Prevalence and viral loads of polyomaviruses BKPyV, JCPyV, MCPyV, TSPyV and NJPyV and hepatitis viruses HBV, HCV and HEV in HIV-infected patients in China

Xianfeng Zhou,Xianfeng Zhou,Haiying Chen,Tian-Cheng Li,Kenji Nakashima,Tetsuro Suzuki,Satoshi Sakai,Xiaoling Zhang,Masahiko Ito,Huabao Sun,Changhua Feng

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-74244-0

Abstract

Human polyomaviruses (PyVs) and hepatitis viruses are often more prevalent or persistent in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons and the associated diseases are more abundant than in immunocompetent individuals. Here, we evaluated seroreactivities and viral loads of human PyVs and hepatitis viruses in HIV/AIDS patients and the general population in China in the combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) era. A total of 810 HIV-1-infected patients and age- and sex-matched HIV-negative individuals were enrolled to assess seroprevalence of PyVs BKPyV, JCPyV, MCPyV, TSPyV, and NJPyV and hepatitis viruses HBV, HCV, and HEV. 583 (72%) patients received cART, and among them, 31.2% had undetectable HIV RNA. While no significant difference was observed in prevalence of anti-PyV antibodies between HIV-positive and -negative groups, serum DNA positivity and DNA copy level of MCPyV were higher in the HIV-positive group. Among HIV-infected patients, BKPyV DNA positivity was significantly higher in patients with CD4 + cell counts < 200 cells/mm3 compared to those with CD4 + cell counts > 500 cells/mm3, suggesting possible reactivation caused by HIV-induced immune suppression. Higher HBV and HCV seropositivities but not HEV seropositivity were also observed in the HIV-positive group. Further correlation analyses demonstrated that HBV and HEV are potential risk factors for increased prevalence of PyV infection.

Highlights

While it is considered that PyV DNA levels correlate with clinical outcomes and viral reactivation in AIDS patients, findings from molecular epidemiological studies remain controversial
Regarding New Jersey polyomavirus (NJPyV), which was discovered in 2014 in vascular endothelial cells of a pancreatic transplant recipient, only a few serological surveys on this virus have been reported in healthy populations and no study on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals has been described to d ate[4,10,11]
While many studies to date have investigated the epidemiology of human PyVs or hepatitis viruses in HIV-infected patients separately, little has been reported on the prevalence of both PyVs and hepatitis viruses in the same HIV-positive cohort in the combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) era

Summary

Introduction

While it is considered that PyV DNA levels correlate with clinical outcomes and viral reactivation in AIDS patients, findings from molecular epidemiological studies remain controversial. Because HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) share transmission routes, a considerable number of HIV-positive patients (5–20%) were found to be co-infected with HBV or H CV12,13 This co-infection is associated with higher levels of HBV DNA or HCV RNA, accelerated progression of liver disease, in particular hepatic fibrosis, and increased liver-associated mortality compared with HBV or HCV mono-infection. While many studies to date have investigated the epidemiology of human PyVs or hepatitis viruses in HIV-infected patients separately, little has been reported on the prevalence of both PyVs and hepatitis viruses in the same HIV-positive cohort in the cART era. Our findings may help in analyses of the possible correlation between prevalence of PyVs and hepatitis viruses in these cohorts

Methods

Results

Conclusion