Educational lectures enhance knowledge about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and reduce risky behavior and fear among methadone maintenance treatment patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to characterize human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)-related knowledge and stigma among methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients and evaluate the contribution of an educational lecture in reducing risky behavior and unjustified overprotective behavior due to fear and stigma among MMT patients. Methods: Patients from an MMT clinic within a tertiary medical center were invited to an educational lecture on HIV/AIDS. Seventy participants (of current 330) were chosen by a random sample (December 2015), plus at-risk patients and HIV patients. Attendee compliance and change in scores of questionnaires on knowledge (modified HIV-K-Q-22) and on sexual and injection behaviors were studied. Results: Forty-six patients (65.7% compliance) attended the lecture, and their knowledge and behavior scores improved 2 weeks post-lecture (knowledge: from 14.2 ± 3 to 19.0 ± 2.2 [P < .0005], sexual behavior: from 12.1 ± 2.9 to 8.8 ± 3.0 [P < .0005], and injection behavior: from 7.3 ± 6.2 to 0.2 ± 1.3 [P < .0005]). The unjustified fear of proximity to HIV carriers reported by 50% attendees fell to 35% post-lecture. Eight months post-lecture, the scores on knowledge and risky behavior of 21 randomly chosen attendees were still better than pre-lecture scores (knowledge: 15.4 ± 2.3 vs. 17.2 ± 1.8 [paired t test, P = .001], sexual behavior: 13.2 ± 2.3 vs. 9.7 ± 2.9 [P < .0005], and injection behavior: 9.3 ± 5.6 vs. 2.8 ± 3.1 [P < .0005]). Drug abuse and treatment adherence were not related to intervention and to risky behavior. Conclusions: More knowledge, less fear, and less risky behavior immediately and at 8 months post-lecture reflect the success and importance of the educational intervention. Future efforts are needed in order to reduce ignorance and fear associated with HIV/AIDS.

The Mycoplasma gallisepticum virulence factor lipoprotein MslA is a novel polynucleotide binding protein.

Although lipoproteins of mycoplasmas are thought to play a crucial role in interactions with their hosts, very few have had their biochemical function defined. The gene encoding the lipoprotein MslA in Mycoplasma gallisepticum has recently been shown to be required for virulence, but the biochemical function of this gene is not known. Although this gene has no significant sequence similarity to any gene of known function, it is located within an operon in M. gallisepticum that contains a homolog of a gene previously shown to be a nonspecific exonuclease. We mutagenized both genes to facilitate expression in Escherichia coli and then examined the functions of the recombinant proteins. The capacity of MslA to bind polynucleotides was examined, and we found that the protein bound single- and double-stranded DNA, as well as single-stranded RNA, with a predicted binding site of greater than 1 nucleotide but less than or equal to 5 nucleotides in length. Recombinant MslA cleaved into two fragments in vitro, both of which were able to bind oligonucleotides. These findings suggest that the role of MslA may be to act in concert with the lipoprotein nuclease to generate nucleotides for transport into the mycoplasma cell, as the remaining genes in the operon are predicted to encode an ABC transporter.

Hepatitis C Virus Prevalence, Medical Status Awareness and Treatment Engagement among Homeless People Who use Drugs: Results of a Street Outreach Study.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a primary health concern among people who use drugs (PWUDs). Homeless PWUDs that constitute a key population for HCV transmission remain underrepresented in many surveys. Objectives: We performed a proactive street outreach to evaluate HCV infection prevalence among homeless PWUDs in Tel Aviv, identify risk factors associated with HCV infection, awareness of disease status and linkage to care rate. Results: Thirty-eight percent of approached PWUD were willing to participate in the study. Out of 53 subjects who got tested for anti HCV by rapid test, 29 (54.72%) had a positive result, 20 of 29 anti-HCV positive (69%) patients had positive HCV PCR. Risk factors were investigated using structured questionnaires. Heroin use was reported significantly more frequently in the HCV-positive group (P = .05, CI 95%), whereas other established risk factors did not reach significance in our cohort. While 21 of 29 (72%) HCV-positive participants were aware of their condition, only 4 of 21 (19%) received treatment in the past, and 2 of 4 (50%) failed to achieve treatment goals, as assessed by HCV PCR. Conclusions: Our data indicate a high prevalence of HCV infection among homeless PWUDs. Importantly, despite relatively high awareness of HCV status in this population, we found strikingly low access to care. These findings motivate novel interventional approaches targeted at improving patient access, and compliance among homeless PWUDs, in an effort to reduce HCV transmission.

Molecular characterization of newly identified IS3, IS4 and IS30 insertion sequence-like elements in Mycoplasma bovis and their possible roles in genome plasticity.

Insertion sequences (ISs) are mobile genetic elements widely distributed among bacteria. Their impact on the bacterial genome is multifold, including transfer of genetic information, shuttle of adaptive traits and influence on the genomic content. As a result, ISs play an important role in the organization, plasticity and evolution of bacterial genomes. In this study, four new IS elements: ISMbov7; ISMbov4 and ISMbov5; and ISMbov6, related, respectively, to the IS3, IS4 and IS30 gene families, were identified and characterized with respect to inverted repeat (IR) and directly repeated (DR) sequences, putative target specificity and motifs related to transposase function. For instance, IS30-related ISMbov6 isoform elements were shown to (1) contain an alpha-helix-turn-alpha-helix homeodomain (HTH), (2) generate long DR and (3) possess target specificity for a palindromic sequence derived from putative rho-independent transcription terminators. Members of the IS3 family, which had not been documented previously in Mycoplasma bovis, contain HTH, leucine zipper and AT-hook motifs, which may be involved in DNA binding. In addition, the availability of the M. bovis PG45 genome sequence allowed us to elucidate the genomic organization of 54 intact or truncated IS elements and their possible effect on the expression of adjacent genes.