Hepatitis C viral load in HCV-monoinfected and HCV/HIV-1-, HCV/HTLV-1/-2-, and HCV/HIV/HTLV-1/-2-co-infected patients from São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT Co-infections of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and either human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) or type 2 (HTLV-2) have been described as having an impact on HCV viremia and subsequent disease progression. HCV load in serum samples from 622 patients (343 males, 279 females; median age 50.8 years) from São Paulo/southeast Brazil was analyzed using the Abbott Real Time HCV assay (Abbott Molecular Inc., IL, USA). Samples were obtained from HCV-monoinfected (n = 548), HCV/HIV-1- (n = 41), HCV/HTLV-1- (n = 16), HCV/HTLV-2- (n = 8), HCV/HIV/HTLV-1- (n = 4), and HCV/HIV/HTLV-2-co-infected (n = 5) patients, and results were compared among the groups and according to sex. The median HCV load in HCV-monoinfected patients was 5.23 log10 IU/mL and 0.31 log10 higher in men than in women. Increases in viral load of 0.51 log10, 0.54 log10, and 1.43 log10 IU/mL were detected in HCV/HIV-1-, HCV/HTLV-1- and HCV/HIV/HTLV-1-co-infected individuals, respectively, compared with HCV-monoinfected counterparts. In contrast, compared to HCV/HIV co-infected patients, HCV/HTLV-2-co-infected patients had an HCV load of 5.0 log10 IU/mL, whereas HCV/HIV/HTLV-2-co-infected patients had a median load 0.37 log10 IU/mL lower. Significant differences in HCV loads were detected, with males and HCV/HIV-1- and HCV/HIV/HTLV-1-co-infected patients presenting the highest values. Conversely, females and HCV/HTLV-2-co-infected patients exhibited lower HCV loads. Overall, HCV viremia is increased in HIV and/or HTLV-1-co-infection and decreased in HTLV-2 co-infection.

Hepatitis C viral load in HCV-monoinfected and HCV/HIV-1-, HCV/HTLV-1/-2-, and HCV/HIV/HTLV-1/-2-co-infected patients from São Paulo, Brazil

Co-infections of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and either human immunodeficiency virus type1 (HIV-1), human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) or type 2 (HTLV-2) have beendescribed as having an impact on HCV viremia and subsequent disease progression. HCVload in serum samples from 622 patients (343 males, 279 females; median age 50.8 years)from São Paulo/southeast Brazil was analyzed using the Abbott Real Time HCV assay(Abbott Molecular Inc., IL, USA). Samples were obtained from HCV-monoinfected (n = 548),HCV/HIV-1- (n = 41), HCV/HTLV-1- (n = 16), HCV/HTLV-2- (n = 8), HCV/HIV/HTLV-1- (n = 4), andHCV/HIV/HTLV-2-co-infected (n = 5) patients, and results were compared among the groupsand according to sex. The median HCV load in HCV-monoinfected patients was 5.23 log10IU/mL and 0.31 log10higher in men than in women. Increases in viral load of 0.51 log10, 0.54log10, and 1.43 log10IU/mL were detected in HCV/HIV-1-, HCV/HTLV-1- and HCV/HIV/HTLV-1-co-infected individuals, respectively, compared with HCV-monoinfected counterparts. Incontrast, compared to HCV/HIV co-infected patients, HCV/HTLV-2-co-infected patients hadan HCV load of 5.0 log10IU/mL, whereas HCV/HIV/HTLV-2-co-infected patients had a medianload 0.37 log10IU/mL lower. Significant differences in HCV loads were detected, with malesand HCV/HIV-1- and HCV/HIV/HTLV-1-co-infected patients presenting the highest values.Conversely, females and HCV/HTLV-2-co-infected patients exhibited lower HCV loads. Over-all, HCV viremia is increased in HIV and/or HTLV-1-co-infection and decreased in HTLV-2co-infection. (AU)

Making the invisible visible: searching for human T-cell lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) in Brazilian patients with viral hepatitis B and C

With this study, the authors hope to alert clinicians regarding the presence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and 2 (HTLV-1/-2) infections in patients with viral hepatitis B and C in Brazil. HTLV-1/-2 were detected in 1.3% of hepatitis B virus (HBV)- and 5.3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected blood samples sent for laboratory viral load measurements. A partial association of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HTLV-1/-2 infection was detected in patients with HCV (HIV+, 27.3%), whereas this association was almost 100% in HBV-infected patients (HIV+, all except one). The high prevalence of HTLV-1/-2 infection among patients with hepatitis C was of concern, as HTLV-1/-2 could change the natural course of subsequent liver disease. The authors suggest including HTLV-1/-2 serology in the battery of tests used when following patients with viral hepatitis in Brazil, regardless of the HIV status.

Prevalência de infecção pelos vírus linfotrópicos de células T humanas dos tipos 1 e 2 (HTLV-1 e HTLV-2) e vírus da imunodificiência humana do tipo 1 (HIV-1) em população infectada pelos vírus da hepatite B (HBV) e hepatite C (HCV)

Os vírus linfotrópicos de células T humanas dos tipos 1 (HTLV-1) e 2 (HTLV2),assim como o vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV) e os vírus dashepatites B (HBV) e C (HCV) compartilham vias de transmissão, portantocoinfecções por estes vírus podem acontecer e alterar o curso das doençasa eles relacionadas. O presente estudo avaliou a prevalência de infecção porHTLV-1/2 em população com hepatite B e C, infectada ou não pelo HIV, e oimpacto das coinfecções na viremia HBV e HCV. O estudo foi realizado em1.244 amostras de plasma/soro enviadas ao Instituto Adolfo Lutz de SãoPaulo para determinação de carga viral (CV) de HBV e HCV: 622 depacientes com HBV (G1, 327 homens e 295 mulheres, média de idade 45,8anos) e 622 de pacientes com HCV (G2, 343 homens e 279 mulheres, médiade idade de 50,8 anos). A triagem de HTLV-1/2 foi realizada por ensaioimunoenzimático (EIA HTLV-I/II, Gold ELISA, REM) e confirmadas porWestern Blot (HTLV BLOT 2.4, MP Biomedicals) e imunoensaio de linha(INNO-LIA HTLV-I/II, Fujirebio). A pesquisa de infecção por HIV foi realizadapor teste imunocromatográfico (kit Rapid Check HIV 1 e 2, NDI, UniversidadeFederal do Espírito Santo, Brasil) seguido do EIA (GS HIV-1/HIV-2 Plus OEIA, Bio-Rad). A infecção por HTLV-1 foi confirmada em 25 amostras (cincono G1 e 20 no G2)...

The human T-cell lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) aswell as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis B virus(HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) share routes of virus transmission; thusco-infections with such viruses can occur and alter the course of subsequentdiseases. The present study aimed at evaluating the prevalence of HTLV-1/-2 in blood samples of individuals with hepatitis B and C, infected or not byHIV, and the impact of co-infections on the HBV and HCV viremia. The studywas conducted with 1,244 plasma/serum samples sent to Instituto AdolfoLutz of São Paulo for measuring HCV and HBV viral load (VL): 622 fromHBV-infected patients (G1, 327 male and 295 female, median age 45.8years), and 622 from HCV-infected patients (G2, 343 male and 279 female,median age 50.8 years). HTLV-1/-2 antibodies were screened by enzymeimmunoassay (EIA, HTLV-I/II, Gold ELISA, REM), and confirmed by Westernblot (HTLV BLOT 2.4, MP Biomedicals), and line immunoassay (INNO-LIAHTLV-I/II, Fujirebio). The HIV infection was detected byimmunochromatographic assay (Rapid Check HIV 1 e 2, NDI, UniversidadeFederal do Espírito Santo, Brasil) and by EIA (GS HIV-1/HIV-2 Plus O EIA,Bio-Rad). HTLV-1 was confirmed in 25 samples (5 in G1 and 20 in G2)...