RESUMEN
Preterm infants are more susceptible to severe bacterial and viral infectious diseases than their full-term counterparts. A major contributor to this increased susceptibility may be due to differences in their ability to respond to pathogens. While studies have demonstrated altered bacterial Toll-like receptor (TLR) responses, there is limited data on viral TLR responses in preterm infants. In this study, cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) from 10 moderately preterm (30.4-34.1 wGA), 10 term (37-39.5 wGA) infants, and 5 adults were stimulated with TLR2 (lipoteichoic acid), TLR3 (poly I:C), TLR4 (lipopolysaccharide), TLR7/8 (R848), and TLR9 (CpG-ODN 2216) agonists. Following stimulation, the cellular response was measured by intracellular flow cytometry to detect cell-specific NF-κB (as a marker of the inflammatory response), and multiplex assays were used to measure the cytokine response. This study found that preterm and term infants exhibit very similar baseline TLR expression. In response to both bacterial and viral TLR agonists comparing cell-specific NF-κB activation, preterm infants exhibited increased monocyte activation following LTA stimulation; however, no other differences were observed. Similarly, no difference in cytokine response was observed following stimulation with TLRs. However, a stronger correlation between NF-κB activation and cytokine responses was observed in term infants following poly I:C and R848 stimulation compared to preterm infants. In contrast, despite similar TLR expression, adults produced higher levels of IFN-α following R848 stimulation compared to preterm and term infants. These findings suggest preterm and term infants have a similar capacity to respond to both bacterial and viral TLR agonists. As preterm infants are more likely to develop severe infections, further research is required to determine the immunological factors that may be driving this and develop better interventions for this highly vulnerable group.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To determine changes in the prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV in female sex workers (FSWs) after a community HIV prevention intervention project in five border provinces of Vietnam. METHODS: The project focused on providing user-friendly STI services for FSWs using mobile teams operating at multiple sites depending on local client preferences. 911 FSWs were enrolled at baseline and 982 in the exit survey. Study participants were interviewed about sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviour, history of STIs and selected features of their husbands or cohabiting partners, and were tested for STIs. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rates of HIV, syphilis, herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) antibodies, gonorrhoea (GC), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and GC and/or CT among FSWs in the five border provinces in 2004 were 3.6%, 12.9%, 24.9%, 2.9%, 9.1% and 11.3%, respectively. Compared with baseline values, GC and/or CT decreased significantly from 19.9% to 11.3%, GC from 10.7% to 2.9% and CT from 11.9% to 9.1%. HIV decreased from 4.5% to 3.6%, and HSV-2 antibodies from 27.7% to 24.9%. After adjustment for possible confounders, a significant overall decrease in having GC and/or CT (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.65; p<0.001) and GC alone (OR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.37; p<0.001) was found, and the overall prevalence of syphilis increased significantly (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.17 p = 0.011). A marked increase in syphilis from 1.0% to 14.1% was identified in the Lai Chau province. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the project was associated with a reduction in GC and/or CT infections in FSWs, more so with GC than with CT. A notable increase in syphilis in Lai Chau was identified. HIV/STI interventions in FSWs can be implemented by government services and should be intensified and expanded to other provinces.
