Molecular and Clinical Profiles of Human Pegivirus Type 1 Infection in Individuals Living with HIV-1 in the Extreme South of Brazil.

Human pegivirus type 1 (HPgV-1) infection has been associated with a beneficial effect on the prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-coinfected individuals. However, the mechanisms involved in this protection are not yet fully elucidated. To date, circulating HPgV-1 genotypes in HIV-1-infected individuals have not yet been identified in the extreme south of Brazil. The present study aimed to determine the genotypic circulation of HPgV-1 and the influence of HPgV-1 status and persistence time on the evolution of HIV-1 infection. A retrospective cohort of 110 coinfected individuals was analyzed. Samples were subjected to viral RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, nested PCR, and genotyping. Genotypes 1 (2.8%), 2 (47.9% of subtype 2a and 42.3% of subtype 2b), and 3 (7%) were identified. In antiretroviral treatment-naïve subjects HPgV-1 subtype 2b was associated with lower HIV-1 viral load (VL) rates (p = 0.04) and higher CD4+ T-cell counts (p = 0.03) than was subtype 2a, and the positivity for HPgV-1 was associated with higher CD4+ T-cell counts (p = 0.02). However, there was no significant difference in HIV-1 VL between HPgV-1-positive and HPgV-1-negative subjects (p = 0.08). There was no significant association between the different groups in HPgV-1 persistence and median HIV-1 VL (p = 0.66) or CD4+ T-cell counts (p = 0.15). HPgV-1 subtype 2b is associated with better prognosis of HIV-1 infection. Although HPgV-1 infection is persistent, our data suggest that the time of infection does not influence HIV-1 VL or CD4+ T-cell counts in coinfected subjects.

High prevalence and autochtonous transmission of human pegivirus (HPgV-1) in blood donors in the extreme southern of Brazil.

Recent studies have suggested that human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) may have some pathogenic potential. In the southernmost region of Brazil, studies on HPgV-1 are scarce, and circulating genotypes have not yet been identified. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HPgV-1 among blood donors from the southernmost region of Brazil and identify the genotypes involved with associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 281 blood donors, who had their plasma subjected to RNA extraction, complementary DNA synthesis, HPgV-1 detection by nested polymerase chain reaction, and subsequent genotyping. The observed prevalence of HPgV-1-RNA was 21.7%. The only variable that was significantly associated with virus infection was the relationship status of the donor. Single or no fixed partner blood donors were twice as likely to have HPgV-1 (95% CI, 1.12 to 4.56; P = 0.02). Genotype 2-subtypes 2b (69%) and 2a (29%)-was the most prevalent. In the absence of risk factors for parenteral transmission, it is likely that sexual transmission was the route of infection in the individuals studied. Further work will be needed to determine whether this virus is inert in the population, or if there are potential deleterious effects in infected individuals.

Prevalência dos tipos de Papilomavírus Humano em mulheres atendidas em um Hospital Universitário no Sul do Brasil / Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus types in women attending at University hospital in southern Brazil

Determinar a prevalência e os genótipos do HPV em mulheres atendidas em um Hospital Universitário no Sul do Brasil. Metodologia: Foram coletadas amostras de secreções cérvico-vaginal de 200 mulheres. O HPV foi detectado pela Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase aninhada e os genótipos por sequenciamento. As variáveis foram analisadas pelo Teste Exato de Fisher e pelo Chi-quadrado de Pearson com o nível de significância < 5%. A força de associação foi calculada pela razão de prevalência e os seus intervalos de confiança a 95%. A análise Multivariada foi calculada pela Regressão Logística Binária para as variáveis com P <0,20. Resultados:O DNA do HPV foi detectado em 55 mulheres (27,5%). A prevalência do HPV foi associada a baixa renda(P =0,01), o início sexual precoce (P <0,001), a gestação (P = 0, 002), a infecção pelo HIV–1 (P = 0,001) e a coilocitose no exame citopatológico (P =0,006). Houve associação entre o status sorológico para o HIV–1 e os genótipos HPV–33 (P =0,001) e HPV–68 (P <0,001). Na análise multivariada, a prevalência do HPV foi associada ao início sexual precoce (P =0,001), a infecção pelo HIV–1 (P =0,01),a gestação (P =0,02) e a coilocitose no citopatológico (P =0,01). Sobre os genótipos, 90,4% eram de alto risco oncogênico (18 HPV–18, 14 HPV–16, quatro HPV–53, três HPV–31, dois HPV–58, dois HPV–59,dois HPV–68, um HPV–33 e um HPV–52) e 9,6% de baixo risco (dois HPV–11, dois HPV–16 e um HPV–70). Conclusões: Esse estudo teve a prevalência do HPV semelhante à prevalência descrita para esta região. Os genótipos do HPV de alto risco foram os mais prevalentes, sendo o HPV–18 o principal tipo viral encontrado...

Study design: cross-sectional. Objective: To determine the HPV prevalence and genotypes in women treated at University Hospital in southern Brazil. Methodology: Cervical cells samples from 200 women were collected. HPV was detected by nested polymerase chain reaction and genotypes were determined by sequencing. Variables were analyzed by the Fisher Exact Test and Chi-squared test of Pearson (X²)with a significance level of ≤ 5%. The strength of association was calculated by the prevalence ratio, with their confidence intervals at 95%. Multivariate analysis was calculated by Binary Logistic Regression for variables with P <0.20 Results: HPV DNA was detected in 55 women (27.5%). HPV prevalence was associate with income (P =0.01), early initiation of sexual life (P <0.001), pregnant (P = 0. 002), HIV-1 infection (P = 0. 001) and koilocytosis presence in cytological test (P =0.006). Were found an association between serological status for HIV-1 and the genotypes HPV–33 (P =0.001) and HPV–68 (P <0.001).Multivariate analysis showed that HPV prevalence was associated with patients who had early initiation of sexual life (P =0.001), was infected by HIV–1 (P = 0.01), was pregnant (P = 0.02), and women with koilocytosis in cytological test (P =0.01). Genotypes were 90.4% higher-risk oncogenic (18 HPV–18, 14HPV–16, four HPV–53, three HPV–31, two HPV–58, two HPV–59, two HPV–68, one HPV–33 and one HPV–52) and 9.6% low-risk (two HPV–11, two HPV–16 and one HPV–70). Conclusions: This study had the HPV prevalence similar to prevalence described in this region. The high-risk HPV genotypes were the most prevalent, being HPV–18 the main viral type found...

Genetic diversity of HCV in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have documented the molecular epidemiological scenario of HCV within individual Brazilian states, but we still have an incomplete understanding of the dispersion dynamics of the virus in different regions throughout the country. METHODS: A total of 676 HCV NS5B gene sequences of subtypes 1a (n=321), 1b (n=170) and 3a (n=185), isolated from seven different Brazilian states covering four out of five regions were analysed in the present study. We also analysed 22 HCV NS5B gene sequences of minor genetic variants including genotype 2 (n=13), genotype 4 (n=6) and subtype 5a (n=3). Brazilian HCV sequences were aligned with sequences of non-Brazilian origin and subjected to maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses. RESULTS: These analyses revealed that the Brazilian HCV epidemic resulted from multiple introductions and autochthonous transmission of subtypes 1a, 1b, 3a and genotypes 2, 4 and 5. Brazilian HCV subtype 1a epidemic is dominated by the dissemination of one major clade; while Brazilian HCV subtypes 1b and 3a epidemics are characterized by concurrent dissemination of several independent HCV lineages. Some HCV Brazilian lineages of subtypes 1a, 1b, 2b and 3a were successful in becoming established and disseminated through several regions in the country. Despite significant phylogenetic intermixing of Brazilian sequences, the distribution of HCV strains from different states across lineages was not completely homogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the existence of multiple introductions and local propagation of both prevalent and uncommon HCV genetic variants in Brazil and identify some major Brazilian HCV clades with nationwide dissemination. This study also suggests that the observed HCV diversity in Brazil has been shaped by both frequent viral migration among regions and in situ viral dissemination.