Current Issue : July-September Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
Introduction Hospitalized people living with HIV (PLWH) experienced extremely high mortality rates in the first year after an index hospitalization in the pre-Dolutegravir (DTG) era. We conducted a multi-center study in Mwanza, Tanzania to (1) describe causes of hospitalization for PLWH on DTG; (2) determine in-hospital and 3-month post-hospital mortality; (3) examine factors associated with overall mortality; and (4) determine changes in trends and predictors of mortality pre- and post-DTG era. Methods Between August 2020 and February 2021, hospitalized PLWH on dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy were enrolled and followed for three months after hospitalization. The primary outcome was mortality within 3-months of hospitalization. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios to identify predictors of mortality. Results Of the 154 enrolled patients, the median [interquartile range] age was 42 [33–50] years and 57% were female. Suspected immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) non-adherence leading to an HIV-associated admission were common. The overall all-cause mortality was 42%. Male sex, using DTG-based regimen for < 3 months, diagnosis of suspected IRIS, diagnosis of ART side effect, advanced WHO clinical stage, CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3, hemoglobin level 7–11.9 gm/dl and hemoglobin level < 7 gm/dl were all independent risk factors for death. Conclusion In conclusion, the mortality rate of hospitalized PLWH in Africa remains high in the DTG era. Clinical trials are urgently needed to test novel interventions for improving survival in this high-risk group. In the meantime, hospital clinicians should be aware of the very high mortality among PLWH with IRIS and those with ART side effect to ensure that all possible diagnostic and therapeutic options are explored....
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a type of retrovirus that infects humans and belongs to the Lentivirus group. Despite the availability of effective treatments, HIV infections are still increasing in some parts of the world, according to theWorld Health Organization (WHO). Another major challenge is the growing problem of HIV becoming resistant to drugs. This highlights the importance of ongoing research to better understand HIV and find new ways to stop the virus from spreading in the body. Scientists use a variety of methods to study HIV, including techniques from molecular and cellular biology. Many of these methods rely on fluorescent dyes to help visualize specific parts of the virus or infected cells. This article focuses on a technique called imaging flow cytometry, which is particularly useful for studying HIV. Imaging flow cytometry is unique because it not only measures fluorescence (light emitted by the dyes) but also captures images of each cell being analyzed. This allows researchers to see where the fluorescence is located within the cell and to study the cell’s shape and structure in detail. Additionally, this method can be combined with machine learning to analyze large amounts of data more efficiently...
Objective: This study assesses the associations between dendritic cells, HPV 6 and 11, and Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) aggressiveness. Methods: The Derkay score was calculated using information obtained from the medical records. Biopsies from 36 patients with juvenile RRP (JRRP) and 43 adult RRP (ARRP) patients were analyzed under light microscopy, and their clinical data were collected. Immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies against CD83, CD1a, Factor XIIIa, and S100 was performed, and inflammatory cells were quantified. Data obtained were analyzed using the chi-squared test, in addition to the Mann–Whitney and Z tests for two proportions, considering a confidence interval of 95% and p < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: A higher quantity of S100 was identified in the epithelium (p < 0.001) and in the conjunctive tissue (p = 0.027) among the ARRP cases, while CD83 (p = 0.025) and Factor XIIIa (p = 0.018), both in the epithelium, were identified among the JRRP cases. We observed significant association between a higher quantity of CD83 in the epithelium in the juvenile group with a low Derkay index (p = 0.034) and with HPV 6 (p = 0.039). Conclusions: An increased quantity of dendritic cells is present in individuals diagnosed with RRP, regardless of age, and this may be related to the lower Derkay index, regardless of the HPV type detected....
This study investigated the detection of high-risk Human Papillomavirus (hrHPV) and seven other pathogens associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in matched clinician-collected cervical samples and self-taken vaginal and urine specimens collected from 342 asymptomatic women referred to colposcopy to evaluate (i) the concordance in the molecular detection of investigated pathogen in three different sample types; (ii) the analytical sensitivity and specificity of STIs detection on self-samples; and (iii) the distribution of STIs in hrHPV-positive and hrHPV-negative women. Pathogens detection was performed using Anyplex™II HR and Anyplex™II STI-7e, respectively. Good/substantial agreement was observed between cervical and self-taken samples in detecting hrHPV (κ = 0.870 and κ = 0.773 for vaginal and urine). The agreement between cervical and self-taken samples for detecting STIs was found to be significant (κ = 0.779 and κ = 0.738 for vaginal and urine), with almost perfect agreement between urine and vaginal specimens (κ = 0.899). The positivity rate for all investigated STIs was found to be higher in hrHPV-positive compared to hrHPV-negative women. In conclusion, self-sampling proved to be a valid alternative to cervical samples to detect hrHPV and STIs, but further studies are required to evaluate the role of STI coinfections in cervical lesions development and progression....
Background In January 2021, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first longacting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LAI ART) regimen for the treatment of HIV providing an alternative to daily oral regimens. We analyzed electronic health records (EHRs) to provide real-world evidence of demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the receipt of LAI ART among people with HIV (PWH). Methods Leveraging EHRs from a large clinical research network in the Southern US - OneFlorida + linked with Medicaid (updated to 08/2022) - we identified a cohort of PWH who have been prescribed at least one dose of LAI ART since January 2021 and characterized their demographics, clinical characteristics, and HIV care outcomes. Results A total of 233 LAI ART recipients were identified: 56.7% female, 45.1% aged 30 to 44, 51.3% non-Hispanic Black, 78.1% on Medicaid and 4.7% on private insurance. Approximately three-quarters of injections (71.2%) were received within 37 days of the previous dose, and 84.4% were received within 67 days. About 8% of LAI ART recipients did not have optimal care engagement the year before LAI ART initiation; one in five recipients had a diagnosis of alcohol or substance use disorder in lifetime. All achieved viral suppression (< 50 copies/mL) before starting LAI ART. Of a subset of patients with HIV viral load test records, only 1 record of virologic failure (viral load > 200 copies/ml) was observed after the initiation of LAI ART. Discussion There has been an increasing trend of LAI ART initiation since approval. People with suboptimal care engagement and with substance use disorder in lifetime were not excluded from LAI ART treatment....
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