Accuracy of malaria diagnosis by clinical laboratories in Belgium.

BACKGROUND: The Belgian Reference Laboratory for Plasmodium offers a free-of-charge reference testing of malaria-positive or doubtful samples to clinical laboratories. METHODS: The final malaria diagnosis from the Reference Laboratory (microscopy, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and Plasmodium species-specific PCR) were compared with the final diagnosis from peripheral Belgian laboratories. The Reference Laboratory reports were analysed for all samples submitted between 2013 and 2017. Criteria assessed included the diagnosis of malaria, Plasmodium species identification including mixed infections, and in case of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite density and the presence of sexual and asexual stages. RESULTS: A total of 947 non-duplicate samples were included. Reference testing confirmed 96.3% (893/927) and 90.0% (18/20) samples submitted as positive and negative, respectively, the two missed diagnoses were samples with Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae. Submitting laboratories had correctly identified P. falciparum in 95.1% (508/534) samples with P. falciparum single infection. They had correctly diagnosed the species in 62.9% (95/151) single non-falciparum samples and had reported 'non-falciparum' in another 26 (17.2%) samples; most errors occurred among P. malariae (n = 8/21, 38.1%) and P. ovale (n = 14/51, 27.5%). Only one of the 21 mixed Plasmodium species infections had been diagnosed as such by the submitting laboratories; in three of them, P. falciparum had been overlooked. Taken single and mixed infections together, P. falciparum was diagnosed in 98.6% (546/554) samples. Among 471 single P. falciparum samples available for comparison, laboratories had correctly reported parasite densities above 2% in 87.5% (70/80) samples; they had incorrectly reported parasite densities > 2% in an extra 52 (8.9%) samples. Laboratories had correctly reported P. falciparum schizonts and gametocytes in 25.6% (11/43) and 56.7% (17/30) samples, respectively. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic laboratories in a malaria non-endemic setting provided excellent diagnosis of malaria and P. falciparum, reasonably good diagnosis of non-falciparum infections and acceptable calculation of P. falciparum parasite density.

Corticosteroid-modulated immune activation in the tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

RATIONALE: HIV-tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) is an immunopathological reaction to mycobacterial antigens induced by antiretroviral therapy. Prednisone reduces morbidity in TB-IRIS, but the mechanisms are unclear. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of prednisone on the inflammatory response in TB-IRIS (antigen-specific effector T cells, cytokines, and chemokines). METHODS: Blood was taken from participants in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of prednisone for TB-IRIS, at 0, 2, and 4 weeks. Participants received prednisone at a dosage of 1.5 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks followed by 0.75 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks, or placebo at identical dosages. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Analyses included IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on peripheral blood mononuclear cells after restimulation with heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Luminex multiplex cytokine analysis of corresponding tissue culture supernatants, and Luminex multiplex cytokine analysis of serum. Fifty-eight participants with TB-IRIS (31 receiving prednisone, 27 receiving placebo) were included. In serum, significant decreases in IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 p40, tumor necrosis factor-α, IFN-γ, and IFN-γ-induced protein-10 concentrations during prednisone, but not placebo, treatment were observed. No differences in ELISPOT responses comparing prednisone and placebo groups were shown in response to ESAT-6 (early secreted antigen target-6), Acr1, Acr2, 38-kD antigen, or heat-killed H37Rv M. tuberculosis. Purified protein derivative ELISPOT responses increased over 4 weeks in the prednisone group and decreased in the placebo group (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effects of prednisone in TB-IRIS appear to be mediated via suppression of predominantly proinflammatory cytokine responses of innate immune origin, not via a reduction of the numbers of antigen-specific T cells in peripheral blood.

Corticosteroid therapy, vitamin D status, and inflammatory cytokine profile in the HIV-tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with hypercytokinemia. As adjunctive corticosteroid therapy and vitamin D have immunomodulatory properties, we investigated the relationship between cytokine/chemokine profiles, corticosteroid use, and vitamin D deficiency in TB-IRIS patients. METHODS: Plasma from 39 TB-IRIS and 42 non-IRIS patients was collected during a prospective study of HIV-associated tuberculosis patients starting ART. In total, 26% of patients received corticosteroid (CTC) therapy pre-ART for severe tuberculosis. Concentrations of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 14 cytokines/chemokines were determined at ART initiation and 2 weeks later. RESULTS: Patients prescribed concurrent CTC had lower interferon γ (IFN-γ), IP-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, and IL-18 pre-ART (P ≤ .02). TB-IRIS presented at 12 days (median) of ART, irrespective of CTC use. In patients who developed TB-IRIS (not on CTC) IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p40, IL-18, IP-10, and TNF increased during 2 weeks (P ≤ .04) of ART. Vitamin D deficiency (total 25(OH)D <75 nmol/L) was highly prevalent (89%) at baseline. Although vitamin D deficiency at either baseline or 2 weeks was not associated with TB-IRIS, in those not on CTC the median 25(OH)D decreased during 2 weeks (P = .004) of ART. Severe vitamin D deficiency (total 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L) was associated with higher baseline TNF, IL-6, and IL-8 irrespective of IRIS status. CONCLUSIONS: CTC modifies the inflammatory profile of those who develop TB-IRIS. The association between severe vitamin D deficiency and elevated proinflammatory cytokines support a study of vitamin D supplementation in HIV-TB co-infected patients starting ART.

Urinary lipoarabinomannan as predictor for the tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Upon initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), 15.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 9.7% to 24.5%] of tuberculosis (TB)-HIV-coinfected individuals experience paradoxical worsening of their clinical status with exuberant inflammation consistent with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). We investigated whether a positive urinary TB lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test before ART initiation was associated with development of paradoxical TB-IRIS. METHODS: In a prospective observational cohort in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, we measured pre-ART urinary LAM concentrations in HIV-infected patients on TB treatment. Patients who developed TB-IRIS (according to the International Network for the Study of HIV-associated IRIS case definition) were compared with patients who remained IRIS free for at least 3 months. RESULTS: Twenty-six individuals with TB-IRIS and 64 without IRIS were included in the analysis. The median time to TB-IRIS was 14 days (interquartile range: 11-14 days). Univariate analysis showed that a positive pre-ART urinary LAM test [OR: 4.6 (95% CI: 1.5 to 13.8), P = 0.006] and a CD4 count <50 cells/mL [OR: 21 (95% CI: 2.6 to 169.4), P = 0.004] were associated with an increased risk of TB-IRIS. In multivariate analysis, only a baseline CD4 T-cell count <50 cells/mL was predictive of IRIS (P < 0.004). Sensitivity and specificity of a positive pre-ART urinary LAM test to diagnose IRIS were 80.8% (95% CI: 60.6 to 93.4) and 52.4% (95% CI: 39.4 to 65.1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: If CD4 T-cell count testing is available, a pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy urinary LAM test has no added value to predict TB-IRIS. When CD4 T-cell count is not available, a positive LAM test could identify patients at increased risk of TB-IRIS.

The immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome and antiretroviral therapy.

Although generally mild, severe immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome may complicate antiretroviral therapy, and it may be difficult to differentiate from treatment failure or toxicity. This article looks at diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of severe infectious manifestations of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

Decrease of vitamin D concentration in patients with HIV infection on a non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-containing regimen.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D is an important determinant of bone health and also plays a major role in the regulation of the immune system. Interestingly, vitamin D status before the start of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been recently associated with HIV disease progression and overall mortality in HIV-positive pregnant women. We prospectively studied vitamin D status in HIV individuals on HAART in Belgium.We selected samples from HIV-positive adults starting HAART with a pre-HAART CD4 T-cell count >100 cells/mm3 followed up for at least 12 months without a treatment change. We compared 25-hydroxyvitamin D plasma [25-(OH)D] concentration in paired samples before and after 12 months of HAART. 25-(OH)D levels are presented using two different cut-offs: <20 ng/ml and <30 ng/ml. RESULTS: Vitamin D deficiency was common before HAART, the frequency of plasma 25-(OH)D concentrations below 20 ng/ml and 30 below ng/ml was 43.7% and 70.1% respectively. After 12 months on HAART, the frequency increased to 47.1% and 81.6%.HAART for 12 months was associated with a significant decrease of plasma 25-(OH)D concentration (p = 0.001). Decreasing plasma 25-(OH)D concentration on HAART was associated in the multivariate model with NNRTI-based regimen (p = 0.001) and lower body weight (p = 0.008). Plasma 25-(OH)D concentrations decreased significantly in both nevirapine and efavirenz-containing regimens but not in PI-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in HIV-positive individuals and NNRTI therapy further decreases 25-(OH)D concentrations. Consequently, vitamin D status need to be checked regularly in all HIV-infected patients and vitamin D supplementation should be given when needed.

Is vitamin D deficiency involved in the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome?

BACKGROUND: About 20-30% of persons with HIV infection, especially those living in countries with limited resources, experience an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) after starting antiretroviral treatment. The active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, is a key player in the clearance of pathogens and influences the level of inflammation and macrophage activation. PRESENTATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesize that low availability of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, either due to vitamin D deficiency or due to polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor or in its activating/inactivating enzymes, contributes to the appearance of IRIS. Furthermore, drug interactions with the enzymatic pathways of vitamin D could favour the development of IRIS. TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS: Our hypothesis could be explored by a case-control study to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral treatment who develop and do not develop IRIS. IMPLICATIONS OF THE HYPOTHESIS: If the role of vitamin D in IRIS is confirmed, we would be able to screen patients at risk for IRIS by screening for vitamin D deficiency. After confirmation by means of a clinical trial, vitamin D supplementation could be a cheap and safe way to reduce the incidence of IRIS.

Coping with TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

The TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is a relatively frequent complication in HIV-TB-coinfected patients after they start highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). There are two forms of TB IRIS: the 'paradoxical' type (clinical worsening of a patient on TB treatment) and the 'unmasking' type (undiagnosed TB becoming apparent after starting HAART). Their pathogeneses are not fully understood, although, as the name suggests, IRIS following initiation of HAART is accompanied by an increase in immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The diagnosis of TB IRIS is mainly clinical; so far there are no laboratory tests able to diagnose or predict TB IRIS. Risk factors for TB IRIS include a low CD4(+) lymphocyte count, disseminated TB infection at HAART initiation and a short interval between TB treatment and HAART initiation. TB IRIS complicates the treatment and care for HIV-TB-coinfected patients. In this paper, we discuss some aspects of pathogenesis and options for the treatment and prevention of TB IRIS.