Impact of Obefazimod on Viral Persistence, Inflammation, and Immune Activation in People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus on Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Persistence of viral reservoirs has been observed in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), despite long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART), and likely contributes to chronic immune activation and inflammation. Obefazimod is a novel drug that inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication and reduces inflammation. Here we assess whether obefazimod is safe and might impact HIV-1 persistence, chronic immune activation, and inflammation in ART-suppressed people with HIV. METHODS: We evaluated obefazimod-related adverse events, changes in cell-associated HIV-1 DNA and RNA, residual viremia, immunophenotype, and inflammation biomarkers in blood and rectal tissue. We compared 24 ART-suppressed people with HIV who received daily doses of 50 mg obefazimod for 12 weeks (n = 13) or 150 mg for 4 weeks (n = 11) and 12 HIV-negative individuals who received 50 mg for 4 weeks. RESULTS: The 50- and 150-mg doses of obefazimod were safe, although the 150-mg dose showed inferior tolerability. The 150-mg dose reduced HIV-1 DNA (P = .008, median fold change = 0.6) and residual viremia in all individuals with detectable viremia at baseline. Furthermore, obefazimod upregulated miR-124 in all participants and reduced the activation markers CD38, HLA-DR, and PD-1 and several inflammation biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of obefazimod by reducing chronic immune activation and inflammation suggests a potential role for the drug in virus remission strategies involving other compounds that can activate immune cells, such as latency-reversing agents.

Corrigendum: Feasibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen self-testing in school and summer camp attendees.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.975454.].

Integrase resistance emergence with dolutegravir/lamivudine with prior HIV-1 suppression.

OBJECTIVES: Integrase resistance has not been reported with co-formulated dolutegravir/lamivudine in clinical trials or real-life cohorts. We aim to report, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of selection of the key integrase mutation R263K in a subject treated with this regimen started as a switch strategy with undetectable plasma HIV-1 viraemia. METHODS: Clinical case report. RESULTS: A patient with long-term suppressed HIV-1 viraemia (<50 copies/mL) with no known risk factors for virological failure and never exposed previously to an integrase inhibitor developed virological failure (consecutive plasma HIV-1 RNA 149 and 272 copies/mL) with 322 CD4 cells/mm3 despite good treatment adherence. He was receiving the anticonvulsant clobazam, considered to have a potential weak interaction with dolutegravir, unlikely to require a dose adjustment. Plasma HIV-1 genotypic deep sequencing (Vela System) revealed the emergence of R263K (79.6%) and S230N (99.4%) mutations in the integrase region (intermediate resistance to dolutegravir, score = 30 Stanford HIVDB 9.0). The reverse transcriptase and protease regions could not be amplified due to low viral loads. PBMC DNA deep sequencing performed some months later revealed mutations M184I (14.29%) and M230I (6.25%) in the reverse transcriptase and G163R (9.77%) and S230N (98.8%) in the integrase. R263K was only found at extremely low levels (0.07%). CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates that integrase resistance can emerge in patients treated with co-formulated dolutegravir/lamivudine and raises awareness of the need to carefully consider and monitor drug-drug interactions, even when regarded as having a low potential, in subjects treated with dolutegravir/lamivudine.

Feasibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen self-testing in school and summer camp attendees.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 screening is one of the pillars of non-pharmaceutical preventive strategies to early identify and isolate infected individuals and therefore decrease community incidence. Methods: We assessed the feasibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 self-testing with antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests in attendees of educational settings. Results: A total of 305 students (88.15%) and 41 staff (11.85%) from 9 to 56 years old participated in the self-testing procedure and answered the survey at the end of the study. 91.3% (n = 313) did not need help, 96.1% of participants reported the same outcome as the healthcare workers. 94.5% strongly or slightly agree with the statement "I would repeat the experience". Conclusion: The study demonstrates that self-testing is acceptable and usable in children, adolescents and adults when the epidemiological situation may require a systematic screening of these populations, although supervision by health care or previously trained personnel is recommended for younger age groups.

Predictors of attrition among adults in a rural HIV clinic in southern Mozambique: 18-year retrospective study.

HIV remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality for people living in many low-income countries. With an HIV prevalence of 12.4% among people aged over 15 years, Mozambique was ranked in 2019 as one of eight countries with the highest HIV rates in the world. We analyzed routinely collected data from electronical medical records in HIV-infected patients aged 15 years or older and enrolled at Carmelo Hospital of Chokwe in Chokwe from 2002 to 2019. Attrition was defined as individuals who were either reported dead or lost to follow-up (LTFU) (≥ 90 days since the last clinic visit with missed medical pick-up after 3 days of failed calls). Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analyses were used to model the incidence and predictors of time to attrition. From January 2002 to December 2019, 16,321 patients were enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART): 59.2% were women, and 37.9% were aged 25-34 years old. At the time of the analysis, 7279 (44.6%) were active and on ART. Overall, the 16,321 adults on ART contributed a total of 72,987 person-years of observation. The overall attrition rate was 9.46 per 100 person-years. Cox regression showed a higher risk of attrition in those following an inpatient regimen (hazard ratio [HR] 3.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.89-3.50; p < 0.001), having CD4 counts under 50 cells/µL (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.63-2.24, p < 0.001), receiving anti-TB treatment within 90 days of ART initiation (HR 6.53, 95% CI 5.72-7.45; p < 0.001), classified as WHO clinical stage III (HR 3.75, 95% CI 3.21-4.37; p < 0.001), and having Kaposi's sarcoma (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.65-2.39, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with CD4 counts of less than 50 cells/µL on ART initiation had a 40% lower chance of survival at 18 years. Low CD4 cell counts, ART initiation as an inpatient, WHO clinical stage III, and anti-tuberculosis treatment within 90 days of ART initiation were strongly associated with attrition. Strengthening HIV testing and ART treatment, improving the diagnosis of tuberculosis before ART initiation, and guaranteed psychosocial support systems are the best tools to reduce patient attrition after starting ART.

Impact of Mass Workplace COVID-19 Rapid Testing on Health and Healthcare Resource Savings.

Background: The epidemiological situation generated by COVID-19 has cast into sharp relief the delicate balance between public health priorities and the economy, with businesses obliged to toe the line between employee health and continued production. In an effort to detect as many cases as possible, isolate contacts, cut transmission chains, and limit the spread of the virus in the workplace, mass testing strategies have been implemented in both public health and industrial contexts to minimize the risk of disruption in activity. Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of the mass workplace testing strategy as carried out by a large automotive company in Catalonia in terms of health and healthcare resource savings. Methodology: Analysis of health costs and impacts based on the estimation of the mortality and morbidity avoided because of screening, and the resulting savings in healthcare costs. Results: The economic impact of the mass workplace testing strategies (using both PCR and RAT tests) was approximately €10.44 per test performed or €5575.49 per positive detected; 38% of this figure corresponds to savings derived from better use of health resources (hospital beds, ICU beds, and follow-up of infected cases), while the remaining 62% corresponds to improved health rates due to the avoided morbidity and mortality. In scenarios with higher positivity rates and a greater impact of the infection on health and the use of health resources, these results could be up to ten times higher (€130.24 per test performed or €69,565.59 per positive detected). Conclusion: In the context of COVID-19, preventive actions carried out by the private sector to safeguard industrial production also have concomitant public benefits in the form of savings in healthcare costs. Thus, governmental bodies need to recognize the value of implementing such strategies in private settings and facilitate them through, for example, subsidies.

Same-day SARS-CoV-2 antigen test screening in an indoor mass-gathering live music event: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The banning of mass-gathering indoor events to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spread has had an important effect on local economies. Despite growing evidence on the suitability of antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) for mass screening at the event entry, this strategy has not been assessed under controlled conditions. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a prevention strategy during a live indoor concert. METHODS: We designed a randomised controlled open-label trial to assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive preventive intervention for a mass-gathering indoor event (a live concert) based on systematic same-day screening of attendees with Ag-RDTs, use of facial masks, and adequate air ventilation. The event took place in the Sala Apolo, Barcelona, Spain. Adults aged 18-59 years with a negative result in an Ag-RDT from a nasopharyngeal swab collected immediately before entering the event were randomised 1:1 (block randomisation stratified by age and gender) to either attend the indoor event for 5 hours or go home. Nasopharyngeal specimens used for Ag-RDT screening were analysed by real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and cell culture (Vero E6 cells). 8 days after the event, a nasopharyngeal swab was collected and analysed by Ag-RDT, RT-PCR, and a transcription-mediated amplification test (TMA). The primary outcome was the difference in incidence of RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at 8 days between the control and the intervention groups, assessed in all participants who were randomly assigned, attended the event, and had a valid result for the SARS-CoV-2 test done at follow-up. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04668625. FINDINGS: Participant enrollment took place during the morning of the day of the concert, Dec 12, 2020. Of the 1140 people who responded to the call and were deemed eligible, 1047 were randomly assigned to either enter the music event (experimental group) or continue with normal life (control group). Of the 523 randomly assigned to the experimental group, 465 were included in the analysis of the primary outcome (51 did not enter the event and eight did not take part in the follow-up assessment), and of the 524 randomly assigned to the control group, 495 were included in the final analysis (29 did not take part in the follow-up). At baseline, 15 (3%) of 495 individuals in the control group and 13 (3%) of 465 in the experimental group tested positive on TMA despite a negative Ag-RDT result. The RT-PCR test was positive in one case in each group and cell viral culture was negative in all cases. 8 days after the event, two (<1%) individuals in the control arm had a positive Ag-RDT and PCR result, whereas no Ag-RDT nor RT-PCR positive results were found in the intervention arm. The Bayesian estimate for the incidence between the experimental and control groups was -0·15% (95% CI -0·72 to 0·44). INTERPRETATION: Our study provides preliminary evidence on the safety of indoor mass-gathering events during a COVID-19 outbreak under a comprehensive preventive intervention. The data could help restart cultural activities halted during COVID-19, which might have important sociocultural and economic implications. FUNDING: Primavera Sound Group and the #YoMeCorono Initiative. TRANSLATION: For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Incidence of Recurrent High-Grade Anal Dysplasia in HIV-1-Infected Men and Women Following Infrared Coagulation Ablation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

This single-center, retrospective cohort study sought to estimate the cumulative incidence in HIV-1-infected patients of biopsy-proven high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (HGAIN) recurrence after infrared coagulation (IRC) treatment. The study was based on data from a prospectively compiled database of 665 HIV-1-infected outpatients who attended a hospital Clinical Proctology/HIV Unit between January 2012 and December 2015. Patient records were checked to see which ones had received IRC treatment but later experienced a recurrence of HGAIN. Cytology samples were also checked for the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV). A total of 81 of the 665 patients (12%, 95%CI: 10-15%), of whom 65 were men and 16 women, were diagnosed with HGAIN and again treated with IRC. Of these 81, 20 (25%) experienced recurrent HGAIN, this incidence being true of both men (16/65, 95%CI: 19-57%) and women (4/16, 95%CI: 10-50%). The median time to recurrence was 6 (2-19) months overall, 6 (2-19) months in men, and 4 (2-6) months in women. HPV infection was detected in all patients except two, with HPV-16 being the most common genotype. This rate of incidence of recurrent HGAIN following IRC treatment is consistent with other reports and highlights the importance of continued post-treatment surveillance, particularly in the first year.

Cancer immunotherapy in special challenging populations: recommendations of the Advisory Committee of Spanish Melanoma Group (GEM).

Cancer immunotherapy based on the use of antibodies targeting the so-called checkpoint inhibitors, such as programmed cell death-1 receptor, its ligand, or CTLA-4, has shown durable clinical benefit and survival improvement in melanoma and other tumors. However, there are some special situations that could be a challenge for clinical management. Persons with chronic infections, such as HIV-1 or viral hepatitis, latent tuberculosis, or a history of solid organ transplantation, could be candidates for cancer immunotherapy, but their management requires a multidisciplinary approach. The Spanish Melanoma Group (GEM) panel in collaboration with experts in virology and immunology from different centers in Spain reviewed the literature and developed evidence-based guidelines for cancer immunotherapy management in patients with chronic infections and immunosuppression. These are the first clinical guidelines for cancer immunotherapy treatment in special challenging populations. Cancer immunotherapy in chronically infected or immunosuppressed patients is feasible but needs a multidisciplinary approach in order to decrease the risk of complications related to the coexistent comorbidities.

Impact of HIV on the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus-infected patients.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an aggressive presentation and a shorter survival in people with HIV (PWH). This could be due to later diagnosis or lower rates of HCC treatment, and not to HIV infection itself. AIM: :: To assess the impact of HIV on HCC survival in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. METHODS: Multicenter cohort study (1999-2018) of 342 and 135 HCC cases diagnosed in HIV/HCV-infected and HCV-monoinfected patients. Survival after HCC diagnosis and its predictors were assessed. RESULTS: HCC was at Barcelona-Clinic Liver-Cancer (BCLC) stage 0/A in 114 (33%) HIV/HCV-coinfected and in 76 (56%) HCV-monoinfected individuals (P < 0.001). Of them, 97 (85%) and 50 (68%) underwent curative therapies (P = 0.001). After a median (Q1-Q3) follow-up of 11 (3-31) months, 334 (70%) patients died. Overall 1 and 3-year survival was 50 and 31% in PWH and 69 and 34% in those without HIV (P = 0.16). Among those diagnosed at BCLC stage 0/A, 1 and 3-year survival was 94 and 66% in PWH whereas it was 90 and 54% in HIV-negative patients (P = 0.006). Independent predictors of mortality were age, BCLC stage and α-fetoprotein levels. HIV infection was not independently associated with mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 1.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.88-2.78; P = 0.12]. CONCLUSION: HIV coinfection has no impact on the survival after the diagnosis of HCC in HCV-infected patients. Although overall mortality is higher in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, this seem to be related with lower rates of early diagnosis HCC in HIV-infected patients and not with HIV infection itself or a lower access to HCC therapy.

Routine Screening of Anal Cytology in Persons With Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Impact on Invasive Anal Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of screening programs to prevent anal cancer in persons with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is unclear. METHODS: To examine the impact of a screening program to detect anal cancer precursors on the incidence of cases of invasive anal squamous-cell carcinoma (IASCC) in persons with HIV-1, we performed a single-center, retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of outpatients with HIV-1 attending a reference HIV unit from January 2005 onward. All participants were invited to participate in a continued structured screening program for anal cancer prevention. We estimated the incidence of IASCC and performed a comparative analysis between subjects enrolled in the screening program (screening group) and those who declined to participate (nonscreening group). To reduce any selection bias, a propensity score analysis was applied. RESULTS: We included 3111 persons with HIV-1 (1596 men-who-have-sex-with-men [MSM], 888 men-who-have-sex-with-women [MSW], 627 women; mean age, 41 years), with a median follow-up of 4.7 years (14 595 patient-years of follow-up); 1691 (54%) participated in the screening program. Ten patients were diagnosed with IASCC: 2 (MSM) in the screening group and 8 (4 MSM, 2 MSW, and 2 women) in the nonscreening group. The incidence rates of IASCC were 21.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7-70.3) and 107.0 (95% CI, 46.2-202.0) per 100 000 person-years, respectively. After a propensity score adjustment, the difference was significant in favor of the screening group (hazard ratio, 0.17; 95% CI, .03-.86). CONCLUSIONS: The number of cases of IASCC was significantly lower in persons with HIV engaged in an anal cytology screening program. These results should be validated in a randomized clinical trial.

Enhancement of Antiviral CD8+ T-Cell Responses and Complete Remission of Metastatic Melanoma in an HIV-1-Infected Subject Treated with Pembrolizumab.

BACKGROUND: Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor against programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) approved for therapy in metastatic melanoma. PD-1 expression is associated with a diminished functionality in HIV-1 specific-CD8+ T cells. It is thought that PD-1 blockade could contribute to reinvigorate antiviral immunity and reduce the HIV-1 reservoir. METHODS: Upon metastatic melanoma diagnosis, an HIV-1-infected individual on stable suppressive antiretroviral regimen was treated with pembrolizumab. A PET-CT was performed before and one year after pembrolizumab initiation. We monitored changes in the immunophenotype and HIV-1 specific-CD8+ T-cell responses during 36 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, we assessed changes in the viral reservoir by total HIV-1 DNA, cell-associated HIV-1 RNA, and ultrasensitive plasma viral load. RESULTS: Complete metabolic response was achieved after pembrolizumab treatment of metastatic melanoma. Activated CD8+ T-cells expressing HLA-DR+/CD38+ transiently increased over the first nine weeks of treatment. Concomitantly, there was an augmented response of HIV-1 specific-CD8+ T cells with TNF production and poly-functionality, transitioning from TNF to an IL-2 profile. Furthermore, a transient reduction of 24% and 32% in total HIV-1 DNA was observed at weeks 3 and 27, respectively, without changes in other markers of viral persistence. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that pembrolizumab may enhance the HIV-1 specific-CD8+ T-cell response, marginally affecting the HIV-1 reservoir. A transient increase of CD8+ T-cell activation, TNF production, and poly-functionality resulted from PD-1 blockade. However, the lack of sustained changes in the viral reservoir suggests that viral reactivation is needed concomitantly with HIV-1-specific immune enhancement.

ADAR1 function affects HPV replication and is associated to recurrent human papillomavirus-induced dysplasia in HIV coinfected individuals.

Infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) alters the microenvironment of keratinocytes as a mechanism to evade the immune system. A-to-I editing by ADAR1 has been reported to regulate innate immunity in response to viral infections. Here, we evaluated the role of ADAR1 in HPV infection in vitro and in vivo. Innate immune activation was characterized in human keratinocyte cell lines constitutively infected or not with HPV. ADAR1 knockdown induced an innate immune response through enhanced expression of RIG-I-like receptors (RLR) signaling cascade, over-production of type-I IFNs and pro-inflammatory cytokines. ADAR1 knockdown enhanced expression of HPV proteins, a process dependent on innate immune function as no A-to-I editing could be identified in HPV transcripts. A genetic association study was performed in a cohort of HPV/HIV infected individuals followed for a median of 6 years (range 0.1-24). We identified the low frequency haplotype AACCAT significantly associated with recurrent HPV dysplasia, suggesting a role of ADAR1 in the outcome of HPV infection in HIV+ individuals. In summary, our results suggest that ADAR1-mediated innate immune activation may influence HPV disease outcome, therefore indicating that modification of innate immune effectors regulated by ADAR1 could be a therapeutic strategy against HPV infection.

Natural History of Anal Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in HIV-Positive Men with Normal Baseline Cytology.

The natural history of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) in the anal canal of HIV-infected men is incompletely understood. We assessed the incidence and factors associated with SIL and invasive anal squamous cell carcinoma (IASCC) among HIV-infected men with normal cytology at baseline. We performed a single-center prospective cohort study [men who have sex with men (MSM) and men who have sex with women (MSW)]. The incidence of anal canal SIL (low grade and high grade) and IASCC were estimated and predictive factors analyzed. The study population comprised 297 HIV-infected men with a normal cytology result and no anal human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases. Of these, 251 (85%) had at least one evaluable set of cytology data during follow-up (172 MSM, 79 MSW). The median follow-up time was 4 years. The cumulative incidence of SIL was 43% (107/251): 52% in MSM (90/172) and 22% in MSW (17/79), p < 0.0001. The incidence rate of SILs was 109 (95% confidence interval = 90-132) per 1000 person-years: 142 in MSM and 49 in MSW, p < 0.0001. HPV infection, receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART), and being MSM were independently associated risk factors. The incidence of IASCC was 0.15 per 1000 person-years among MSM and 0 in MSW. HIV-infected men, both MSM and MSW, are at high risk of developing SIL despite having a normal anal cytology at baseline. The incidence of anal canal SIL was higher among MSM, but was also remarkable among MSW. Independent risk factors associated with SIL were being HIV-infected MSM at high risk for acquisition of STIs, time on ART, and HPV infection.

Low performance of ultrasound surveillance for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of ultrasound surveillance for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HIV-infected patients. METHODS: The GEHEP-002 cohort recruits HCC cases diagnosed in HIV-infected patients from 32 centers across Spain. The proportion of 'ultrasound lack of detection', defined as HCC diagnosed within the first 3 months after a normal surveillance ultrasound, and the proportion of 'surveillance failure', defined as cases in which surveillance failed to detect HCC at early stage, were assessed. To assess the impact of HIV, a control population of 104 HCC cases diagnosed in hepatitis C virus-monoinfected patients during the study period was used. RESULTS: A total of 186 (54%) out of 346 HCC cases in HIV-infected patients were diagnosed within an ultrasound surveillance program. Ultrasound lack of detection occurred in 16 (8.6%) of them. Ultrasound surveillance failure occurred in 107 (57%) out of 186 cases diagnosed by screening, whereas this occurred in 18 (29%) out of 62 diagnosed in the control group (P < 0.0001). HCC cases after ultrasound surveillance failure showed a lower frequency of undetectable HIV viral load at diagnosis. The probability of 1-year and 2-year survival after HCC diagnosis among those diagnosed by screening was 56 and 45% in HIV-infected patients, whereas it was 79 and 64% in HIV-negative patients (P = 0.038). CONCLUSION: The performance of ultrasound surveillance of HCC in HIV-infected patients is very poor and worse than that shown outside HIV infection. A HCC surveillance policy based on ultrasound examinations every 6 months might be insufficient in HIV-infected patients with cirrhosis.