Antibodies In HIV-infected Patients Research Articles

Nodal-paranodal antibodies in HIV-immune mediated radiculo-neuropathies: Clinical phenotypes and relevance.

The frequency of nodal-paranodal antibodies in HIV-infected patients with chronic immune-mediated radiculo-neuropathies (IMRN) has not been previously described. HIV-infected patients who met the inclusion criteria for chronic IMRN were screened for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies directed against nodal (neurofascin (NF)186) and paranodal (NF155, contactin-1 (CNTN1) and contactin-associated protein(Caspr1)) cell adhesion molecules, using a live, cell-based assay. To explore potential pathogenicity, binding of human IgG to myelinated co-cultures was assessed by incubation with patients' sera positive for nodal or paranodal antibodies. Normal human serum was added as a source of complement to assess for complement activation as a mechanism for myelin injury. Twenty-four HIV-infected patients with IMRN were included in the study, 15 with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), 4 with ventral root radiculopathies (VRR), and 5 with dorsal root ganglionopathies (DRG). Five patients with CIDP had combined central and peripheral demyelination (CCPD). Three patients (12.7%) tested positive for neurofascin IgG1 antibodies in the following categories: 1 patient with VRR was NF186 positive, and 2 patients were NF155 positive with DRG and mixed sensory-motor demyelinating neuropathy with optic neuritis, respectively. The frequency of nodal-paranodal antibodies is similar among IMRN regardless of HIV status. Interpretation of the results in the context of HIV is challenging as there is uncertainty regarding pathogenicity of the antibodies, especially at low titres. Larger prospective immune studies are required to delineate pathogenicity in the context of HIV, and to establish a panel of antibodies to predict for a particular clinical phenotype.

The frequency of class G immunoglobulins` formation to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in immunization of HIV-infected patients with Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine and the reactogenicity of the vaccine

The research aimed to study the frequency of class G antibodies` formation to SARS-CoV-2 in HIV-infected patients in response to immunization with the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine and the reactogenicity of the vaccine.Materials and methods. 36 HIV-infected and 38 HIV-negative volunteers were vaccinated. The inclusion criteria for patients were: age 18 years and older; absence of earlier disease COVID-19; negative test of the presence of RNA in a smear from the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal mucosa and IgG in blood serum to SARS-CoV-2, absence of contraindications, undetectable viral load. The number of CD4+ lymphocytes in the blood of HIV-infected people before vaccination was 520,0±9,6. It was used the two-dose vaccine Gam-COVID-Vac, developed by National Research Center named after N.F. Gamaliel. The interval between the administration of the vaccine was 24,2±0,5 days. The presence of IgG before vaccination and 44–54±0,6 days after the start of vaccination to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was determined by enzyme immunoassay using the SARS-CoV-2-RBD-ELISA-Gamaleya test system. The positivity index (PI) was calculated for each test sample. The sample was considered positive at IP>1.Results. The presence of antibodies in HIV-infected patients was detected in 75,0% cases, in HIV-negative — in 92,1% cases, the arithmetic average of the positivity index was 10,3±1,9 in the observation group, 15,3±1,9 in the comparison group (c2=3,9; p=0,04). There are no postvaccinal complications registered in patients of both groups. The frequency of general reactions to the introduction of the first and (or) second components of the vaccine in the group of HIV-infected and HIV-negative did not differ and amounted to 8,3 and 13,2%, respectively. Local reactions among HIV-infected (in 19,4% of cases) were less common than among HIV-negative (in 47,4% of cases) (c2=6,4; p=0,01).Conclusion. Humoral immunity in response to immunization of Gam-COVID-Vac against SARS-CoV-2 in HIV-infected with minor immunosuppression is less pronounced than in HIV-negative. However, the production of postvaccinal class G immunoglobulins in HIV-infected patients in 75,0% of cases and the weak reactogenicity of the vaccine it is recommended for using in people living with HIV on the back of effective antiretroviral therapy.

History of COVID-19 Symptoms and Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in HIV-Infected Patients in Northern France after the First Wave of the Pandemic

To assess the prevalence of COVID-19 in people living with HIV (PLWHIV), we performed an epidemiological survey from 1 April through 1 August 2020 in an HIV reference center in Northern France. PLWHIV completed a questionnaire about risk exposures and symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and performed a SARS-CoV-2 serology. Among the 600 PLWHIV included, 16 have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms consistent with COVID-19 were frequent both in SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative patients (67% vs. 32%, p = 0.02). Among SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, one (6%) has been hospitalized and five (31%) have been asymptomatic. Close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case was the only factor associated with COVID-19 acquisition (40% vs. 13%, p = 0.01). The prevalence of COVID-19 in PLWHIV was 2.5%, half of the overall population estimate after the first wave of the pandemic in France. In conclusion, proportion of asymptomatic COVID-19 was high in PLWHIV. The prevalence of COVID-19 in PLWHIV was two times lower than in the general population.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in HIV-Infected Patients in Rome, Italy during the COVID-19 Outbreak.

Background: this study aimed to determine the proportion of people living with HIV (PLWH) with anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in a large sample from a single HIV referral center in Rome, Italy; the time-frame included both the first and the second wave of the Italian COVID-19 pandemic; Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study on stored cryopreserved samples from 1 March 2020 to 30 November 2020. Total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were preliminarily tested using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Positive results were re-tested with an ELISA assay as an IgG confirmatory test; Results: overall, 1389 samples were analyzed from 1106 PLWH: 69% males, median age 53 years, 94% on antiretroviral treatment, 93% with HIV-RNA < 50 copies/mL, median CD4 cell count 610 cell/µL. Our analysis revealed a total of n = 8 patients who tested IgG positive during the study period. Seroprevalence was equal to 0% in the first months (March–June); this started to increase in July and reached a maximum rate of 1.59% in October 2020. The overall seroprevalence was 0.72% (8/1106, 95% CI 0.37–1.42). Conclusion: our findings from this setting show a low IgG SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among PLWH as compared to data available from the general population.

A Flow Cytometry-Based Serological Assay to Detect Visceral Leishmaniasis in HIV-Infected Patients.

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe parasitic disease that has emerged as an important opportunistic condition in HIV-infected patients and whose control is impaired by inaccurate identification. This is mainly due to the serological tests used for VL having a reduced performance in cases of VL-HIV coinfection due to a low humoral response. In this situation, however, a positive test has even greater diagnostic value when combined with the clinical status. This study aimed to evaluate the application and performance of flow cytometry to detect anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in HIV-infected patients. Sera from VL/HIV coinfected patients, characterized using “gold standard” techniques, were compared with sera from healthy controls plus sera from HIV-infected individuals. The flow cytometry results were expressed as levels of IgG reactivity, based on the percentage of positive fluorescent parasites (PPFP). A ROC curve analysis of a serum titration indicated a PPFP of 1.26% as being the cutoff point to segregate positive and negative results. At the 1:2,048 dilution, with 89% sensitivity and 83% specificity, flow cytometry showed greater sensitivity in relation to the serological tests evaluated. Futhermore, flow cytometry was the only assay that positively identified all VL-HIV patients with quantified HIV load. Together, these findings suggest that flow cytometry may be used as an alternative serological approach for VL identification and as a tool to characterize the humoral response against Leishmania infantum in HIV-infected patients.

Detection of Treponema pallidum (Syphilis) Antibodies among HIV-Infected Individuals and Sexually-active Attendees of Two Health Facilities in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Aim: This study reports on the detection of Treponema pallidum (syphilis) antibodies in HIV infected patients in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Screening for syphilis was carried out to determine the prevalence levels of these infections, as biological markers of risk, modes, and time functions of their transmission.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and O.B. Lulu Briggs Medical Centre, University of Port Harcourt, both in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, between August 2012 and July 2015.&#x0D; Methods: A total of 100 HIV-infected individuals and 100 sexually-active attendees were recruited for this study. Samples of blood were collected and re-screened for the presence of HIV antibodies using the Determine HIV-1/2 (Alere), HIV ½ Stat-Pak (Chembio), and HIV-1/2/P24/O ELISA kit (Dia.Pro). The same set of samples were screened for Treponema pallidum specific antibodies using the syphilis Ultra Rapid Test Strip (ACON(R), USA) and syphilis rapid strips (Global, USA) following the respective manufacturer's instructions.&#x0D; Results: Among the 200 samples, serological reactivity was detected for syphilis in 3(1.5%). The incidence of syphilis was higher in males (2.0%) than in females (1.0%). Age, sex, and locality did not significantly (P&gt;0.05) influence the rate of syphilis.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study further confirms the presence of syphilis among the population studied. Routine screening of Syphilis among patients is therefore advocated.

Hepatitis E virus antibodies in HIV-infected patients and blood donors from western Poland: A preliminary report.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging problem in industrialized countries, including Europe. Little data exists on HEV seroprevalence in Poland. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies in Polish patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and blood donors. Two hundred and ten individuals (n = 105 of HIV-infected patients and n = 105 of ageand sex-matched blood donors from the same area; 178 men and 32 women), aged 18-50 (median age: 38 years), were tested for the presence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies with the EUROIMMUN Anti-Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) ELISA (IgG) tests (Lübeck, Germany). Additionally, some simple clinical and laboratory data was collected. The overall anti-HEV IgG prevalence was 2.4% (5/210). One HIV-positive patient (0.95%) and 4 blood donors (3.8%) were seropositive (p = 0.1745). All the HEV-exposed individuals were men with a history of travel abroad and no icteric disease in the past. Exposure to HEV infection among Polish HIV patients and blood donors seems to be uncommon. Data on this issue is scarce and conflicting for HIV-infected individuals. Further investigations applying different serological tests and concomitant HEV RNA testing are needed to reliably assess the risk and practical impact of HEV infection in Poland.

Neuronal surface antibodies in HIV-infected patients with isolated psychosis

Neuronal surface antibodies (NSA) involved in autoimmune encephalitis (AE) have been related to relapses in HVS encephalitis. Their role in non-encephalitic psychosis is controversial. We previously reported an HIV-infected patient, NSA-positive, only presenting psychosis. Therefore, we determined the NSA prevalence in a prospective cohort of 22 HIV-positive patients with psychosis and we analyzed the frequency of HIV infection among NSA tested patients due to AE suspicion. We found no NSA in the prospective cohort. In the retrospective analysis, 22% of NSA-positive versus 4.6% of negative patients were HIV-positive. Wider studies are required to clarify the relationship between NSA and HIV infection.

HIV-1 gp140 epitope recognition is influenced by immunoglobulin DH gene segment sequence.

Complementarity Determining Region 3 of the immunoglobulin (Ig) H chain (CDR-H3) lies at the center of the antigen-binding site where it often plays a decisive role in antigen recognition and binding. Amino acids encoded by the diversity (DH) gene segment are the main component of CDR-H3. Each DH has the potential to rearrange into one of six DH reading frames (RFs), each of which exhibits a characteristic amino acid hydrophobicity signature that has been conserved among jawed vertebrates by natural selection. A preference for use of RF1 promotes the incorporation of tyrosine into CDR-H3 while suppressing the inclusion of hydrophobic or charged amino acids. To test the hypothesis that these evolutionary constraints on DH sequence influence epitope recognition, we used mice with a single DH that has been altered to preferentially use RF2 or inverted RF1. B cells in these mice produce a CDR-H3 repertoire that is enriched for valine or arginine in place of tyrosine. We serially immunized this panel of mice with gp140 from HIV-1 JR-FL isolate and then used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or peptide microarray to assess antibody binding to key or overlapping HIV-1 envelope epitopes. By ELISA, serum reactivity to key epitopes varied by DH sequence. By microarray, sera with Ig CDR-H3s enriched for arginine bound to linear peptides with a greater range of hydrophobicity but had a lower intensity of binding than sera containing Ig CDR-H3s enriched for tyrosine or valine. We conclude that patterns of epitope recognition and binding can be heavily influenced by DH germ line sequence. This may help explain why antibodies in HIV-infected patients must undergo extensive somatic mutation in order to bind to specific viral epitopes and achieve neutralization.

Toxoplasma gondii - Prevalence and Risk Factors in HIV-infected Patients from Songklanagarind Hospital, Southern Thailand.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common opportunistic parasitic diseases in patients living with HIV/AIDS. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection in HIV-infected patients and to identify associated risk factors in Toxoplasma seropositive patients. This study was conducted at a regional public hospital in Hat Yai, southern Thailand during October 2009 to June 2010. Blood samples were collected from 300 HIV-infected patients. Each subject also answered a socio-demographic and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma infection. The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies in HIV-infected patients was 109 (36.3%), of which 83 (76.2%) had past infection and 26 (23.9%) had recently acquired Toxoplasma infection as indicated by their IgG avidity. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression showed that gender difference (adjusted OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.05–2.72) was the only factor associated with Toxoplasma infection. From the results obtained, these HIV-infected patients could be at high risk of developing clinical evidence of severe toxoplasmosis. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce primary behavioral practices to prevent Toxoplasma infection among HIV-infected patients.

Improved Pharmacological and Structural Properties of HIV Fusion Inhibitor AP3 over Enfuvirtide: Highlighting Advantages of Artificial Peptide Strategy.

Enfuvirtide (T20), is the first HIV fusion inhibitor approved for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who fail to respond to the current antiretroviral drugs. However, its clinical application is limited because of short half-life, drug resistance and cross-reactivity with the preexisting antibodies in HIV-infected patients. Using an artificial peptide strategy, we designed a peptide with non-native protein sequence, AP3, which exhibited potent antiviral activity against a broad spectrum of HIV-1 strains, including those resistant to T20, and had remarkably longer in vivo half-life than T20. While the preexisting antibodies in HIV-infected patients significantly suppressed T20’s antiviral activity, these antibodies neither recognized AP3, nor attenuated its anti-HIV-1 activity. Structurally different from T20, AP3 could fold into single-helix and interact with gp41 NHR. The two residues, Met and Thr, at the N-terminus of AP3 form a hook-like structure to stabilize interaction between AP3 and NHR helices. Therefore, AP3 has potential for further development as a new HIV fusion inhibitor with improved antiviral efficacy, resistance profile and pharmacological properties over enfuvirtide. Meanwhile, this study highlighted the advantages of artificially designed peptides, and confirmed that this strategy could be used in developing artificial peptide-based viral fusion inhibitors against HIV and other enveloped viruses.

Anti-histone antibodies in HIV-infected patients on Nevirapine-containing ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY

Anti-histone antibodies in HIV-infected patients on Nevirapine-containing ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY

Functional and Molecular Characteristics of Novel and Conserved Cross-Clade HIV Envelope Specific Human Monoclonal Antibodies.

To define features of the B cell response to HIV that may be translated to vaccine development, we have isolated a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) from HIV-infected patients. These MAbs are all highly reactive to HIV envelope (Env) from multiple clades, and include gp120 and gp41 specificities. Three of the MAbs exhibit substantial homology to previously described VH1-69, VH3-30, and VH4-59 HIV broadly neutralizing antibody lineages. An inherently autoreactive VH4-34 encoded MAb was reactive to diverse Env despite its minimal mutation from germline. Its isolation is consistent with our previous observation of increased VH4-34+antibodies in HIV-infected patients. These results suggest that conserved developmental processes contribute to immunoglobulin repertoire usage and maturation in response to HIV Env and that intrinsically autoreactive VH genes, despite the absence of mutation, could serve as effective templates for maturation and development of protective antibodies. These results also bear significant implications for the development of immunogens.

Deficient synthesis of class-switched, HIV-neutralizing antibodies to the CD4 binding site and correction by electrophilic gp120 immunogen.

HIV is vulnerable to antibodies that recognize a linear CD4 binding site epitope of gp120 (C), but inducing C-directed antibody synthesis by traditional vaccine principles is difficult. We wished to understand the basis for deficient C-directed antibody synthesis and validate correction of the deficiency by an electrophilic gp120 analog (E-gp120) immunogen that binds B-cell receptors covalently. Serum antibody responses to a C peptide and full-length gp120 epitopes induced by HIV infection in humans and immunization of mice with gp120 or E-gp120 were monitored. HIV neutralization by monoclonal and variable domain-swapped antibodies was determined from tissue culture and humanized mouse infection assays. We describe deficient C-directed IgG but not IgM antibodies in HIV-infected patients and mice immunized with gp120 accompanied by robust synthesis of IgGs to the immunodominant gp120 epitopes. Immunization with the E-gp120 corrected the deficient C-directed IgG synthesis without overall increased immunogenicity of the C or other gp120 epitopes. E-gp120-induced monoclonal IgGs neutralized diverse HIV strains heterologous to the immunogen. A C-directed IgG neutralized HIV more potently compared to its larger IgM counterpart containing the same variable domains, suggesting obstructed access to HIV surface-expressed C. An E-gp120-induced IgG suppressed HIV infection in humanized mice, validating the tissue culture neutralizing activity. A C-selective physiological defect of IgM→IgG class-switch recombination (CSR) or restricted post-CSR B-cell development limits the functional utility of the humoral immune response to gp120. The E-gp120 immunogen is useful to bypass the restriction and induce broadly neutralizing C-directed IgGs (see Supplemental Video Abstract, http://links.lww.com/QAD/A551).

Prevalence of antibodies against Treponema pallidum among HIV-positive patients in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico

Our objective was to determine the seroprevalence of syphilis among HIV-infected patients in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. A cross-sectional study was developed, and 318 HIV-positive patients were evaluated from January to February 2013 at Hospital de Infectología, National Medical Center 'La Raza' (a tertiary care hospital specialising in infectious diseases in Mexico City). Laboratory data were screened for the detection of antibodies against Treponema pallidum. Patients completed a questionnaire relating to socio-demographic data and factors associated with syphilis. Of the 318 patients, 83% were men. The mean age ± SD was 36 ± 11 years; 52% were men who have sex with men and 47% had undertaken higher education. The overall seroprevalence of syphilis among these patients was 25% (95% confidence interval 21%, 30%). Men who have sex with men had a significantly higher seroprevalence (30% vs. 15%, p = 0.009). We conclude that, in Mexico, there is a high seroprevalence of syphilis antibodies in HIV-infected patients and that men who have sex with men are the group most affected.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in immunocompromised individuals

Results The study included 30 patients, with HIV infection, 26 (86.7%) of them with antiretroviral treatment, while 4 (13.3%) of them without treatment. Two patients (6.66%) without antiretroviral treatment were found with protective antibody for Toxoplasma gondii, while 8 (26.66%) patients with antiretroviral treatment were found with the same antibodies. Two cases from the last category (6.66%) were diagnosed with acute forms of the disease, in which we found IgM to IgG toxoplasma seroconversion. The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in HIV infected patients was 33.3%.

Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies in HIV/AIDS patients attending hospitals in Makurdi metropolis, Benue state, Nigeria

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that gradually evolved to be the most opportunistic parasite that complicates the course of HIV/AIDS in developing countries. Aim: This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies in HIVinfected patients attending hospitals in Makurdi metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to determine the presence of Toxo-IgG antibodies in blood samples collected from the HIV/AIDS patients and their CD4 counts were estimated using flow cytometry. Questionnaires were also administered to obtain information on their socio-demographic status. Results: Thirty-nine, 39 (10.8%) were screened positive for Toxo-IgG antibodies out of the 360 HIV/AIDS patients enrolled. Males (10.3%) and females (11.2%) had similar seroprevalence of Toxo-IgG with no significant difference (χ 2 = 0.001, p>0.05). The presence of Toxoplasma IgG antibodies was found to be highest in the ≥ 54 years age group. A significant difference was observed in the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma IgG among age groups (χ 2 =11.56, p 0.05). Conclusion: Further investigations are still needed to clarify the exact relationship of the parasite infection, its effects on the HIVinfected and uninfected individuals and the detection of their major means of transmission.

Diagnostic Value of Anti‐GBV‐C Antibodies in HIV‐Infected Patients

The beneficial effect of co-infection by GB virus C (GBV-C) in the course of the disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients has been described, although its mechanism of action is yet to be determined. The role of anti-GBV-C antibodies in HIV-infected patients also remains unknown. At present, there are no commercial systems to detect specific markers of GBV-C infection. The research presented follows our previous work from which we obtained chimeric molecules formed by two domains of different GBV-C proteins with good sensitivity/specificity balances in the detection of anti-GBV-C antibodies in hemodialyzed and chronic hepatitis patient samples. It has been investigated the ability of the synthetic peptides to recognize specific anti-GBV-C antibodies in HIV and HCV/HIV co-infected patients by a peptide-based ELISA immunoassay. The results showed that human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients have a significantly higher frequency of anti-GBV-C antibodies than healthy controls. A comparison between HCV(+) /HIV(+) and HCV(-) /HIV(+) was analyzed. Although a higher percentage of HCV/HIV-positive sera were positive for antibodies against GBV-C peptides, the difference was not significant. The presence of anti-GBV-C antibodies could represent a good marker of exposure to GBV-C in HIV-infected patients to facilitate a further analysis of the effect of this exposure in the progression of illness caused by HIV infection.

Selected biochemical and hematological abnormalities in Nigerians with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus coinfection

BackgroundLiver disease has emerged as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection, now that antiretroviral therapy has become more effective and has prolonged life expectancy in HIV-infected patients. The main objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of HIV/HCV coinfection and the pattern of hematological and biochemical abnormalities associated with such dual infection.MethodsIn this study, patients with HIV infection (cases) were tested for anti-HCV antibodies. There was a control group made up of apparently healthy individuals who came to hospital for medical examination for various reasons. They also had an anti-HCV antibody test. Those who tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies among the cases and control subjects were further evaluated for hemoglobin concentration, total white cell count, platelet count, and liver function.ResultsOne hundred and eighty HIV-infected patients and 180 control subjects participated in the study. The seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in the HIV-infected patients and control subjects were 6.7% and 4.4%, respectively (P = 0.57). Serum total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase were significantly higher in the HIV/HCV coinfected patients compared with their HCV monoinfected counterparts (P = 0.0396, 0.0001, and 0.0016, respectively). The mean hemoglobin, white cell count, platelet count, and CD4+ T lymphocyte count were significantly lower in the HIV/HCV coinfected patients than the HCV monoinfected control group (P = 0.0082, 0.0133, 0.0031, and 0.0001, respectively).ConclusionThe seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in HIV-infected Nigerian patients is 6.7%. Patients with HIV/HCV coinfection have lower blood counts, higher serum bilirubin, and higher serum alkaline phosphatase compared with patients having HCV monoinfection.

Serum concentrations of antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibodies are higher in HIV-infected women

Manifestations of viral infections like human immune deficiency virus (HIV) differ between women and men. There are some reports due to a higher risk of thrombosis due to antiphospholipid syndrome in HIV-infected women compared with men. The purpose of this study was demonstrating the impact of gender on serum concentration of antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibodies in HIV-infected patients. A total of 58 HIV-infected patients and 58 age, sex-matched healthy adults were enrolled. We measured platelets count, hemoglobin, partial thromboplastin time (PTT); prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), antiphospholipid IgG/IgM and anticardiolipin IgG/IgM serotypes in our studied population. Age, male-to-female ratio, hemoglobin level, PT, INR, antiphospholipid IgM isotype, anticardiolipin IgM and IgG isotypes levels were not significantly different between HIV-infected patients and healthy individuals, when CD4+ T-cell count, CD8+ T-cell count, platelet count, and PTT were significantly lower, and antiphospholipid IgG isotype levels was significantly higher in HIV patients. Antiphospholipid IgG isotypes (3.2 [2.8-4.2] vs. 2.5 [2.3-3.1]; P < 0.001) and anticardiolipin IgG isotypes (2.2 [1.9-2.7] vs. 1.4 [1.4-1.9]; P < 0.001) were significantly higher in HIV-infected women than in HIV-infected men. Antiphospholipid IgG/IgM and anticardiolipin IgG/IgM were significantly correlated in HIV-infected men and women when they did not had any correlation in controls. We suggest that HIV infection accelerate thrombosis in women more profoundly than in men, as a result of differences in disease progression and response to therapy in these patients.