Cytokine profiles in adults with imported malaria

The increase in worldwide travel is making imported malaria a growing health concern in non-endemic countries. Most data on the pathophysiology of malaria come from endemic areas. Little is known about cytokine profiles during imported malaria. This study aimed at deciphering the relationship between cytokine host response and malaria severity among imported cases in France. This study reports cytokine profiles in adults with Plasmodium falciparum malaria included in the PALUREA prospective study conducted between 2006 and 2010. The patients were classified as having uncomplicated malaria (UM) or severe malaria (SM), with this last further categorized as very severe malaria (VSM) or less severe malaria (LSM). At hospital admission, eight blood cytokines were assayed in duplicate using Luminex^® technology: interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, interferon (IFN)γ, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). These assays were repeated on days 1 and 2 in the SM group. Of the 278 patients, 134 had UM and 144 SM. At hospital admission, over half the patients had undetectable levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IFNγ, and TNFα, while IL-10 and MIF were significantly higher in the SM vs. the UM group. Higher IL-10 was significantly associated with higher parasitemia (R = 0.32 [0.16-0.46]; P = 0.0001). In the SM group, IL-10 elevation persisting from admission to day 2 was significantly associated with subsequent nosocomial infection. Of eight tested cytokines, only MIF and IL-10 were associated with disease severity in adults with imported P. falciparum malaria. At admission, many patients had undetectable cytokine levels, suggesting that circulating cytokine assays may not be helpful as part of the routine evaluation of adults with imported malaria. Persisting high IL-10 concentration was associated with subsequent nosocomial infection, suggesting its possible interest in immune monitoring of most severe patients.

A highly virulent variant of HIV-1 circulating in the Netherlands

We discovered a highly virulent variant of subtype-B HIV-1 in the Netherlands. One hundred nine individuals with this variant had a 0.54 to 0.74 log₁₀ increase (i.e., a ~3.5-fold to 5.5-fold increase) in viral load compared with, and exhibited CD4 cell decline twice as fast as, 6604 individuals with other subtype-B strains. Without treatment, advanced HIV-CD4 cell counts below 350 cells per cubic millimeter, with long-term clinical consequences-is expected to be reached, on average, 9 months after diagnosis for individuals in their thirties with this variant. Age, sex, suspected mode of transmission, and place of birth for the aforementioned 109 individuals were typical for HIV-positive people in the Netherlands, which suggests that the increased virulence is attributable to the viral strain. Genetic sequence analysis suggests that this variant arose in the 1990s from de novo mutation, not recombination, with increased transmissibility and an unfamiliar molecular mechanism of virulence.

A qualitative study on the educational needs of young people with chronic conditions transitioning from pediatric to adult care

OBJECTIVES

Although patient education is recommended to facilitate the transition from pediatric to adult care, a consensus has not been reached for a particular model. The specific skills needed for the transition to help in facilitating the life plans and health of young people are still poorly understood. This study explored the educational needs of young people with diverse chronic conditions during their transition from pediatric to adult care.

METHODS

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 young people with chronic conditions. A thematic analysis was conducted to examine the data.

RESULTS

Five themes emerged from the data, identified through the following core topics: learning how to have a new role, learning how to adopt a new lifestyle, learning how to use a new health care service, maintaining a dual relationship with pediatric and adult care, and having experience sharing with peers.

CONCLUSION

A shift in perspective takes place when the transition is examined through the words of young people themselves. To them, moving from pediatric to adult care is not viewed as the heart of the process. It is instead a change among other changes. In order to encourage a transition in which the needs of young people are met, educational measures could focus on the acquisition of broad skills, while also being person-centered.

Efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in NS3/4A protease inhibitor-experienced individuals with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 and HIV coinfection with and without cirrhosis (ANRS HC31 SOFTRIH study)

OBJECTIVES

Studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of the fixed-dose combination ledipasvir (LDV)/sofosbuvir (SOF) in patients coinfected with HIV-1 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) have mainly included treatment-naïve patients without cirrhosis. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this combination in treatment-experienced patients with and without cirrhosis.

METHODS

We conducted a multicentre, open-label, double-arm, nonrandomized study in patients coinfected with HIV-1 and HCV genotype 1 with and without cirrhosis, who had good viral suppression on their antiretroviral regimens. All patients were pretreated with a first-generation NS3/4A protease inhibitor (PI) plus pegylated interferon/ribavirin. Patients received a fixed-dose combination of LDV/SOF for 12 weeks, or for 24 weeks if cirrhosis was present. The primary endpoint was a sustained virological response (SVR) 12 weeks after the end of therapy. Secondary endpoints included safety, pharmacokinetics and patient-reported outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 68 patients enrolled, 39.7% had cirrhosis. Sixty-five patients [95.6%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 87.6-99.1%; P < 0.0001] achieved an SVR, with similar rates of SVR in those with and without cirrhosis. Tolerance was satisfactory, with mainly grade 1 or 2 adverse events. Among patient-reported outcomes, only fatigue significantly decreased at the end of treatment compared with baseline [odds ratio (OR): 0.36; 95% CI: 0.14-0.96; P = 0.04]. Mean tenofovir area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) at week 4 was high, with mean ± SD AUC variation between baseline and week 4 higher in cirrhotic than in noncirrhotic patients (3261.57 ± 1920.47 ng/mL vs. 1576.15 ± 911.97 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.03). Mild proteinuria (54.4%), hypophosphataemia (50.0%), blood bicarbonate decrease (29.4%) and hypokalaemia (13.2%) were reported. The serum creatinine level was not modified.

CONCLUSIONS

LDV/SOF provided a high SVR rate in PI-experienced subjects coinfected with HCV genotype 1 and HIV-1, including patients with cirrhosis.

Autoimmune diseases in HIV-infected patients: 52 cases and literature review

OBJECTIVES

1) To describe autoimmune diseases (AD) in HIV-infected people; and 2) to perform a literature review concerning this issue.

DESIGN

52 HIV-infected patients that presented an AD in 14 medical departments in Paris and Ile-de-France area were retrospectively included in this study.

RESULTS

The ADs were vasculitis (11), immune cytopenias (8), rheumatic diseases (8), lupus (7), sarcoidosis (7), thyroid diseases (6), hepatic diseases (5), and antiphospholipid syndrome (4). Four patients presented 2 ADs. In 5 patients the AD preceded HIV infection, in 14 HIV infection was diagnosed at the same time as the AD and 34 were HIV-infected when they developed an AD. 40 ADs (80%) occurred in patients with a CD4 T lymphocyte count of more than 200/mm(3). Cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurred only in patients severely immunodepressed. In five patients (a vasculitis case, a sarcoidosis case, three thyroid disease cases) the AD presented as a form of immune restoration inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Some ADs allowed HIV-infection diagnosis at a stage of moderate immune deficiency (vasculitis, antiphospholipid syndrome, immune thrombocytopenia). 37 patients received immunosuppressant treatments with good tolerance. These results confirm in a large series of patients previous data concerning autoimmune diseases occurrence in HIV-infected people.

CONCLUSION

In the HAART era, when HIV-infected people are treated more and more early, autoimmune diseases can occur, mainly at the phase of immunological recovery. HIV infection should not limit immunosuppressant treatment use.

[Use of enfurvitide in pregnancy in HIV positive women in seven cases]

OBJECTIVE

With a panel of more than 22 drugs, the treatment of HIV subjects is nowadays quite easier. But due to the number of multiparus women often harbouring a multidrug resistant virus, or seen late in pregnancy or inobservant, taking care of these pregnancies remains difficult. The use of enfuvirtide seems quite interesting for these situations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a retrospective study, we have focused our work on the consequences of enfuvirtide used in seven pregnancies, paying particular attention to efficacy, pharmacokinetics and tolerance.

RESULTS

The use of enfuvirtide during 30 days in average seems safe and the tolerance was satisfactory in all seven cases. All infants are seronegative without abnormalities. The dosages in umbilical cord were negative. Five women experienced an elective caesarean, one had caesarean section in emergency, and one had a vaginal delivery.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The 23 cases published in the English literature indicate the interest of enfuvirtide use in these difficult situations. Indeed, enfuvirtide is injectable, favouring the adherence; it has a good tolerance, a quick efficacy and no placental transfer. Evidently, enfuvirtide is always prescribed in association.

Factors related to medical appointment attendance after childbirth among HIV-infected women in the Paris region

This study examined factors related to medical appointment attendance after childbirth among HIV-infected women in the Paris region. We hypothesized that despite regular utilization of prenatal care, many women may not attend medical appointments after delivery for their own HIV infection. This was an observational cohort study of HIV-seropositive women delivering in four Paris hospitals in 2001. Follow-up attendance through 24 months after delivery was defined as 'regular' for women who had > or =4 HIV visits during the period, 'irregular' for <4 visits in the 24-months period and/or a gap between two visits >12 months, and 'no attendance' when < or =1 visit in the 2-year period. Of 169 women enrolled, 125 (75%) had regular attendance, 24 (14%) had irregular attendance, and 18 (11%) had no attendance. Multivariate analysis found the greater number of HIV visits during pregnancy and the prescription of combination therapy (versus zidovudine monotherapy) during pregnancy to be significantly related to regular attendance. Of the 18 women who had no attendance, 8 women (47%) continued to attend regular paediatric appointments with their infants during the 24-month period. Scheduling more frequent HIV visits during pregnancy may establish a pattern that will improve attendance during the post-partum period. In addition, increased communication between the health care providers of the mother and child may increase appointment attendance following delivery.

Tuberculosis in adolescents: A French retrospective study of 52 cases

BACKGROUND

The only available data about tuberculosis (TB) among adolescents date back to the 1980s, although the incidence of tuberculosis has been increasing in this age group.

METHODS

Medical records were reviewed for all adolescents aged 12 to 18 years hospitalized with the diagnosis of TB in Avicenne/Jean Verdier Teaching hospital (Seine-Saint-Denis, suburb of Paris) between September 2000 and December 2004.

RESULTS

Of the 52 patients identified, 52% were female. Median age at diagnosis was 15 years (range, 12-18 years). The proportion of adolescents known to be born abroad was 90%. Diagnoses resulted from the examination of a sick child in 79% of cases, a case contact investigation of an adult suspected of having TB in 19% and routine tuberculin skin test in 2%. Twenty-seven of 52 patients (52%) had isolated pulmonary disease. Sixteen patients (31%) had pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB and 8 cases (17%) had exclusively extrapulmonary disease. The site of extrapulmonary TB included pleural (n = 8), meningitis (n = 4), lymph node (n = 4), peritoneal (n = 5), osteoarticular (n = 3) and genitourinary (n = 1). TB was confirmed by the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum (n = 21), gastric aspirate (n = 8), bone (n = 1) or cerebrospinal fluid (n = 2). No case had a relapse or recurrence of disease in median 3.2 years of follow up.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that demographic and clinical characteristics of adolescents with TB differed from adults and children. A specific approach to the prevention and treatment of TB in adolescents is absolutely necessary.

Grossesse sous efavirenz (Sustiva®) : à propos de 12 cas de patientes positives pour le VIH

OBJECTIVE

In developed countries, where the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV is low (1 to 1,5%), a major medical concern is the safety of new therapies during pregnancy. Teratogenicity has been described with an NNRTI, efavirenz (Sustiva), in animal model, regarding neural tube defects.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We have made a retrospective study of pregnancies starting with efavirenz with a special focus on foetal and infant abnormalities.

RESULTS

Three abnormalities were notified no one linked to a neural tube defect.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

In the English literature published, although the prevalence of abnormalities in human is low (1,7%) during pregnancy, due to the potent teratogenicity, efavirenz is contraindicated in the first trimester and should be used with caution in women of childbearing potential.

Impact of Newly Available Drugs on Clinical Progression in Patients with Virological Failure after Exposure to Three Classes of Antiretrovirals

Objective

To study the prognosis of HIV-infected patients with virological failure after exposure to three classes of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).

Design

Cohort study. Setting: French Hospital Database on HIV.

Patients

Patients previously exposed to at least two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), two protease inhibitors and one non-NRTI, with viral load (VL) values of >5000 copies/ml after the exposure criteria were met and a new treatment initiated between 1998 and 2001 with VL >5000 copies/ml.

Main outcome measures

Risk of new AIDS-defining-events (ADEs) or death from first introduction of a drug never used before occurring between 1998 and 2001 defined as baseline.

Results

The main baseline characteristics of the 1092 patients were: previous ADE in 49% of cases, median CD4 cell count 181 μl, median VL 4.9 log10 copies/ml, median duration of ARV therapy 5.0 years and previous exposure to a median of nine ARVs. The crude progression rates were 20.1/100 patient-years among patients included in 1998, 15.1 in 1999, 11.1 in 2000 and 8.6 in 2001. After adjustment for baseline characteristics, the calendar year of inclusion was associated with the risk of clinical progression ( P<0.001). When the types of newly available drugs used at baseline or during follow-up were introduced into the model, year of inclusion was no longer associated with the risk of clinical progression ( P=0.42), while exposure to amprenavir/r, lopinavir/r, abacavir or tenofovir was associated with a lower risk.

Conclusions

The clinical prognosis of heavily pretreated patients experiencing virological failure improved between 1998 and 2001, mainly thanks to the use of newly available drugs with more favourable resistance profiles.

Impact of Insertions in the HIV-1 P6 Ptapp Region on the Virological Response to Amprenavir

We evaluated the impact of genetic changes within p6Gag gene on the virological response (VR, mean decrease in plasma viral load at week 12) to unboosted amprenavir (APV). Gag-protease fragments, including gag p2, p7, p1, p6 regions and whole protease (PR) were sequenced from baseline plasma specimens of 84 highly pre-treated but APV-naive patients included in the NARVAL (ANRS 088) trial. The correlation between baseline p6Gag polymorphism, PR mutations, baseline characteristics and VR to APV was analysed in univariate analysis. Insertions (P459Ins) within p6 protein, leading to partial or complete duplication of the PTAPP motif, were significantly associated with a decreased VR (P459Ins versus wild-type; –0.3 ±0.8 vs –1.1 ±1.2 log copies/ml, P=0.007) and were more frequent when the V82A/F/T/S PR mutation was present ( P=0.020). In multivariate analysis, after adjustment on the predictive factors of the VR in the NARVAL trial and on the PR mutations linked with response, there was a strong trend to an association ( P=0.058) between the presence of P459Ins and an altered VR. In conclusion, these results suggest that insertions in the p6 region of HIV-1 gag gene may affect the VR, in highly pre-treated patients receiving an unboosted APV-containing regimen.

Phylogenetic analyses confirm the high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) type 4 in the Seine-Saint-Denis district (France) and indicate seven different HCV-4 subtypes linked to two different epidemiological patterns

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been classified into six clades as a result of high genetic variability. In the Seine-Saint-Denis district of north-east Paris, the prevalence of HCV-4, which usually infects populations from Africa or the Middle East, is twice as high as that recorded for the whole of continental France (10.2 versus 4.5%). Although the pathogenicity of HCV-4 remains unknown, resistance of HCV-4 to therapy appears to be similar to that observed for HCV-1. In order to characterize the epidemiology of HCV-4 in Paris, sequences of the non-structural 5B gene (332 bp) were obtained from 38 HCV-4-infected patients. Extensive phylogenetic analyses indicated seven different HCV-4 subtypes. Moreover, phylogenetic tree topologies clearly distinguished two epidemiological profiles. The first profile (52.6% of patients) reflects the intra-suburban emergence of two distinct HCV-4 subclades occurring mainly among intravenous drug users (65% of patients). The second profile shows six subclades [HCV-4a, -4f, -4h, -4k, -4a(B) and a new sequence] and accounts for patients from Africa (Egypt and sub-Saharan countries) who have unknown risk factors (77.8% of patients) and in whom no recent diffusion of HCV-4 is evident. This study indicates the high diversity of HCV-4 and the extension of HCV-4a and -4d subclades among drug users in FRANCE:

Intensification of stable background therapy with abacavir in antiretroviral therapy experienced patients: 48-week data from a randomized, double-blind trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate antiretroviral efficacy of abacavir (ABC) in antiretroviral-experienced patients, by intensifying current antiretroviral therapy (CART) in patients with stable, detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA.

METHODS

Thirty-two European centres recruited HIV-1 positive patients with < or = 36 months of CART experience. Patients were randomized to receive either ABC (300 mg twice daily) plus CART (ABC + CART) or ABC placebo plus CART (CART). We assessed efficacy as measured by plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD4+ cell counts and safety at baseline, weeks 2, 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter until week 48. Protocol-defined criteria enabled patients to switch to open-label ABC from week 8 onwards.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients with a median plasma of 3.66 log10 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL and a median CD4+ cell count of 408 cells/microL were randomized to ABC + CART and 93 patients with a median plasma of 3.52 log10 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL and a median CD4+ cell count of 411 cells/microL were randomized to CART. From weeks 8-48, 11 (12%) patients in the ABC + CART group and 34 (37%) patients in the CART group switched to open-label ABC. At week 48, significantly more patients on ABC + CART (23/92, 25%) than on CART (5/93, 5%) had plasma < or =400 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL (P < 0.001, intent-to-treat switch = failure population). Neither duration of previous nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor treatment (up to 18 months) nor prior lamivudine therapy affected ABC efficacy. In the ABC + CART group, 16/25 (64%) patients with the M184V mutation at baseline had < or = 400 copies/mL or a decrease > or = 1 log10 copies/mL at week 16. More patients (19/46, 41%) with baseline viral load < or = 5000 copies/mL had plasma < 400 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL at 48 weeks than those > 5000 copies/mL (4/44, 9%). CD4+ cell counts increased by 102 cells/microL and 57 cells/microL at week 48 for the ABC + CART and CART groups, respectively (intent-to-treat, switch included). ABC addition had minimal impact on the CART safety profile.

CONCLUSIONS

ABC intensification, in CART-experienced patients with low viral loads and limited reverse transcriptase mutations, most of whom had previously been on double-therapy, resulted in a significant and durable plasma HIV-1 reduction and concomitant increase in CD4+ cell count. The presence of M184V at baseline had minimal impact on the efficacy of ABC.

Plasma cytomegalovirus DNA, pp65 antigenaemia and a low CD4 cell count remain risk factors for cytomegalovirus disease in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVE

To study the natural history and the current risk factors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in the context of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

SETTING

Prospective multicentre cohort in 15 university hospitals in France.

METHODS

A group of 198 patients with CD4 cell count < 100 x 10(6) cells/l (or < 200 x 10(6) cells/l under HAART for at least 2 months), no previous CMV disease and CMV-positive serology were followed every 4 months clinically and for virological testing including HIV RNA and CMV blood markers (culture, pp65 antigenaemia, plasma CMV DNA and CMV late mRNA by the polymerase chain reaction).

RESULTS

At inclusion, median CD4 was 77 x 10(6) cells/l (0-308) and 85% of the patients received protease inhibitors. The percentage of patients receiving HAART reached 99% at 12 months. After a follow-up of 23.6 months, the incidence of CMV disease was 3.2/100 patient-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-5.0]. In univariate Cox models, all the CMV markers, a CD4 cell count remaining < 75 x 10(6) cells/l and an HIV viral load > 100,000 copies/ml were predictive for CMV disease. The hazard ratios for CMV disease were 11 for blood culture; 14 and 70 for pp65 antigenaemia of > or = 1 and > or = 100 nuclei/200,000 cells, respectively; 35 for plasma CMV DNA; 6 for CMV mRNA; 29 for CD4 < 75 x 10(6) cells/l; and 12 for HIV RNA > 100,000 copies/ml. In a stepwise multivariate analysis, only three covariates were independently associated with the occurrence of a disease: plasma CMV DNA, pp65 antigenaemia > or = 100 nuclei/200,000 cells and a CD4 count < 75 x 10(6) cells/l.

CONCLUSION

CMV blood markers and CD4 count < 75 x 10(6) cells/l remain risk factors for CMV disease in patients receiving HAART. Analysis of plasma CMV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction is a reproducible and standardized tool that could be used as a decision marker for initiating CMV pre-emptive therapy.

The role of abacavir (ABC, 1592) in antiretroviral therapy-experienced patients: results from a randomized, double-blind, trial. CNA3002 European Study Team

OBJECTIVE

To compare the antiviral activity of abacavir (ABC) with stable background therapy (SBG) and SBG alone in antiretroviral therapy-experienced subjects as demonstrated by the proportion of subjects with plasma HIV-1 RNA < or = 400 copies/ml, plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD4 cell count profiles, and safety and tolerance of the two regimens over 16 weeks.

DESIGN

One-hundred and eighty-five HIV-1 infected adults, with CD4 cell counts > or = 100 x 10(6)/l and plasma HIV-1 RNA of 400-50,000 copies/ml and who had received SBG therapy for at least 12 weeks, were randomized to receive ABC (300 mg twice daily) or placebo in a double blind, multi-centre study.

METHODS

Antiretroviral activity was assessed by measuring changes in plasma HIV-1 RNA levels and CD4 cell counts. Genotypic and phenotypic resistance was determined at baseline and week 16. Evaluation of safety and tolerance was based on clinical adverse events and laboratory analyses.

RESULTS

At week 16 significantly more subjects receiving ABC + SBG had plasma HIV-1 RNA < or = 400 copies/ml (36/92, 39%) than subjects receiving SBG alone (7/93, 8%; P < 0.001). A similar response was observed in both the lamivudine naive and lamivudine-experienced subjects. The presence of the M184V mutation did not preclude an antiviral response to ABC; 73% of subjects with the M184V mutation alone experienced a > or = 1.0 log10 copies/ml reduction in plasma HIV-1 RNA or had a value of < or = 400 copies/ml by week 16.

CONCLUSIONS

ABC was generally well tolerated and exerted significant antiviral effect when added to combination antiretroviral therapy over 16 weeks.

Phylogenetic analyses indicate an atypical nurse-to-patient transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1

A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patient with no risk factor experienced HIV type 1 (HIV-1) primary infection 4 weeks after being hospitalized for surgery. Among the medical staff, only two night shift nurses were identified as HIV-1 seropositive. No exposure to blood was evidenced. To test the hypothesis of a possible nurse-to-patient transmission, phylogenetic analyses were conducted using two HIV-1 genomic regions (pol reverse transcriptase [RT] and env C2C4), each compared with reference strains and large local control sets (57 RT and 41 C2C4 local controls). Extensive analyses using multiple methodologies allowed us to test the robustness of phylogeny inference and to assess transmission hypotheses. Results allow us to unambiguously exclude one HIV-positive nurse and strongly suggest the other HIV-positive nurse as the source of infection of the patient.

[Unusual vascular lesions in the course of a colonic leishmaniasis in an HIV positive patient]

Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are often susceptible to atypical dissemination of visceral leishmaniasis. Digestive localizations seem to be relatively frequent. Colonic localizations reported in the literature are endoscopically normal or show superficial mucosal lesions. We describe an original case of leishmaniasis associated with a colonic pseudotumoral stenosis with perforated ulcer penetrating in the mesocolon. Striking inflammation of mesenteric blood vessels, even far from the ulcer, suggested an ischemic mechanism for the colonic stenosis. These findings raise the hypothesis that vasculitis is secondary to mucosal parasitic infection.

[Prevalence of Clostridium difficile and toxin A in feces of HIV infected patients]

Patients with AIDS are immunodeficient, receive multiple antibiotic treatments, occasionally anti-cancer chemotherapy and are often hospitalised; thus they are susceptible to develop a Clostridium difficile infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of C. difficile in diarrhoea in this patient population. Therefore, C. difficile and toxin A which plays a major role in pathogenicity were examined in faecal samples of HIV infected patients. Between January 1991 and June 1992, 102 stool samples from 67 patients were studied. Ninety p. cent of these patients were hospitalised (length > 3 days), 80% had a diagnosis of AIDS stage IV, and 66% had diarrhoea. Nineteen point four p. cent of the patients were carriers of C. difficile. Different associations were found: 1) presence of non toxigenic strains and absence of toxin A in stool samples (6 patients), 2) presence of toxigenic strains and absence of toxin A in stool samples (6 patients), 3) presence of toxigenic strains and toxin A in stool samples (2 patients). None of the patients developed a colitis or pseudomembranous colitis. The carrier rate was identical to those found in other hospitalised populations without AIDS. The prevalence of C. difficile diarrhoea or colitis is low. In this study, AIDS patients do not seem to constitute a risk group for C. difficile intestinal pathology. However, carriers of C. difficile were subjected to strict hygiene rules to prevent nosocomial spread.

Polymerase chain reaction-based detection of hepatitis D virus genome in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect hepatitis D (HD) viremia in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Nineteen (9%) of 206 such patients, unselected for liver disease or HBV infection, were found prospectively to be infected by HDV. Thirty-one anti-HIV-positive patients were studied by means of PCR, and the results were analyzed according to HDV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological status. HDV-PCR was positive in 5 patients. Two had detectable serum HDV antigen. Four patients had anti-HD IgM and IgG antibodies. All these patients were HBs antigen-positive, and 3 were HBV-DNA-positive. All the other patients were HDV-PCR-negative. Statistical analysis suggested more extensive liver damage and immunological impairment in HDV-PCR-positive patients. In this unselected HIV-infected population, HDV-RNA detection by PCR was restricted to HDV infected patients in whom 5/19 were positive. This test permitted direct diagnosis of HDV viremia and will be useful for monitoring HDV infection.

Emergence during unsuccessful chemotherapy of multiple drug resistance in a strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Serial isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were cultured from a patient who failed to respond to standard antituberculous chemotherapy. Isolates were cultured in March 1989, July 1989, December 1989 and May 1990. Each successive isolate was found to be resistant to a wider range of antituberculous drugs than its predecessors. The initial isolate was resistant to isoniazid and rifampin, the second isolate was also resistant to ethambutol, the third was also resistant to pyrazinamide, ansamycin (= rifabutin) and ofloxacin and the last isolate was also resistant to ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin. All four isolates' bacteriophage typing profiles and DNA restriction fragment patterns determined by Southern blot hybridization using the IS6110/IS986 probes and the new probe pTBN12 were concordant. It was concluded that this patient was persistently infected with a single strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis which developed resistance to a number of families of drugs but did not show any significant change in typing patterns. The problem of acquired multiple drug resistance, particularly to fluoroquinolones and rifamycins, represents a new challenge in tuberculosis therapy.