Immune response to hepatitis A vaccination in HIV-infected men in Greece.

HIV-infected patients are at increased risk for acquiring hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. We evaluated the seroconversion rate (anti-HAV antibodies ≥ 20 mIU/ml) and the geometric mean antibody titres (GMTs) in a group of 351 HIV infected men, who had received two doses of a hepatitis A vaccine. We analysed blood samples collected at one, six, 12 and 18 months following the administration of the second dose of the vaccine. The seroconversion rate one month after the second dose of the vaccine was 74.4% (260/351). At month 18 after the end of vaccination, 56.1% of the subjects remained seropositive. GMTs were 315, 203, 153 and 126 mIU/ml at months 1, 6, 12, and 18, respectively. Logistic regression revealed that the CD4 count is the only factor affecting response to vaccination (P = 0.019). A higher response rate and higher GMTs were observed in patients with CD4 counts ≥ 500 cells/mm(3) (76.6%) than in patients with CD4 counts 200-499 cells/mm(3). In conclusion, even in patients with near-normal CD4 counts, the response to the hepatitis A vaccine is impaired.

Genetic polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein A-IV in a Greek population and their relation to plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels.

Apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV is a protein component of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). In this study, two common genetic polymorphisms of the apoA-IV gene [codons 347(allele A and T) and 360 (allele 1 and 2)] were investigated in Greek patients with hyperlipidaemia and in healthy individuals matched for age, sex and smoking habits. In both study populations we evaluated the effect of these polymorphic sites on lipid and lipoprotein plasma levels and the body mass index (BMI). The frequencies of the 1/1 and 1/2 genotypes in codon 360 were 0.94 and 0.06 in hyperlipidemic patients and 0.92 and 0.08 in the control population, respectively. The frequencies of the A/A, A/T and T/T genotypes in codon 347 were 0.62, 0.34 and 0.04 in hyperlipidemic patients and 0.59, 0.33 and 0.08 in the control population, respectively. None of the above genotype frequency differences between the study populations reached statistical significance. The control population was not affected by any polymorphism of the apo A-IV gene. Hyperlipidaemic patients, carriers of the allele 2 (1/2 genotype), had significantly lower plasma triglyceride levels than carriers of the allele 1 (p = 0.03). Genetic variation in codon 347 had no influence on lipid and lipoprotein plasma levels. None of the polymorphisms at codons 360 and 347 affected the BMI. In conclusion, this study describes for the first time the genotype frequencies for polymorphic sites in codons 360 and 347 of the apo A-IV gene in a Greek population and suggests that the presence of the allele 2 is associated with lower plasma triglyceride levels in hyperlipidaemic patients.