirretroviral —inhibidores de la transcriptasa inversaanálogos de nucleósidos, inhibidores de la transcriptasa inversa no análogos de nucleósidos e inhibidores de la proteasa— se clasificaron en bajas (< 5,0%), moderadas (5,0%–15,0%) o altas (> 15,0%). También se llevó a cabo genotipificación y se calcularonlas tasas de prevalencia de las mutaciones causantes de farmacorresistencia en 25 lactantes.Resultados. En los adultos de Panamá la farmacorresistencia transmitida fue moderada: 6 de 47 adultos seropositivos para el VIH presentaron una o más mutacionesasociadas con farmacorresistencia transmitida. Las mutaciones farmacorresitentes de transmisión horizontal fueron moderadas para los inhibidores de la transcriptasainversa análogos de nucleósidos y los inhibidores de la transcriptasa inversa no análogos de nucleósidos, y bajas para los inhibidores de la proteasa. En Panamá la transmisiónvertical del VIH ha disminuido en el período 2002–2007, pero la prevalenciade la farmacorresistencia del VIH transmitida por vía vertical es moderada (12,0%) y está surgiendo como un problema debido a la cobertura antirretroviral incompletadurante el embarazo...

Objective. To investigate the prevalence of transmitted drug-resistant HIV among adults in Panama by using a modified World Health Organization Threshold Survey (WHO-TS) and to investigate rates of initial resistance among HIV-positive infants in Panama.Methods. At the Gorgas Memorial Institute, 47 HIV-positive adults were genotyped for mutations associated with transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in the reverse transcriptase andprotease genes of HIV-1, according to WHO-TS guidelines, modified to include patients ≤ 26 years old. Prevalence rates for drug-resistance mutations against three classes of antiretroviraldrugs—nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors—were calculated as low (< 5.0%), moderate (5.0%–15.0%), and high (> 15.0%). Twenty-five infant patients were also genotyped and prevalence rates for drug-resistance mutations were calculated. Results. TDR among Panamanian adults was moderate: 6 of 47 HIV-positive adultsshowed one or more mutations associated with TDR. Horizontal TDR mutations were moderate for NRTIs and NNRTIs and low for protease inhibitors. Vertical transmission of HIV inPanama has decreased for 2002–2007, but vertical HIV TDR prevalence is moderate (12.0%) and is emerging as a problem due to incomplete antiretroviral coverage in pregnancy. Conclusions. The prevalence of HIV TDR indicated by this study, combined with knownrates of HIV infection in Panama, suggests more extensive surveys are needed to identify risk factors associated with transmission of HIV drug resistance. Specific WHO-TS guidelines for monitoring vertical transmission of drug-resistant HIV should be established.