Multicenter assessment of HIV-1 RNA quantitation in semen in the CREAThE network.

Detection of HIV-1 RNA in semen is used commonly to determine the safety of semen processing procedures before assisted reproductive technology (ART). Using two panels of prepared semen samples containing HIV-1 the performances of protocols from 14 centers have been compared. No false-positive results were detected but false-negative results were frequent when the concentration was below 500 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml of seminal plasma. Frequency of HIV-1 RNA detection was higher on seminal cells than on seminal plasma. Assays (or protocols) for quantifying HIV-1 RNA in semen performed less well than standardized blood plasma assays. The HIV load in seminal plasma could be a useful marker of the risk of sexual transmission of the virus. Its use as a marker of global HAART efficiency in the HIV reservoir needs further study. Standardized assays are required for detection and measurement of HIV-1 RNA in semen samples.

Nevirapine, sodium concentration and HIV-1 RNA in breast milk and plasma among HIV-infected women receiving short-course antiretroviral prophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Risk factors for breast milk transmission of HIV-1 from mother to child include high plasma and breast milk viral load, low maternal CD4 count and breast pathology such as mastitis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of nevirapine and subclinical mastitis on HIV-1 RNA in maternal plasma and breast milk after intrapartum single-dose nevirapine combined with either 1-week tail of Combivir (zidovudine/lamivudine) or single-dose Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine). METHODS: Maternal plasma and bilateral breast milk samples were collected between April 2008 and April 2011 at 1, 4 and 6 weeks postpartum from HIV-infected Tanzanian women. Moreover, plasma samples were collected at delivery from mother and infant. RESULTS: HIV-1 RNA was quantified in 1,212 breast milk samples from 273 women. At delivery, 96% of the women and 99% of the infants had detectable nevirapine in plasma with a median (interquartile range, IQR) of 1.5 µg/mL (0.75-2.20 µg/mL) and 1.04 µg/mL (0.39-1.71 µg/mL), respectively (P < 0.001). At 1 week postpartum, 93% and 98% of the women had detectable nevirapine in plasma and breast milk, with a median (IQR) of 0.13 µg/mL (0.13-0.39 µg/mL) and 0.22 µg/mL (0.13-0.34 µg/mL), respectively. Maternal plasma and breast milk HIV-1 RNA correlated at all visits (R = 0.48, R = 0.7, R = 0.59; all P = 0.01). Subclinical mastitis was detected in 67% of the women at some time during 6 weeks, and in 38% of the breast milk samples. Breast milk samples with subclinical mastitis had significantly higher HIV-1 RNA at 1, 4 and 6 weeks (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: After short-course antiretroviral prophylaxis, nevirapine was detectable in most infant cord blood samples and the concentration in maternal plasma and breast milk was high through week 1 accompanied by suppressed HIV-1 RNA in plasma and breast milk.

p24 as a predictor of mortality in a cohort of HIV-1-infected adults in rural Africa.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of antiretroviral treatment in sub-Saharan Africa requires efficient tools to monitor HIV patients. p24 measurements have been proposed as an alternative to HIV-RNA because of the low cost of reagents and equipment needed. Here, we evaluate p24 as a prognostic marker in a cohort of HIV-1-infected individuals in Zimbabwe. METHODS: Treatment-naive HIV-1-infected individuals (n=198) from the Mupfure Schistosomiasis and HIV Cohort were followed until death or censoring (3-4.3 years). At baseline, p24, HIV-RNA, CD4 cell counts, and clinical staging (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification) were assessed. RESULTS: p24 correlated with HIV-RNA (P<0.0001, R: 0.44). Ten percent of p24 but only 1% of HIV-RNA measurements was undetectable. p24 predicted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention category (P<0.001) stronger than CD4 count (P=0.34) in multivariate logistic regression. p24 predicted mortality in univariate Cox analysis (P<0.0001) and in multivariate analysis, but it was inferior to HIV-RNA and CD4 count. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate the prognostic strength of p24 in an area with a predominance of HIV subtype C infections. p24 correlated with HIV-RNA and predicted clinical stage better than CD4 count. It predicted mortality in both univariate and multivariate analysis, but in multivariate analysis, it was inferior to HIV-RNA and CD4 count.

Diagnosis, treatment and registration of urinary tract infections in geriatric patients.

Bacteriuria (> or = 10(5) CFU/ml) is a very common phenomenon in elderly people, occurring twice as frequently in women than in men. There are symptomatic and asymptomatic types of bacteriuria. Risk factors include: a decrease in the estrogen level in women after the menopause, catheterisation, urinary bladder dysfunction, hypertrophy of the prostate gland, diabetes, neurological illnesses. The diagnosis of bacteriuria is based on quantitative urine culture (positive result--> or = 10(5) CFU/ml bacteriae). The most frequent pathogens are: E. coli, enterococci, staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis. The antimicrobial therapy is not advised for asymptomatic bacteriuria. In the case of symptomatic bacteriuria it is advised to take urine for culture and to perform sensitivity testing as well as blood culture and to start a "blind therapy". In order to use the antimicrobial treatment effectively, the most frequently occurring pathogens should be registered and their sensitivity patterns in the given hospital recognised.