Epidemiology of human herpesvirus type 8 and parvovirus B19 infections and their association with HIV-1 among men who have sex with men and injection drug users in Taiwan

Assessment of human parvovirus B19 infection in Egyptian hemodialysis patients

INTRODUCTION

Parvovirus B19V has been shown to be associated with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with increased risk of post-infection anemia, especially in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This effect may be due to immunosuppression, insufficient erythropoietin, or short lifespan of red blood cells. Therefore, parvovirus infection should be investigated in this group of patients suffering from anemia or pancytopenia. We assessed the frequency of parvovirus B19 in HD patients attending Suez Canal University Hospital and analyzed the correlation of this infection with hematological parameters in those patients compared with normal individuals.

METHODS

We recruited 80 ESRD patients on hemodialysis and 70 healthy controls. History-taking, full examination, and complete blood count (CBC) were performed for all study subjects. Parvovirus B19 detection was performed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which included the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit for extracting DNA, which was amplified using TaqMan Universal Master Mix and detected using TaqMan MGB probes by real-time PCR using Rotor Gene Analyzer (6000).

FINDINGS

HD patients had a significantly higher frequency of B19V infection than the control group (p = .02). We also found that parvovirus B19-infected HD patients had significantly lower CBC values than uninfected patients.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of parvovirus B19 was significantly higher in HD patients and was associated with lower hematological parameters than in uninfected patients, suggesting a significant role of this virus in the pathogenesis of anemia and/or pancytopenia in ESRD.

Seroepidemiology of the human herpesvirus 8 infection among people living with HIV in Taiwan, 2014-2018

BACKGROUND

Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) can be transmitted through unprotected sex as HIV. We aimed to investigate the seroincidence of HHV-8 and associated factors among people living with HIV (PLWH).

METHODS

From 2014 to 2018, blood samples of PLWH on the first date of HIV care were determined for antibodies against HHV-8. Individuals testing HHV-8-seronegative at baseline were followed for at least four months to estimate the annual seroconversion rate. To identify the factors associated with HHV-8 seroconversion, we compared the clinical characteristics between seroconverters and non-seroconverters who were matched for observation duration.

RESULTS

The HHV-8 seroprevalence increased from 8.1% in 2014 to 20.0% in 2018. HHV-8 seroconversion occurred in 154 (14.7%) PLWH after a total of 2652.16 person-years of follow-up (PYFU), resulting in an overall incidence rate of 5.62 per 100 PYFU, which increased from 3.20 to 6.84 per 100 PYFU during the study period. HHV-8 seroconverters were less likely to have chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (1.9% vs 10.6%) and more likely to be antiretroviral-naïve on entry into care (87.7% vs 75.4%) (both p < 0.05). In multivariate logistic analysis, men who have sex with men (MSM) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.22; 95% CI, 1.01-4.86), being antiretroviral-naïve (aOR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.27-6.67), and chronic HBV infection (aOR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03-0.61) at baseline were associated with HHV-8 seroconversion.

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing trend of HHV-8 infection was observed among PLWH in Taiwan between 2014 and 2018. MSM and being antiretroviral-naïve were associated with higher risk for HHV-8 seroconversion.

Human parvovirus B19 infection in patients with or without underlying diseases

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The clinical presentations of parvovirus B19 in patients with underlying diseases have greater diversity than previously healthy patients. We retrospectively identified patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed parvovirus B19 infection in attempt to describe its clinical features especially in these populations.

METHODS

From 2009 to 2018, patients with real-time PCR-confirmed parvovirus B19 infection were collected. Comparisons were done between previously healthy patients and patients with preexisting diseases, as well as patients with high (>5.5 × 10⁵ copies/mL sera) and low viral loads.

RESULTS

Parvovirus B19 DNA was detected in 31 patients. Fourteen (45%) patients had underlying diseases, including six (19%) with immunologic diseases, five (16%) with hematologic diseases, and three (10%) with cardiopulmonary diseases. Only seven (23%) patients received an initial impression of erythema infectiosum prior to positive PCR. A higher proportion of patients with underlying diseases presented with fatigue and pallor, and suffered from tachycardia and hepatosplenomegaly compared to previously healthy patients. Among patients with a high viral load, a substantial proportion were of older age, suffered fatigue, and anemia. There was a trend of patients with immunologic comorbidity having a higher viral load.

CONCLUSION

The classical parvovirus B19 manifestations were less frequently observed in patients with a preexisting disease compared with previously healthy patients. Depending on host factors, the symptoms of parvovirus B19 infection can be multifaceted.

Prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus among intravenous drug users: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Intravenous drug users (IDUs) have been demonstrated to be highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Nevertheless, the prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV), an important co-infected agent with HIV, among this population remained obscure. We conducted a systematic review on the epidemiological features of KSHV among IDUs worldwide. Eligible studies were retrieved from 6 electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI and Wanfang). We calculated the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence interval (CI) overall and among subgroups using either random-effects model or fixed-effects model depending on between-study heterogeneity. The potential publication bias was assessed by the Egger's test. A meta-regression analysis was performed to explore the sources of heterogeneity. Finally, twenty-two studies with a total sample of 7881 IDUs were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of KSHV was 14.71% (95% CI 11.12%-19.46%) among IDUs. Specifically, KSHV prevalence was 10.86% (95% CI 6.95%-16.96%) in HIV-negative IDUs, and 13.56% (95% CI 10.57%-17.38%) in HIV-positive IDUs. Moreover, prevalence among IDUs from the three continents involved in the current study was similar: 16.10% (95%CI 7.73%-33.54%) in Asia; 14.22% (95%CI 8.96%-22.57%) in Europe and 14.06% (95%CI 11.38%-17.37%) in America. Globally, IDUs are at higher risk of the KSHV infection when compared with the general population, regardless of geographical region or HIV-infection status.

Cancer risk factors among people living with HIV/AIDS in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Cancer is a leading cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate prevalence of cancer risk factors among Chinese PLWHA based on 102 articles. Random effects meta-analysis was used to calculate the summary prevalence estimate (sPrev) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each cancer risk factor by demographic group. Overall, the sPrev for each risk factor among Chinese PLWHA was: 41.1% (95% CI: 35.3–46.9%) for current smoking; 30.3% (95% CI: 23.3–37.4%) for current alcohol consumption; 24.4% (95% CI: 14.7–30.2%) for overweight and obesity; 12.5% (95% CI: 10.6–14.3%) for hepatitis B virus infection; 29.1% (95% CI: 23.6–34.5%) for hepatitis C virus infection; 33.9% (95% CI: 24.3–43.5%) for high-risk human papillomavirus infection from cervical samples and 78.6% (95% CI: 69.4–87.7%) from anal samples; 2.7% (95% CI: 0.7–4.7%) for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) positivity, 94.7% (95% CI: 90.7–98.8%) for EBV IgG positivity and 25.6% (95% CI: 12.4–38.8%) for EBV DNA positivity; 14.9% (95% CI: 12.4–17.4%) for human herpes virus 8 infection. The prevalence of major cancer risk factors was high among PLWHA in China, suggesting an urgent need for interventions to reduce cancer risk in this high-risk group.

Frequency and Genotype of Human Parvovirus B19 among Iranian Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and genotype of human parvovirus B19 and its relation with anemia among Iranian patients under dialysis.

METHODS

Fifty hemodialysis (HD) and 33 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients were enrolled. B19 IgG and IgM antibodies were assessed by ELISA, and the presence of B19 DNA was evaluated by nested PCR. PCR products were sequenced directly and phylogenetic analysis was performed.

RESULTS

In the HD group, the prevalence of B19 antibodies was 54% for IgG and 4% for IgM. B19 DNA was detected in 10% of the cases, and 10% showed B19 IgG and viremia simultaneously. In the PD group, the prevalence of B19 IgG and IgM was 57.6 and 0% respectively, whereas B19 DNA was found in 12.1% of the group. A total of 9.1% showed B19 IgG and viremia concurrently. There was no significant difference regarding anemia and B19 infection in either group. All B19 isolates were clustered in genotype 1A.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that B19 infection plays no role in leading chronic anemia in dialysis patients. However, persistent B19 viremia and the circulation of the same strains in dialysis patients may indicate a potential risk for the contamination of dialysis equipment and nosocomial spread of B19 infection within dialysis units.

Viruses, Immunity and Unusual Lymphoproliferative Disorders of the Chest: Integrating Imaging With Pathogenesis and Clinical Presentations

Unusual lymphoproliferative diseases result from the stimulation of intrathoracic lymphoid tissue by viruses and immune dysfunction, ranging from benign hyperplasia to malignant transformation. We review the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings of unusual lymphoproliferative disorders, which have been linked to viruses or immune dysfunction, focusing on thoracic manifestations. Understanding these advances in science enhances the radiologist's skills in integrating the imaging findings to the clinical scenario to suggest the correct diagnosis.