Hepatitis G Research Articles

Prevalence of Human Pegivirus Infection during High Risk Pregnancy and its Vertical Transmission to the Newborn

Human Pegivirus (HPgV-1), which was known as hepatitis G virus (HGV) or GB virus C (GBV-C) is a single – stranded positive RNA virus belonging to the genus Pegivirus of Flaviviridae family. Its genomic organization is similar to that of HCV with which it has only 25% homology at the nucleotide level. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of HPgV-1 among high risk pregnant women (with HCV infection or history of previous blood transfusion) and normal pregnant women. In addition to detect the vertical transmission of the virus to their newborns. Thirty term high risk and thirty term normal pregnant females were screened for HPgV-1 RNA using the reverse transcription PCR technique. HPgV-1 was detected in six females among those who have HCV infection (33.3%) and in two females among recipients of blood transfusion (16.6%), also it was detected in one female of the control group (3.3%). The outcome of newborns showed three newborns with HPgV-1 infection out of six born to the females who have both HCV and HPgV-1 infection and one newborn of the infected mother of the control group, however, liver functions of the newborns were in the normal range for age requiring long term follow up.

Polymorphism within the 5’UTR genomic region of hepatitis G virus (HGV) isolated from beta-thalassemia population in Iraq

Introduction and Aim: Beta-thalassemia patients develop chronic infections due to the hepatitis G virus (HGV), due to frequent blood transfusions. This study aimed to isolate these viruses from beta-thalassemia Iraqi patients and investigate into the 5'UTR genomic region of the virus to investigate the prevalent genotypes in this region. Materials and Methods: The study included 154 beta-thalassemia patients. Blood samples were collected from each individual participating in this study. Genomic RNA was isolated and subjected to cDNA synthesis. The 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of the DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using specific HGV primers and sent for sequencing. The sequences were genotyped using bioinformatics tools. Results: The results showed hepatitis G virus infection to be prevalent in 18.2% of the beta-thalassemia patients. Sequencing and alignment of the HGV 5'UTR sequences showed several nucleotide variations. A phylogenetic analysis revealed the following HGV genotypes to infect beta-thalassemia patients genotype 4(58.3%), genotype 2b (33.3%) and genotype 1b (8.3%). Conclusion: Genotyping of the 5'UTR region of the HGV gene showed the genotypes 1b, 2b and 4 to be prevalent among beta-thalassemia patients in Iraq.

Human Pegivirus Type 1: A Common Human Virus That Is Beneficial in Immune-Mediated Disease?

Two groups identified a novel human flavivirus in the mid-1990s. One group named the virus hepatitis G virus (HGV) and the other named it GB Virus type C (GBV-C). Sequence analyses found these two isolates to be the same virus, and subsequent studies found that the virus does not cause hepatitis despite sharing genome organization with hepatitis C virus. Although HGV/GBV-C infection is common and may cause persistent infection in humans, the virus does not appear to directly cause any other known disease state. Thus, the virus was renamed “human pegivirus 1” (HPgV-1) for “persistent G” virus. HPgV-1 is found primarily in lymphocytes and not hepatocytes, and several studies found HPgV-1 infection associated with prolonged survival in people living with HIV. Co-infection of human lymphocytes with HPgV-1 and HIV inhibits HIV replication. Although three viral proteins directly inhibit HIV replication in vitro, the major effects of HPgV-1 leading to reduced HIV-related mortality appear to result from a global reduction in immune activation. HPgV-1 specifically interferes with T cell receptor signaling (TCR) by reducing proximal activation of the lymphocyte specific Src kinase LCK. Although TCR signaling is reduced, T cell activation is not abolished and with sufficient stimulus, T cell functions are enabled. Consequently, HPgV-1 is not associated with immune suppression. The HPgV-1 immunomodulatory effects are associated with beneficial outcomes in other diseases including Ebola virus infection and possibly graft-versus-host-disease following stem cell transplantation. Better understanding of HPgV-1 immune escape and mechanisms of inflammation may identify novel therapies for immune-based diseases.

Effect of human pegivirus route of transmission on the genetic distribution of the virus: an institution based cross-sectional study

IntroductionHuman pegivirus (HPgV), formally called GB virus C (GBV-C), is a member of the pegivirus genus in Flaviviridae family. High prevalence of HPgV infection is seen among sex workers, blood transfusion recipients and intravenous drug users (IDUs). So far, there are seven genotypes and many subtypes identified in different countries. The predominant genotype in Asia including China is genotype 3, although genotype 7 has been reported recently in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the transmission routes of HPgV infection on the genotype distribution of the virus, to determine the prevalence rate, and identify the dominant genotype among men who have sex with men (MSM) and IDUs co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) in Guangzhou, China.MethodsA total of 131 MSM and 70 IDUs co-infected with HIV-1 were randomly selected in Guangdong Dermatology Hospital. HPgV RNA was detected by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers. The PCR products were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed by using MEGA6.06 version software to determine the genotypes. Chi-square and Fisher exact test were implemented for comparing the proportion between different variables.ResultsThe prevalence of HPgV infection was 32.9% among IDUs and 18.3% in MSM with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.02). In IDU group, 82.6% infected with genotype 3 and the rest (17.4%) were categorized to genotype 7. Similarly, in MSM group, 83.3% belonged to genotype 3, and the remaining 16.7% were classified as sub-genotype 2a and 2b.ConclusionIn Guangzhou, China, the prevalence rate of HPgV infection in IDUs was higher than MSM. The dominant genotype in the two groups was genotype 3. Our results indicated that routes of transmission did not affect the genotype distribution but did affect the prevalence rate of HPgV infection.

PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS G VIRUS AMONG PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE AND HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, SANA'A CITY-YEMEN

Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a newly discovered and enveloped RNA positive-stranded flavivirus-like particle, which has not yet been proven to have major negative effects on liver. Therefore, it is important to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis G virus infection in Yemeni viral hepatitis patients and general population to design standard prevention and treatment plans. Screening HGV antibodies among 60 chronic HBV and 144 chronic HCV patients comparing with it's prevalence in 218 healthy controls were carried out. Serum samples were collected and tested for human HGV IgG by commercially available ELISA technique. Demographic data such as gender, age, and risk factors of contracting HGV virus were recorded in predesigned questionnaire. The crude prevalence rate of HGV was 2.8%, female specific rate was 0% and male specific rate was 3.5%. The prevalence of HGV among HBV patients was 0%; HCV was 1.4% while in healthy individuals it was 4.6%. When age groups considered, the prevalence of HGV among age groups 20-29 years and 30-39 years was 3.5%, while in older age groups the rate of HGV was 0%. There was a trend towards increased levels of HGV infection with the second and third decades of life (3.5%). There was no significant association between HGV infection and risk factors of hepatitis viruses. It can be concluded from this study that HGV virus is circulating in the risk groups and in the community in general Yemen, and there is a possibility that this virus may at some time become epidemic if preventive measures are not applied. The risk of community among healthy people more than in risk groups as HBV and HCV patients. Additionally HGV increases with young male adults.

Oncogenic Viral Infections Among Iranian Hemodialysis Patients: A Systematic Review.

Introduction:Chronic hemodialysis is a lifesaving procedure for end-stage renal failure patients who may lead to the transmission of oncogenic viral infections discussed as a major cause of liver disease and a potential cause of substantial morbidity and mortality. In this regard, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the most common infections that studied recently. This study aimed to review systematically all available documents on the prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HED), hepatitis E virus (HEV), hepatitis G virus (HGV), human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) in Iranian hemodialysis patients.Methods:We conducted a comprehensive systematic review of literature on the prevalence and factors associated with HED, HEV, HGV, HTLV, HIV, and KSHV in Iranian hemodialysis patients. Using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, Emtree, and related equal Persian key words, irrespective of age, date, and language, the main domestic databanks of Barekat, Scientific Information Database (SID), Iran-doc, and also international databases of PubMed and NLM Gateway (for MEDLINE), Institute of Scientific Information (ISI), and SCOPUS searched. Interest outcome of infection prevalence was confirmed based on reported positive tests of blood samples. Since the studied factors are very numerous and there is even a high heterogeneity in each factor, so the meta-analysis was not performed.Results:Based on our search strategy through comprehensive searching, 509 studies were found. From them, 314 articles were from international data bases and others from Iranian data banks. After excluding duplicates and overlapping studies, 41 studies were included in the analysis; 11 studies were relevant to HIV, 10 studies assigned to HEV, and 7 studies belonged to HGV field. The HDV, HTLV1,2, and KSHV were the other research subject areas. The prevalence of HIV, HGV, and HTLV1,2 ranged from 0% to 1.5%, 0% to 24.19%, and 0.6% to 70.4%, respectively, in different provinces.Conclusions:This is the comprehensive systematic review on oncogenic viral infections prevalence in the Iranian hemodialysis patients. Present findings emphasize on requirement to evidence-based practical intervention for better prevention and control of problem. The findings could be used as a scientific evidence for developing related policies and highlighting the future plan of complementary researches.

2513. The Utility of Next-Generation Sequencing for Detection of Causative Viruses in Sera of Patients With Acute Myocarditis

BackgroundMyocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium with a wide range of clinical presentations, occasionally leading to cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Although viral infections are considered to be the most common etiology of myocarditis, identification of the causative virus is still challenging. Recently, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been applied in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of NGS for detection of causative viruses in sera of patients with acute myocarditis.MethodsTwelve pediatric and five adult patients hospitalized for acute myocarditis were included in this study. Serum samples before initiation of treatment were collected in the acute phase and analyzed with NGS-based approach. To detect pathogen-derived sequencing reads, we performed DNA and RNA sequencing for each sample.ResultsAn average of 20,062,443 and 19,506,189 total reads were obtained in DNA and RNA sequencing libraries, respectively. Viral sequence reads were detected in 7 (41%) of the 17 myocarditis patients. Substantial sequence reads of GB virus C (GBV-C) reads were detected from one patient by RNA sequencing; however, its pathogenicity to human is unknown. Detection of Epstein–Barr virus, human parvovirus B19, and respiratory syncytial virus reads by NGS was consistent with PCR or antigen test results. Conversely, the number of detected virus-derived reads was small in most cases. No significant bacterial or fungal reads other than normal bacterial flora was detected.ConclusionNGS-based approach may have potential to detect the causative viruses and contribute to clarification of the etiology of acute myocarditis.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

The Impact of Human Pegivirus on CD4 Cell Count in HIV-Positive Persons in Botswana.

BackgroundHuman pegiviruses (HPgV)—formerly known as hepatitis G virus or GB virus C (GBV-C)—are common single-stranded RNA viruses that may have a beneficial impact on slowing HIV disease progression. The data on HPgV in resource-limited regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Thus, we conducted the first study of HPgV in Botswana as part of a natural history study of HIV subtype C disease progression.MethodsPlasma samples from 133 HIV-positive adults were evaluated for HPgV RNA, and the 5’UTR was sequenced to determine the HPgV genotype.ResultsHPgV RNA was detected in 41 (30.8%) individuals. While the presence of HPgV RNA had no impact on baseline HIV viral load, a significant difference in baseline CD4 cell count was observed. HPgV genotypes were determined for 27 individuals and included 5 individuals (18.5%) with genotype 1 and 22 (81.5%) with genotype 5. Baseline CD4 cell counts were significantly higher for persons infected with HPgV genotype 5 compared with genotype 1.ConclusionsThese data suggest that HPgV infection is common among HIV-positive individuals in Botswana and has a significant impact on CD4 cell count. This difference in CD4 cell count based on HPgV genotype suggests that HPgV genotype should be evaluated as a possible predictor of HIV disease progression and highlights the need for additional studies of this virus in resource-limited settings.

Pace of Coreceptor Tropism Switch in HIV-1-Infected Individuals after Recent Infection.

HIV-1 entry into target cells influences several aspects of HIV-1 pathogenesis, including viral tropism, HIV-1 transmission and disease progression, and response to entry inhibitors. The evolution from CCR5- to CXCR4-using strains in a given human host is still unpredictable. Here we analyzed timing and predictors for coreceptor evolution among recently HIV-1-infected individuals. Proviral DNA was longitudinally evaluated in 66 individuals using Geno2pheno[coreceptor] Demographics, viral load, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, CCR5Δ32 polymorphisms, GB virus C (GBV-C) coinfection, and HLA profiles were also evaluated. Ultradeep sequencing was performed on initial samples from 11 selected individuals. A tropism switch from CCR5- to CXCR4-using strains was identified in 9/49 (18.4%) individuals. Only a low baseline false-positive rate (FPR) was found to be a significant tropism switch predictor. No minor CXCR4-using variants were identified in initial samples of 4 of 5 R5/non-R5 switchers. Logistic regression analysis showed that patients with an FPR of >40.6% at baseline presented a stable FPR over time whereas lower FPRs tend to progressively decay, leading to emergence of CXCR4-using strains, with a mean evolution time of 27.29 months (range, 8.90 to 64.62). An FPR threshold above 40.6% determined by logistic regression analysis may make it unnecessary to further determine tropism for prediction of disease progression related to emergence of X4 strains or use of CCR5 antagonists. The detection of variants with intermediate FPRs and progressive FPR decay over time not only strengthens the power of Geno2pheno in predicting HIV tropism but also indirectly confirms a continuous evolution from earlier R5 variants toward CXCR4-using strains.IMPORTANCE The introduction of CCR5 antagonists in the antiretroviral arsenal has sparked interest in coreceptors utilized by HIV-1. Despite concentrated efforts, viral and human host features predicting tropism switch are still poorly understood. Limited longitudinal data are available to assess the influence that these factors have on predicting tropism switch and disease progression. The present study describes longitudinal tropism evolution in a group of recently HIV-infected individuals to determine the prevalence and potential correlates of tropism switch. We demonstrated here that a low baseline FPR determined by the Geno2pheno[coreceptor] algorithm can predict tropism evolution from CCR5 to CXCR4 coreceptor use.

Cytokine/chemokine expression associated with Human Pegivirus (HPgV) infection in women with HIV.

A beneficial impact of the Human Pegivirus (HPgV)-formerly called GB virus C (GBV-C)-on HIV disease progression has been reported previously. One possible mechanism by which HPgV inhibits HIV replication is an alteration of the cytokine/chemokine milieu. Their expression has not been specifically evaluated in women despite their influence on disease progression and the possibility of gender-based differences in expression. Moreover, the impact of HPgV genotype on cytokine/chemokine expression is unknown. Sera levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IFNγ, TNFα, IP-10, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and TGF-β1 were quantified in 150 HIV-positive women based on HPgV RNA status. Cytokines/chemokines with detection rates of at least 50% included IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IFNγ, TNFα, IP-10, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and TGF-β1 . Absolute values were significantly higher for HPgV positive compared to HPgV negative women for IL-7, IL-13, IL-12p70, and IFNγ. Absolute values were significantly lower for HPgV positive women for IL-4, IL-8, TGF-β1 , and IP-10. IFNγ values were higher for HPgV genotype 2 than for genotype 1 (P = 0.036). Further study of cytokine/chemokine regulation by HPgV may ultimately lead to the development of novel therapeutic agents to treat HIV infection and/or the design of vaccine strategies that mimic the "protective" effects of HPgV replication.

GBV-C/HIV-1 coinfection is associated with low HIV-1 viral load and high CD4+ T lymphocyte count.

GB virus C (GBV-C) is a lymphotropic virus with a low level or non-existent replication in the liver. The interaction between HIV-1 and GBV-C apparently reduces the progression of HIV-1 infection to AIDS and improves the quality of life of HIV-1 infected individuals. A cross-sectional study was established to determine the possible effect of HIV-1/GBV-C coinfection on HIV-1 viral load and CD4+ T lymphocyte counts. Samples from 313 HIV-1 infected persons from the Virus Laboratory of the Federal University of Pará as well as demographic and clinical information were obtained from medical records. This study used a nested PCR method to determine GBV-C viremia. The prevalence of HIV-1/GBV-C coinfection was 17%. There were no significant differences in the distribution according to age, sex or ethnicity between the groups. The differences in HIV-1 viral load and CD4+ T lymphocyte count between the HIV-1 and HIV-1/GBV-C groups were highly significant, indicating that coinfection results in lower viral loads and higher CD4+ T lymphocyte counts compared to HIV-1 mono-infection. The results indicate a protective effect among coinfected individuals.

Structural Study of a New HIV-1 Entry Inhibitor and Interaction with the HIV-1 Fusion Peptide in Dodecylphosphocholine Micelles.

Previous studies support the hypothesis that the envelope GB virus C (GBV-C) E1 protein interferes the HIV-1 entry and that a peptide, derived from the region 139-156 of this protein, has been defined as a novel HIV-1 entry inhibitor. In this work, we firstly focus on the characterization of the structural features of this peptide, which are determinant for its anti-HIV-1 activity and secondly, on the study of its interaction with the proposed viral target (i.e., the HIV-1 fusion peptide). We report the structure of the peptide determined by NMR spectroscopy in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles solved by using restrained molecular dynamics calculations. The acquisition of different NMR experiments in DPC micelles (i.e., peptide-peptide titration, diffusion NMR spectroscopy, and addition of paramagnetic relaxation agents) allows a proposal of an inhibition mechanism. We conclude that a 18-mer peptide from the non-pathogenic E1 GBV-C protein, with a helix-turn-helix structure inhibits HIV-1 by binding to the HIV-1 fusion peptide at the membrane level, thereby interfering with those domains in the HIV-1, which are critical for stabilizing the six-helix bundle formation in a membranous environment.

Current molecular methods for the detection of GB virus C

The GB virus C (GBV-C), also referred to as hepatitis G virus, is a RNA hepatitis virus, which infects humans naturally and can cause high levels of viremia, which, however, in most cases, does not lead to serious illness. It is not usually routinely screened in clinical laboratories, though its presence in patients infected with other viruses such as hepatitis C virus and HIV has been commonly reported. The virus can be detected in the blood of infected individuals using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) mainly. It is a technique that is commonly used for different RNA material detection and other screening such as gene expression and testing. The method includes several steps, that is, transcription of the RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA) by reverse transcriptase, amplification of the cDNA by PCR using well defined primers that target a particular region of the gene, and detection of the PCR products by various means such as agarose gel electrophoresis or hybridization and immunoassay using, for example, automated detection systems. Several primers targeting different regions of the genome, that is, NS3, NS5, and 5’ NTR, have been developed for the amplification of the specific region and the detection of the virus. Moreover, variants of the RT-PCR have been designed to maximize the identification potential. These include, for example, RT-PCR-ELISA, RT digital-PCR, and SYBR green real-time multiplex RT-PCR. Another type of method used to screen the virus is the detection of the presence of antibodies E2 (anti-E2) produced against the viral glycoprotein E2 in individuals who have been infected with the virus and have recovered or are in the process of recovering. The anti-E2s are detected by radio-immunoprecipitation assay and ELISA. Use of both antibody and RNA detection methods is necessary for a better epidemiological investigation of the prevalence of GBV-C.

Prevalence of GBV-C and Its Impacts among Patients with Hepatitis B and C Viruses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is currently one of the most common neoplasms worldwide. GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (HGV/GBV-C) is a virus in the Flaviviridae family isolated from patients with liver disease. It has the same mode of transmission with HBV and HCV and is common in high risk group. The impact of HGV/GBV-C in clinical outcome among HBV and HCV is controversy. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and the association of (HGV/GBV-C) in the clinical outcome among HCV and HBV patients. Materials: This case-control study was performed in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The cases were 101 patients with viral hepatitis collected from Adera internal medical specialty center. The control group consisted of 50 healthy individuals collected from the Ethiopian Public Health and Research Institutes. The serological analysis and liver enzyme levels were determined for each of the participants. RNA was extracted, reversed transcribed, and amplified by Real Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers for 5- untranslated region (5-UTR) of the GBV-C. Results: Analysis of the 101 samples of the hepatitis patients showed that; 83(82.2%) were positive for HBV while only18 (17.8%) for HCV. The prevalence of (HGV/GBV-C) RNA was 11(13.2%) in HBV, 2 (11.1%) in HCV and rests of the control group were negative. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the liver enzymes level among (HGV/GBV-C) negative and positive individuals. Conclusion: Our study showed that the co-infection rate of (HGV/GBV-C) RNA among hepatitis patients was significantly higher (P <0.05) in HBV than in HCV patients, and the virus has no association in the course of the disease.

Prevalence and Impact of GBV-C among HIV-1 Infected Patients under HAART in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Hepatitis G virus or GB virus C (GBV-C) is a virus in the Flaviviridae family that does not cause any disease, but from various epidemiological observations was found to improve the clinical outcomes of HIV infection and treatment. It has the same mode of transmission with HIV. In Ethiopia, there has not been any study made on the prevalence or genotyping of GBV-C in circulation. Therefore no information is available. To fill this gap prevalence study was conducted on HIV patients under treatment. Eighty one serum samples were collected from patients on follow up study at the Addis Ababa Regional Laboratories and Research Institutes. RNA was extracted, reversed transcribed, and amplified by Real Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers for 5- untranslated region (5-UTR) of the GBV-C. Results showed 7 (8.6%) out of the 81 of HIV patients to be coinfected with GBV-C. Comparison of the mean CD4 count of the coinfected subject was found to be significantly different from the GBV-C negative patients at (P < 0.05). Further studies on clinical, immunological and genotypic analysis on larger samples are under investigation.

Recombination among GB virus C (GBV-C) isolates in the United States.

GB virus C (GBV-C) is a non-pathogenic flavivirus that may play a role in modulating HIV disease. Multiple genotypes of GBV-C that have been identified to date that may differentially regulate HIV; however, the number of complete GBV-C sequences published to date is very limited. We sequenced full-length GBV-C genomes from four individuals with HIV/HCV co-infection in the United States. Intergenotypic recombination was evident in two of these individuals. Evaluation of additional full-length GBV-C genomes would facilitate the creation of full-length, replication-competent molecular clones of GBV-C to evaluate the phenotypic diversity of GBV-C genotypes and provide important molecular data on this understudied virus.

Human Leukocyte Antigen-E Alleles are Associated with Hepatitis C Virus, Torque Teno Virus, and Toxoplasma Co-infections but are not Associated with Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis D Virus, and GB Virus C Co-infections in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patients.

Context:Data regarding the distribution of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-E alleles and their association with blood-borne pathogen infections/co-infections are limited for many populations, including Indonesia.Aims:The aim of this study was to analyze the association between HLA-E allelic variants and infection with blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), torque teno virus (TTV), GB virus C (GBV-C), and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in Indonesian Javanese human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients.Settings and Design:A total of 320 anti-HIV-positive blood samples were analyzed for HBV, HCV, HDV, TTV, GBV-C, and T. gondii infection status and its association with HLA-E allelic variants.Materials and Methods:Nucleic acid was extracted from plasma samples and used for the molecular detection of HBV DNA, HCV RNA, HDV RNA, TTV DNA, and GBV-C RNA, whereas hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV, immunoglobulin M and G (IgM and IgG) anti-T. gondii were detected through serological testing. The blood samples were genotyped for HLA-E loci using a sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction.Statistical Analysis Used:Either the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was performed to analyze the frequency of HLA-E alleles and blood-borne pathogen infections in the population. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to measure the association between the antibodies found and the participants’ possible risk behaviors. A logistic regression analysis was used to assess the associations.Results:HLA-E*101/0101 was associated with HCV/TTV co-infection (adjusted OR [aOR]: 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.156-10.734; P = 0.027) and IgM/IgG anti-Toxo positivity (aOR: 27.0; 95% CI: 3.626-200.472; P = 0.001). HLA-E*103/0103 was associated with TTV co-infection (aOR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.509-4.796; P = 0.001).Conclusions:HLA-E alleles in Indonesian Javanese HIV patients were found to be associated with HCV, TTV, and toxoplasma co-infections.

Miscibility and Langmuir Studies of the Interaction of E2 (279-298) Peptide Sequence of Hepatitis G Virus/GB Virus-C with Dipalmitoylphosphatidyl Choline and Dimiristoylphosphatidyl Choline Phospholipids.

Mixed monolayers of E2(279-298), a synthetic peptide belonging to the structural protein E2 of the GB virus C (GBV-C), formerly know as hepatitis G virus (HGV), and the phospholipids dipalmitoylphosphatidyl choline (DPPC) and dimiristoylphosphatidyl choline (DMPC),which differ in acyl chains length, were obtained at the A/W interface (monolayers of extension) in order to provide new insights on E2/phospholipids interaction. Analysis of the surface pressure-area isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy images, relative thickness, and mean areas per molecule has allowed us to establish the conditions under which the mixed components of the monolayer are miscible or immiscible and know how the level of the E2/phospholipid interaction varies with the composition of the mixed films, the surface pressure, and the hydrocarbon chains length of the phospholipids. The steric hindrance caused by the penetration of the polymer strands into the more or less ordered hydrocarbon chains of the phospholipids was suggested to explain the differences in the peptide interaction with the phospholipids studied. Therefore, the novelty of results obtained with the Langmuir film balance technique, supplemented with BAM images allow us to achieve a deeper understanding of the interaction.

The APOBEC3B deletion polymorphism is associated with prevalence of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Torque Teno virus, and Toxoplasma gondii co-infection among HIV-infected individuals

BackgroundData regarding the influence of the APOBEC3B deletion on infectious diseases remain limited and shown discrepancies. ObjectivesTo characterize the APOBEC3B deletion polymorphism status and its association with prevalence of co-infection with blood-borne pathogens in Indonesian HIV-infected individuals. Materials and methodsA total of 597 HIV-positive blood samples were tested for the hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Torque Teno virus (TTV), GB virus-C (GBV-C), and Toxoplasma gondii. Nucleic acid was extracted from plasma samples and used for the molecular detection of HIV RNA, HBV DNA, HCV RNA, TTV DNA, and GBV-C RNA, whereas HBsAg, anti-HCV, IgM and IgG anti-T. gondii were detected through serological testing. The APOBEC3B deletion polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ResultsThe deletion genotype was associated with HCV viremia (p<0.001) as well as elevated IgG anti-T. gondii (adjusted OR [aOR]=3.4). The deletion genotype was also associated with decreased levels of HBsAg (aOR=0.03), and anti-HCV (aOR=0.1). D/D was frequently found in HIV-infected individuals with CD4+T cells<14% (aOR=5.8). The intact genotype was associated with a reduced likelihood of a CD4+T cell count<200 cells/μL (aOR=0.2) but a higher prevalence of TTV co-infection (aOR=8.6). ConclusionsThe APOBEC3B deletion polymorphism was found to be associated with HBV, HCV, TTV, and T. gondii co-infection in Indonesian HIV-infected individuals.

Detection of GB virus C genomic sequence in the cerebrospinal fluid of a HIV-infected patient in China: a case report and literature review

Hepatitis G virus or GB virus C (GBV-C) is a human virus of the Flaviviridae family that is structurally and epidemiologically closest to hepatitis C virus, but replicates primarily in lymphocytes. Co-infection with GBV-C has been reported to confer beneficial outcomes in some HIV-positive patients. Up to now, however, studies on GBV-C infection in the central nervous system (CNS) of HIV-infected patient have rarely been reported. Herein, we report on a 32-year-old HIV-1-infected patient with cerebral toxoplasmosis and fungal encephalitis. GBV-C viral loads were detected in CSF by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the results showed that GBV-C viral load was 6·5 log copies/ml. We amplified and sequenced the E2 and 5'-untranslated regions from the purified viral RNA from CSF by RT-PCR. Both sequences belong to genotype 3 and there were some minor nucleotide divergence among the E2 sequences from the CSF of the patient. These data suggest that GBV-C may be able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and colonize the CNS of HIV-infected patients. However, the exact mechanisms and potential effect of the infected GBV-C in CNS on HIV-associated neuropathy needs to be further explored.