Coinfection by HIV-1 and human lymphotropic virus type 1 in Brazilian children is strongly associated with a shorter survival time.

Coinfection by HIV-1 and human lymphotropic virus type 1 is a frequent finding in South America, the Caribbean and Africa, and its prevalence varies from 4% to 16% according to the available reports. Although the impact of coinfection on HIV disease is still controversial, there is evidence supporting the contention that it can affect the natural history of both infections. No information is available on coinfection in children. In a nested case-control study, we evaluated 35 coinfected children matched by age, gender, and time of diagnosis to HIV monoinfected control subjects. At the first evaluation, coinfected children were more likely to present any signs and symptoms of disease (P < 0.001) than monoinfected ones despite having significantly higher CD4 cells count (1429 ± 608 vs 928 ± 768 cells/mm; P = 0.003). The proportion of deaths was higher (80%) for coinfected children than for HIV-1-infected ones (20%; relative risk, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-3.1; P = 0.01). Survival was also significantly shorter for coinfected children (P = 0.001). Coinfection by HIV-1 and human lymphotropic vírus type 1 in Brazilian children was strongly associated with higher mortality and shorter survival time despite coinfected patients having a higher baseline CD4 cells count.

HTLV-I infection is not associated with a higher risk of death in Peruvian HIV-infected patients.

Limited and contradictory information exists regarding the prognosis of HIV/HTLV-I co-infection. Our goal was to estimate the effect of HTLV-I infection on mortality in HIV-infected patients at a HIV reference center in Peru. We studied a retrospective cohort of HIV-infected patients, who were exposed or unexposed to HTLV-I. Exposed patients were Western Blot (WB) positive for both retroviruses. Unexposed patients were WB positive for HIV, and had least one negative EIA for HTLV-I. These were selected among patients who entered our Program immediately before and after each exposed patient, between January 1990 and June 2004. Survival time was considered between the diagnosis of exposure to HTLV-I and death or censoring. Confounding variables were age, gender, baseline HIV clinical stage, baseline CD4+ T cell count, and antiretroviral therapy. We studied 50 exposed, and 100 unexposed patients. Exposed patients had a shorter survival compared to unexposed patients [median survival: 47 months (95% CI: 17-77) vs. 85 months (95% CI: 70-100), unadjusted p = 0.06]. Exposed patients had a higher rate of mortality compared to unexposed patients (HIV/HTLV-I (24/50 [48%]) vs. HIV only (37/100 [37%]), univariable p = 0.2]. HTLV-I exposure was not associated to a higher risk of death in the adjusted analysis: HR: 1.2 (0.4-3.5). AIDS clinical stage and lack of antiretroviral therapy were associated to a higher risk of dying. In conclusions, HTLV-I infection was not associated with a higher risk of death in Peruvian HIV-infected patients. Advanced HIV infection and lack of antiretroviral therapy may explain the excess of mortality in this population.

HTLV- I infection is not associated with a higher risk of death in peruvian HIV-infected patients / A infecção pelo HTLV- I não está associada a maior risco de morte em pacientes peruanos infectados pelo HIV

Limited and contradictory information exists regarding the prognosis of HIV/HTLV-I co-infection. Our goal was to estimate the effect of HTLV-I infection on mortality in HIV-infected patients at a HIV reference center in Peru. We studied a retrospective cohort of HIV-infected patients, who were exposed or unexposed to HTLV-I. Exposed patients were Western Blot (WB) positive for both retroviruses. Unexposed patients were WB positive for HIV, and had least one negative EIA for HTLV-I. These were selected among patients who entered our Program immediately before and after each exposed patient, between January 1990 and June 2004. Survival time was considered between the diagnosis of exposure to HTLV-I and death or censoring. Confounding variables were age, gender, baseline HIV clinical stage, baseline CD4+ T cell count, and antiretroviral therapy. We studied 50 exposed, and 100 unexposed patients. Exposed patients had a shorter survival compared to unexposed patients [median survival: 47 months (95 percent CI: 17-77) vs. 85 months (95 percent CI: 70-100), unadjusted p = 0.06]. Exposed patients had a higher rate of mortality compared to unexposed patients (HIV/HTLV-I (24/50 [48 percent]) vs. HIV only (37/100 [37 percent]), univariable p = 0.2]. HTLV-I exposure was not associated to a higher risk of death in the adjusted analysis: HR: 1.2 (0.4-3.5). AIDS clinical stage and lack of antiretroviral therapy were associated to a higher risk of dying. In conclusions, HTLV-I infection was not associated with a higher risk of death in Peruvian HIV-infected patients. Advanced HIV infection and lack of antiretroviral therapy may explain the excess of mortality in this population.

Existe informação limitada e contraditória sobre o prognóstico da co-infecção pelo Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana Tipo 1 (HIV-1) e Vírus Linfotrópico de Células T Humanas Tipo I (HTLV-I). Nosso objetivo foi estimar o efeito da infecção pelo HTLV-I na mortalidade de pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1 em Centro de Referência de HIV no Peru. Trata-se de uma coorte retrospectiva de pacientes infectados pelo HIV, expostos ou não expostos ao HTLV-I. Os pacientes expostos tiveram resultados positivos no Western Blot (WB) para ambos retrovírus. Os pacientes não expostos tiveram resultados positivos para o HIV-1 e pelo menos um teste de EIA negativo para o HTLV-I. Esses pacientes foram selecionados entre aqueles que entraram no nosso Programa imediatamente antes ou depois de cada paciente exposto, no período de janeiro de 1990 a junho de 2004. O tempo de sobrevida foi considerado entre o diagnóstico da exposição ao HTLV-I e a morte. As variáveis de confusão foram: idade, gênero, estágio clínico basal da infecção pelo HIV-1, contagem basal de células CD4, e terapia anti-retroviral. Estudamos 50 pacientes expostos e 100 não expostos. Os pacientes expostos tiveram menor sobrevida quando comparados aos não expostos [mediana de sobrevida: 47 meses (95 por cento IC: 17-77) versus 85 meses (70-100), p não ajustado < 0.06]. Os pacientes expostos tiveram maior risco de morte quando comparados aos não expostos (HIV-1/HTLV-I (24/50 [48 por cento]) versus HIV-1 só (37/100 [37 por cento]) p univariado = 0.2). A exposição ao HTLV-I não foi associada a maior risco de morte na análise ajustada: HR: 1.2 (0.4-3.5). O estágio clínico da infecção pelo HIV-1 e a ausência de terapia anti-retroviral foram associados a maior risco de morte. Em conclusão, a infecção pelo HTLV-I não foi associada a maior risco de morte em pacientes peruanos infectados pelo HIV-1. A infecção avançada pelo HIV-1 e a falta de terapia anti-retroviral podem explicar o excesso de mortalidade ...

Severe and Norwegian scabies are strongly associated with retroviral (HIV-1/HTLV-1) infection in Bahia, Brazil.

Severe scabies has been associated with HTLV infection. To evaluate the impact of HTLV-I/HIV-1 co-infection on the clinical presentation of scabies, we reviewed 91 cases of scabies in Bahia, Brazil, during a 3 year period. Infections by HIV-1 (50%), HTLV-I (32%), and both (20%) were highly prevalent. Crusted or severe scabies were strongly associated with HTLV-I and, to a lesser degree, with HIV-1 infection. Co-infected patients had a higher risk of death (P = 0.01). Severe forms of scabies were highly predictive of double retroviral infection.

[Coinfection with HIV and HTLV-I infection and survival in AIDS stage. French Guiana Study. GECVIG (Clinical HIV Study Group in Guiana)]. / Co-infection par VIH et HTLVI et survie au stade SIDA. Etude en Guyane Française. GECVIG (Groupe d'Etudes cliniques du VIH en Guyane).

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of HTLVI infection on survival in AIDS patients in French Guiana. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 151 adult patients with AIDS were followed from January 1992 through June 1996. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were established. Using the Cox model, multivariate analysis was performed to examine different factors affecting survival. RESULTS: The incidence of HTLVI infection in this cohort was 11.9% and 57.6% of the patients died during the study period. Multivariate analysis disclosed that older age at diagnosis of AIDS (over 45 years) and low CD4 count (< 100/mm3) were predictors of poor survival. HIV-HTLVI co-infection was strongly correlated with reduced survival (p = 0.02; RR = 2.2; CI = 1.1-4.5). CONCLUSION: In our region, all patients with HIV infection should be screened for HTLVI infection. In case of co-infection, early care should included adapted antiretroviral regimens.

A follow-up study of morbidity and mortality associated with hepatitis C virus infection and its interaction with human T lymphotropic virus type I in Miyazaki, Japan.

A follow-up study was performed to analyze the effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on morbidity and mortality in the adult population from a village in Japan found to have endemic levels of both HCV and human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). By use of the Cox proportional hazards model, rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Strong, significant effects of seropositivity for antibodies to HCV on self-reported incident liver disease (RR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.9-6.4) and on death due to liver cancer (RR, 8.2; 95% CI, 1.6-41.4) were observed. Dual infection with HCV and HTLV-I seemed to have a synergistic effect on incident liver disease (RR, 5.9) as well as on death from liver cancer (RR, 21.9). HCV infection also was positively, although not significantly, associated with reported incident diabetes. Our findings suggest that coinfection with HTLV-I may affect the course of HCV-associated disease.