Impact of low level viremia on the antiviral effect of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients received anti-retroviral therapy / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To investigate the impact of low level viremia (LLV) on the prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients received anti-retroviral therapy (ART).Methods:From January to December 2015, the HIV/AIDS patients with LLV received ART over one year were recruited in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University (LLV group). Patients with viral load (VL) less than 50 copies/mL were matched at ratio of 1∶1 according to gender, age and the transmission route were included in the control group (suppression group). The LLV group was divided into three subgroups according to VL (LLV-1 subgroup was 50-200 copies/mL, LLV-2 subgroup was 201-400 copies/mL, and LLV-3 subgroup was 401-1 000 copies/mL). The influence of LLV on the antiviral response during the following three years was investigated.The Wilcoxon signed rank test, Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.Results:One hundred and thirty-seven patients were enrolled in the LLV group, of whom 111 were males and 26 were females, with age of (39.5±13.5) years old. At the same time, 137 patients were included in the suppression group. There were 93 cases in LLV-1 subgroup, 25 cases in LLV-2 subgroup and 19 cases in LLV-3 subgroup. There were no significant differences in the CD4 + T lymphocyte counts and CD4 + /CD8 + T lymphocyte counts ratios between LLV group and suppression group before ART (both P>0.05). During the three-year follow-up, the cumulative number of viral failures in LLV group (7.3%(10/137)) was significantly higher than that in the suppression group (1.5%(2/137)) ( χ2=5.578, P=0.018). Virological failure occurred in eight patients (8.6%) in the LLV-1 subgroup, two patients (8.0%) in the LLV-2 subgroup, and no patients in the LLV-3 subgroup. There was no statistical significance in the incidence of virological failure among all the subgroups ( P>0.05). At one, two, three years follow-up, the CD4 + T lymphocyte counts increased in both LLV group and suppression group without statistical differences (all P>0.05), and the CD4 + /CD8 + T lymphocyte counts ratios in each LLV group were lower than that in the suppression group ( Z=-3.183, -2.094 and -2.312, respectively, all P<0.05). At one, two, three years follow-up, There were no significant differences in CD4 + /CD8 + T lymphocyte counts ratios among the LLV-1, LLV-2 and LLV-3 subgroups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:HIV/AIDS patients with LLV having received ART over one year are more likely to develop virological failure and delay the recovery of immune function, which requires early relevant interventions.

Loss of CD127 & increased immunosenescence of T cell subsets in HIV infected individuals.

Background & objectives: HIV infection is characterized by a perturbation in T cell homeostasis, leading to alteration in T cell subsets. In addition to alteration in differentiation, HIV infection also leads to change in T cell survival and regenerative capacity, as suggested by differential expression of CD127 and CD57. We evaluated the expression patterns of CD127 and CD57 on CD4 and CD8 effector, memory and naïve T cell subsets in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. Methods: We characterized T cell subsets based on expression of these markers, and compared their expression pattern in HIV infected subjects and uninfected controls. We further assessed therapy generated changes in these subsets and expression of CD127 and CD57 on them. Results: There was a generalized decrease in naïve CD4 and CD8 T cells in HIV infected subjects. These changes in T cell subset distribution were related to antigen load. CD127 expression was significantly reduced in T cells from HIV infected subject. In association to this, HIV infected subjects had higher percentage of T cell subsets expressing CD57. Increased CD57 and reduced CD127 expression correlated with plasma viraemia and CD8 T cell activation state. Incomplete restoration of T cell subset proportions was observed, despite suppression of viral replication and increase in CD4 T cell counts. Further, the improvement was more pronounced in CD127 expression. Interpretation & conclusions: HIV infected subjects have reduced T cell regenerative capacity along with increased senescence, highlighting decreased proliferation and effector activities.

Quantification of HIV-1 viral RNA in the blood in needles used for venous puncture in HIV-infected individuals / Quantificação do HIV-1 RNA viral no sangue de agulhas usadas para punção venosa em indivíduos infectados pelo HIV

INTRODUCTION: Occupational HIV infection among healthcare workers is an important issue in exposures involving blood and body fluids. There are few data in the literature regarding the potential and the duration of infectivity of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) in contaminated material under adverse conditions. METHODS: We quantified HIV-1 viral RNA in 25×8mm calibre hollow-bore needles, after punctures, in 25 HIV-1-infected patients selected during the sample collection. All of the patients selected were between the ages of 18 and 55. Five samples were collected from 16 patients: one sample for the immediate quantification of HIV-1 RNA in the plasma and blood samples from the interior of 4 needles to be analyzed at 0h, 6h, 24h, and 72h after collection. In nine patients, another test was carried out in the blood from one additional needle, in which HIV-1 RNA was assessed 168h after blood collection. The method used to assess HIV-1 RNA was nucleic acid sequence-based amplification. RESULTS: Up to 7 days after collection, HIV-1 RNA was detected in all of the needles. The viral RNA remained stable up to 168h, and there were no statistically significant differences among the needle samples. CONCLUSIONS: Although the infectivity of the viral material in the needles is unknown, the data indicate the need to re-evaluate the practices in cases of occupational accidents in which the source is not identified.

INTRODUÇÃO: A infecção ocupacional pelo HIV entre os trabalhadores de saúde é uma importante questão em exposições envolvendo sangue e fluidos corporais. Os dados na literatura são escassos quanto ao potencial infectivo do HIV-1 em material contaminado e o intervalo de tempo em que a infectividade é mantida em condições adversas. MÉTODOS: Realizamos a quantificação de RNA viral do HIV-1 em agulhas ocas com calibre 25X8mm, após punções, em 25 pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1 selecionados durante coleta de sangue para exames. Todos os pacientes selecionados tinham idade variando entre 18 e 55 anos. De 16 pacientes foram coletadas 5 amostras: 1 amostra de sangue para quantificação imediata do RNA viral do HIV-1 no plasma e 4 agulhas para a análise ás 0h, 6h, 24h e 72h após a coleta. Em nove pacientes, um outro teste foi realizado no sangue de uma agulha adicional, na qual foi avaliada a presença de RNA viral do HIV-1 após 168h após a coleta do sangue. O método usado para avaliar o RNA do HIV-1 foi a amplificação baseada na sequência de ácidos nucléicos. RESULTADOS: O RNA do HIV-1 foi detectado em todas as agulhas até o sétimo dia após a coleta. O RNA viral manteve-se estável até 168h após a punção, sem diferença estatisticamente significante entre as agulhas coletadas. CONCLUSÕES: Embora a infectividade do material viral nas agulhas seja desconhecido, os dados apontam necessidade de reavaliação das condutas em casos de acidente com fonte desconhecida.

Vacinação contra influenza em crianças infectadas pelo HIV: alterações imunológicas e na carga viral / Influenza vaccination in HIV infected children: immunologic and viral load changes

Objetivo: verificar se a vacinação contra influenza em crianças infectadas pelo HIV aumentaria a carga viral e reduziria os linfócitos T CD4+, conseqüentes à ativação da imunidade com antígenos dependentes do linfócito T. Métodos: estudo prospectivo descritivo, com 51 crianças infectadas pelo HIV, vacinadas contra influenza em 1999, em Florianópolis, Brasil. Coletaram-se amostras de sangue no dia da vacinação, 14 a 20 e 60 a 90 dias após, para determinação dos níveis da carga viral do HIV e de linfócitos T CD4+. A análise estatística constou dos testes ANOVA de Friedman, t de Student para amostras dependentes, Correção de Bonferroni e Wilcoxon. Resultados: a média de idade foi de 6,08 anos (1 a 12,9 anos). A mediana da contagem de linfócitos T CD4+ no dia da vacinação e nos dois momentos subseqüentes foi de 789, 645 e 768 células/mm3. Observou-se redução significativa na contagem de linfócitos T CD4+ entre a primeira e a segunda determinação (p=0,0001, teste de Wilcoxon), o mesmo não ocorrendo entre a primeira e a terceira. Não houve diferença significativa nas porcentagens de linfócitos T CD4+ entre a primeira aferição e a segunda. A mediana da carga viral em log10 cópias/ml foi de 4,38, 4,30 e 4,25, nos três momentos, respectivamente. Oito de 44 pacientes (18,2%) evidenciaram elevação >0,5 log10 cópias/ml na carga viral entre a primeira e segunda aferição, quatro dos quais retornaram aos níveis basais na terceira. Conclusões: não se observou alteração significativa na porcentagem de linfócitos T CD4+, apesar de ocorrer elevação da carga viral do HIV, de forma transitória, após vacinação contra influenza. Recomenda-se uma certa prudência na aplicação da vacina contra influenza para as crianças com condição clínica e imunológica não estável, principalmente se essas não estiverem sob terapêutica antiretroviral eficaz.

Objective: to identify whether influenza immunization in HIV infected children could increase HIV viral load and decrease CD4+ lymphocytes count as a consequence of the response induced by a T cell-dependent antigen. Methods: prospective, descriptive study, with 51 HIV infected children, vaccinated against influenza in 1999, in Florianópolis, Brazil. Blood samples were collected at three different moments: on the immunization day; between 14 and 20 days later; between 60 and 90 days later. Plasma levels of HIV viral load and CD4+ lymphocytes count were determined. Friedman ANOVA test, Student t-test for dependent samples, Bonferroni correction, and Wilcoxon matched test were performed for statistic analysis. Results: children’s mean age was 6.08 years (1 to 12.9 years). The medians of CD4+ lymphocyte count on vaccination day and at the other two moments were 789, 645 and 768 cells/ mm3, respectively. A significant reduction was observed in the CD4+ lymphocyte count between the first and the second analyses, but the same did not happen between the first and the third analyses. There was no significant difference of CD4+ lymphocyte percentage between the first and the second analyses. The median of HIV viral load values in log10 copies/ml was 4.38, 4.30 and 4.25, at the three moments respectively. Eight out of 44 patients (18.2%) showed increase > 0.5 log10 copies/ml in HIV viral load between the first and the second analyses and among these, four returned to levels close to their base levels in the third analysis. Conclusion: there was no significant change in the CD4+ lymphocyte percentage, in spite of a transitory increase in HIV viral load after influenza vaccination. Caution should be used when administering vaccine against flu to children with no stable clinical and immunological conditions, mainly if they are not under effective anti-retroviral therapeutics.