Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Coinfección , Infecciones por VIH , Mpox , Humanos , Coinfección/diagnóstico , Infecciones por VIH/complicaciones , Mpox/diagnóstico , Mpox/epidemiología , Monkeypox virus , SARS-CoV-2 , Masculino , AdultoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Data on the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Italy are outdated and usually derived from studying residents in small towns. METHODS: To assess prevalence of and risk factors for HCV infection among Italian residents in 5 metropolitan areas, subjects ≥20â¯years of age were randomly selected from the list of the general practitioners' registers in 2015. Anti-HCV was tested by a salivary test; HCV-RNA, HCV genotypes, and ALT were determined in positive individuals. Logistic regression analysis evaluated independent risk factors for HCV. RESULTS: Of the 4907 enrolled subjects, 112 (2.3%) tested anti-HCV positive. The prevalence of HCV increased with age, from 0.2% in subjects born after the year 1984, to 4.2% in those born before the year 1935 (Pâ¯<â¯0.01). The birth-cohort prevalence peaked (7.0%) in elderly. Serum HCV-RNA was detected in 1.7% of the whole population. Nearly 80% of anti-HCV subjects were aware of their status. Ageâ¯>â¯70â¯years, low education level, past use of glass syringes, blood transfusion, intravenous drug use, and cohabitation with an anti-HCV positive subject predicted the HCV positivity. INTERPRETATION: In metropolitan areas in Italy, HCV is prevalent in elderly, reflecting a cohort effect determined by modalities of viral transmission no longer operative. The impact of the infection will further diminish in the years to come due to the natural depletion of the reservoir of the virus. This age pattern and the high proportion of subjects aware of their status do not warrant a policy of screening.
Asunto(s)
Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Anticuerpos contra la Hepatitis C/sangre , Hepatitis C/epidemiología , ARN Viral/sangre , Adulto , Distribución por Edad , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Hepacivirus/genética , Humanos , Italia/epidemiología , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , Distribución por Sexo , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Vitamins, zinc and selenium are important micronutrients that play crucial functions at the cellular and molecular level. Immune response of several different cell types can be modulated by these micronutrients. Deficiency in micronutrients has been extensively reported in HIV-1-infected individuals and further correlated with CD4+ T-cell count, HIV-1 plasma viral load, disease progression and mortality. Supplementation by micronutrients has had controversial effects. Thorough future investigations and trials are certainly needed to strategically plan evidence-based interventions. Here, we review the available data on use of micronutrients during the course of HIV-1 infection.