Secondary syphilis presenting with alopecia and leukoderma in a stable HIV-positive patient in a resource-limited setting: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis is an infection caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. It is mainly transmitted through oral, vaginal and anal sex, in pregnancy and through blood transfusion. Syphilis develops in primary, secondary, latent and tertiary stages and presents with different clinical features at each stage. Infected patients can remain asymptomatic for several years and, without treatment, can, in extreme cases, manifest as damage in several organs and tissues, including the brain, nervous tissue, eyes, ear and soft tissues. In countries with a high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden, syphilis increases the risk of HIV infections. We report the case of a young HIV-positive black woman who presented with alopecia and hypopigmentation as features of secondary syphilis. CASE PRESENTATION: A virologically suppressed 29-year-old woman on Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) presented with a short history of generalized hair loss associated with a non-itchy maculopapular rash and skin depigmentation on the feet. Limited laboratory testing confirmed a diagnosis of secondary syphilis. She was treated with Benzathine Penicillin 2.4MU. After receiving three doses of the recommended treatment, the presenting features cleared, and the patient recovered fully. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates the importance of a high index of clinical suspicion and testing for syphilis in patients presenting with atypical clinical features of secondary syphilis, such as hair loss and hypopigmentation. It also highlights the challenges in diagnosing and clinically managing syphilis in a resource-limited setting.

Receptor transfer between immune cells by autoantibody-enhanced, CD32-driven trogocytosis is hijacked by HIV-1 to infect resting CD4 T cells.

Immune cell phenotyping frequently detects lineage-unrelated receptors. Here, we report that surface receptors can be transferred from primary macrophages to CD4 T cells and identify the Fcγ receptor CD32 as driver and cargo of this trogocytotic transfer. Filamentous CD32+ nanoprotrusions deposit distinct plasma membrane patches onto target T cells. Transferred receptors confer cell migration and adhesion properties, and macrophage-derived membrane patches render resting CD4 T cells susceptible to infection by serving as hotspots for HIV-1 binding. Antibodies that recognize T cell epitopes enhance CD32-mediated trogocytosis. Such autoreactive anti-HIV-1 envelope antibodies can be found in the blood of HIV-1 patients and, consistently, the percentage of CD32+ CD4 T cells is increased in their blood. This CD32-mediated, antigen-independent cell communication mode transiently expands the receptor repertoire and functionality of immune cells. HIV-1 hijacks this mechanism by triggering the generation of trogocytosis-promoting autoantibodies to gain access to immune cells critical to its persistence.

Gestational gigantomastia complicated by pseudo-angiomatous stromal hyperplasia - a multidisciplinary management approach.

SUMMARY: Gestational gigantomastia is a rare condition typified by disproportionate bilateral breast enlargement in pregnant women, resulting in skin thinning, ulceration, and bleeding. Less than sixty cases have been documented worldwide, and only one other in South Africa. Pseudo-angiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a rare benign proliferation of stromal tissue in a tumorous or diffuse pattern. This, to the best of our knowledge, is the first published case, a 27-year-old human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive woman, to present with both conditions concurrently. Medical management with cabergoline was initiated and, seven months post-delivery, a novel Goldilocks mastectomy was performed with acceptable outcomes.

Discovery of low-molecular-weight phenylalanine derivatives as novel HIV capsid modulators with improved antiretroviral activity and metabolic stability.

The HIV capsid (CA) protein is a promising target for anti-AIDS treatment due to its critical involvement in viral replication. Herein, we utilized the well-documented CA inhibitor PF74 as our lead compound and designed a series of low-molecular-weight phenylalanine derivatives. Among them, compound 7t exhibited remarkable antiviral activity with a high selection index (EC50 = 0.040 µM, SI = 2815), surpassing that of PF74 (EC50 = 0.50 µM, SI = 258). Furthermore, when evaluated against the HIV-2 strain, 7t (EC50 = 0.13 µM) demonstrated approximately 14-fold higher potency than that of PF74 (EC50 = 1.76 µM). Insights obtained from surface plasmon resonance (SPR) revealed that 7t exhibited stronger target affinity to the CA hexamer and monomer in comparison to PF74. The potential interactions between 7t and the HIV-1 CA were further elucidated using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, providing a plausible explanation for the enhanced target affinity with 7t over PF74. Moreover, the metabolic stability assay demonstrated that 7t (T1/2 = 77.0 min) significantly outperforms PF74 (T1/2 = 0.7 min) in human liver microsome, exhibiting an improvement factor of 110-fold. In conclusion, 7t emerges as a promising drug candidate warranting further investigation.

The development, evaluation, performance, and validation of micro-PCR and extractor for the quantification of HIV-1 &-2 RNA.

HIV infection has been a global public health threat and overall reported ~ 40 million deaths. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is attributed to the retroviruses (HIV-1/2), disseminated through various body fluids. The temporal progression of AIDS is in context to the rate of HIV-1 infection, which is twice as protracted in HIV-2 transmission. Q-PCR is the only available method that requires a well-developed lab infrastructure and trained personnel. Micro-PCR, a portable Q-PCR device, was developed by Bigtec Labs, Bangalore, India. It is simple, accurate, fast, and operationalised in remote places where diagnostic services are inaccessible in developing countries. This novel micro-PCR determines HIV-1 and HIV-2 viral load using a TruePrep™ extractor device for RNA isolation. Five ml blood samples were collected at the blood collection centre at AIIMS, New Delhi, India. Samples were screened for serology, and a comparison of HIV-1/2 RNA was done between qPCR and micro-PCR in the samples. The micro-PCR assay of HIV-RNA has compared well with those from real-time PCR (r = 0.99, i < 0.002). Micro-PCR has good inter and intra-assay reproducibility over a wide dynamic range (1.0 × 102-1.0 × 108 IU/ml). The linear dynamic range was 102-108 IU/ml. The clinical and analytical specificity of the assay was comparable, i.e., 100%. Intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation ranged from 1.17% to 3.15% and from 0.02% to 0.46%, respectively. Moreover, due to the robust, simple, and empirical method, the Probit analysis has also been done for qPCR LODs to avoid uncertainties in target recoveries. The micro-PCR is reliable, accurate, and reproducible for early detection of HIV-1 and HIV-2 viral loads simultaneously. Thus, it can easily be used in the field and in remote places where quantification of both HIV-1/2 is not reachable.

Epidemiological and virological surveillance of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among pregnant women in Togo.

BACKGROUND: In 2015, Togo introduced the "test-and-treat" strategy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Pediatric HIV infection remains a public health problem in Togo, with a mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate of 3.6% in 2020. This study aimed to estimate cases of HIV seroconversion during pregnancy and to identify pregnant women at high risk of transmitting HIV to their children in Lomé, Togo. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from 18 March to 22 May 2022 among women who had given birth in five maternity units providing PMTCT services in Lomé. Umbilical cord blood samples were taken from the maternal side by midwives after delivery. HIV serology was performed in the laboratory using the Alere™ HIV Combo SET and First Response HIV 1-2. Card Test version 2.0. A sample was considered positive if both tests were positive. The HIV-1 viral load in HIV-1-positive samples was measured using Cobas/Roche 4800 equipment. Information on the women was extracted from maternal antenatal records and antenatal consultation registers. RESULTS: A total of 3148 umbilical cord blood samples (median maternal age: 28 years (interquartile range [24-32]) were collected. Among them, 99.3% (3145/3148) had presented for at least one antenatal clinic visit before giving birth, and 78.7% (2456/3122) had presented for at least four visits. One hundred and twenty-one (121) cord samples were HIV-1 positive, representing a seroprevalence of 3.8% (95% CI = [3.2-4.6]). Among them, 67.8% (82/121) were known HIV-positive before the current pregnancy, 29.7 (36/121) were diagnosed as HIV-positive at the antenatal visits and 2.5% (3/121) were diagnosed as HIV-positive in the delivery room. Of the HIV-positive women, 85.9% (104/121) were on ARV treatment before delivery. The viral load was < 1000 copies/ml in 97.5% (118/121) cases. CONCLUSION: This study explored the virologic and epidemiological aspects of HIV among pregnant women in Togo. The results show significant viral suppression at delivery in women ART. Surveillance based on umbilical cord blood specimen screening is an interesting approach for monitoring the effectiveness of PMTCT programmes.

Late presentations and missed opportunities among newly diagnosed HIV patients presenting to a specialty clinic in Lebanon.

Late presentation to medical care of individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is linked to poor outcomes and increased morbidity and mortality. Missed opportunities for a prompt diagnosis are frequently reported among late presenters. We aimed to estimate the proportion of late presenters and missed opportunities in diagnosis among newly diagnosed HIV-positive subjects presenting to a specialty clinic in Lebanon. This is a retrospective chart review of all newly diagnosed adult HIV-positive subjects presenting to clinic from 2012 to 2022. Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were collected at initial HIV diagnosis or presentation to medical care. We defined late presentation as having a CD4 count < 350 or AIDS-defining event regardless of CD4 count. Advanced disease is defined as having a CD4 count below 200 cells/µL or the presence of an AIDS-defining illness, regardless of the CD4 count. A missed opportunity was defined as the presence of an indicator condition (IC) that suggests infection with HIV/AIDS during 3 years preceding the actual HIV diagnosis and not followed by a recommendation for HIV testing. The proportions for demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics are calculated by excluding cases with missing information from the denominator. Our cohort included 150 subjects (92.7% males; 63.6% men who have sex with men (MSM); 33.3% heterosexuals; median age 30.5 years at diagnosis). 77 (51.3%) were late presenters and 53 (35.3% of all subjects, 68.8% of late presenters) had advanced HIV on presentation. Up to 76.5% of late presenters had a presentation with an HIV-related condition at a healthcare provider without getting HIV test within the previous 3 years. The most frequent ICs were weight loss, generalized lymphadenopathy, constitutional symptoms, and chronic idiopathic diarrhea. Overall mortality rate was 4% (6/150 individuals). All-cause mortality among those who presented with AIDS was 15.4% (6/39 subjects). In our setting, late presentations and missed opportunities for HIV diagnosis are common. In the Middle East, AIDS mortality remains high with a large gap in HIV testing. To effectively influence policies, comprehensive analyses should focus on estimating the preventable health and financial burdens of late HIV presentations. Another concern pertains to healthcare providers' attitudes and competencies.

Kinetic coevolutionary models predict the temporal emergence of HIV-1 resistance mutations under drug selection pressure.

Drug resistance in HIV type 1 (HIV-1) is a pervasive problem that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. Although records of drug-resistant mutations (DRMs) have been extensively tabulated within public repositories, our understanding of the evolutionary kinetics of DRMs and how they evolve together remains limited. Epistasis, the interaction between a DRM and other residues in HIV-1 protein sequences, is key to the temporal evolution of drug resistance. We use a Potts sequence-covariation statistical-energy model of HIV-1 protein fitness under drug selection pressure, which captures epistatic interactions between all positions, combined with kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations of sequence evolutionary trajectories, to explore the acquisition of DRMs as they arise in an ensemble of drug-naive patient protein sequences. We follow the time course of 52 DRMs in the enzymes protease, RT, and integrase, the primary targets of antiretroviral therapy. The rates at which DRMs emerge are highly correlated with their observed acquisition rates reported in the literature when drug pressure is applied. This result highlights the central role of epistasis in determining the kinetics governing DRM emergence. Whereas rapidly acquired DRMs begin to accumulate as soon as drug pressure is applied, slowly acquired DRMs are contingent on accessory mutations that appear only after prolonged drug pressure. We provide a foundation for using computational methods to determine the temporal evolution of drug resistance using Potts statistical potentials, which can be used to gain mechanistic insights into drug resistance pathways in HIV-1 and other infectious agents.

The lived experiences of HIV-positive women in rural Zimbabwe: A qualitative focus group study.

BACKGROUND:  The study explored and described the meaning attached to the lived experiences of women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the rural context of Zimbabwe. Stigma and discrimination negatively impact one's ability to perform the expected social roles, the quality of life, and the efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and reduce HIV-related mortality. Thus, the study aims to understand the meaning attached to the lived experiences of HIV-positive women living in rural areas or villages of Matabeleland South province in Zimbabwe. METHODS:  The study used a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design. Four focus group discussions were conducted with 24 HIV-positive rural women living in Matabeleland South province, Zimbabwe. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted to explore and describe the meaning attached to the lived experiences of women living with HIV. RESULTS:  Two interconnected themes were identified in the analysis with their sub-themes. These were: (1) struggle for social belonging, with subthemes - loss of social belonging and reduced access to community-based empowerment opportunities and (2) struggle for maintaining the quality of life with subthemes - lack of need-based community healthcare and food insecurity. CONCLUSION:  Being a woman living with HIV in rural Zimbabwe means a perpetual struggle to maintain one's humanness and quality of life.Contribution: This study's results will support the efforts of the Zimbabwean government to improve the quality of life of HIV-positive women living in rural areas.

Phase 1 trial evaluating safety and pharmacokinetics of HIV-1 broadly neutralizing mAbs 10E8VLS and VRC07-523LS.

BACKGROUNDBroadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bNAbs) represent a promising strategy for HIV-1 immunoprophylaxis and treatment. 10E8VLS and VRC07-523LS are bNAbs that target the highly conserved membrane-proximal external region (MPER) and the CD4-binding site of the HIV-1 viral envelope glycoprotein, respectively.METHODSIn this phase 1, open-label trial, we evaluated the safety and pharmacokinetics of 5 mg/kg 10E8VLS administered alone, or concurrently with 5 mg/kg VRC07-523LS, via s.c. injection to healthy non-HIV-infected individuals.RESULTSEight participants received either 10E8VLS alone (n = 6) or 10E8VLS and VRC07-523LS in combination (n = 2). Five (n = 5 of 8, 62.5%) participants who received 10E8VLS experienced moderate local reactogenicity, and 1 participant (n = 1/8, 12.5%) experienced severe local reactogenicity. Further trial enrollment was stopped, and no participant received repeat dosing. All local reactogenicity resolved without sequelae. 10E8VLS retained its neutralizing capacity, and no functional anti-drug antibodies were detected; however, a serum t1/2 of 8.1 days was shorter than expected. Therefore, the trial was voluntarily stopped per sponsor decision (Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [NIAID], NIH). Mechanistic studies performed to investigate the underlying reason for the reactogenicity suggest that multiple mechanisms may have contributed, including antibody aggregation and upregulation of local inflammatory markers.CONCLUSION10E8VLS resulted in unexpected reactogenicity and a shorter t1/2 in comparison with previously tested bNAbs. These studies may facilitate identification of nonreactogenic second-generation MPER-targeting bNAbs, which could be an effective strategy for HIV-1 immunoprophylaxis and treatment.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicaltrials.gov, accession no. NCT03565315.FUNDINGDivision of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH.

Violencia en pareja en personas seropositivas: una revisión sistemática / Violência por parceiro íntimo em pessoas soropositivas: uma revisão sistemática / Partner violence in HIV-positive people: a systematic review

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo, caracterizar la violenciaen pareja en personas con seropositividad (prevalencia,tipos de acciones violentas, variables de riesgo/ protectorasy consecuencias), para lo cual se realizó una revisión sistemáticaa través del protocolo PRISMA. La búsqueda de artículos serealizó en Scopus, Web of Science, Eric, Scielo y Pubmedpublicados hasta 2021. Se encontraron 113 artículos, de loscuales 22 cumplieron con los criterios de elegibilidad. Losresultados indican que la violencia en pareja en personasseropositivas, además de manifestarse de manera física,psicológica, patrimonial, sexual y verbal, se puede presentar através del uso del VIH para ejercer la violencia. La prevalenciavaría en función del contexto geográfico en un intervalo del19,6% al 43,1%; la cual es superior en población migrantey en hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) mujeresseropositivas, parejas no heterosexuales y en parejas en la queambos miembros son seropositivos. Las variables de riesgo/protectoras identificadas se asociaron con las dimensiones:informativas, motivacionales, de habilidades conductuales,sociodemográficas, culturales, de salud, sociofamiliares ypolíticas. Asimismo, se evidenciaron consecuencias sociales,económicas y de salud.(AU)

The objective of this work is to characterize partner violencein people with seropositivity (prevalence, types of violentactions, risk/protective variables, and consequences), for whicha systematic review was carried out through the PRISMAprotocol. The search for articles was carried out in Scopus,Web of Science, Eric, Scielo and Pubmed published up to 2021. 113 articles were found, of which 22 met the eligibilitycriteria. The results indicate that intimate partner violencein seropositive people, in addition to manifesting itself ina physical, psychological, patrimonial, sexual, and verbalway, can be presented using HIV to exercise violence. Theprevalence varies depending on the geographical contextin a range from 19.6% to 43.1%, which is higher in themigrant population and in men who have sex with men(MSM), seropositive women, non-heterosexual couples andin couples in which both members are seropositive. Therisk/protective variables identified were associated with thedimensions: informational, motivational, behavioral skills,sociodemographic, cultural, health, socio-family and political.Likewise, social, economic and health consequences wereevidenced.(AU)

O objetivo deste trabalho é caracterizar a violência conjugalem pessoas com soropositividade (prevalência, tipos de açõesviolentas, variáveis de risco/proteção e consequências), paraa qual foi realizada uma revisão sistemática por meio doprotocolo PRISMA. A busca de artigos foi realizada no Scopus,Web of Science, Eric, Scielo e Pubmed publicados até 2021.Foram encontrados 113 artigos, dos quais 22 atenderamaos critérios de elegibilidade. Os resultados indicam que aviolência por parceiro íntimo em pessoas soropositivas, alémde se manifestar de forma física, psicológica, patrimonial,sexual e verbal, pode se apresentar por meio do uso do HIVpara exercer a violência. A prevalência varia de acordo como contexto geográfico em uma faixa de 19,6% a 43,1%; queé maior na população migrante e em homens que fazemsexo com homens (HSH), mulheres soropositivas, casais nãoheterossexuais e em casais em que ambos os membros sãosoropositivos. As variáveis de risco/proteção identificadasforam associadas às dimensões: informacional, motivacional,habilidades comportamentais, sociodemográficas, culturais,de saúde, sociofamiliares e políticas. Da mesma forma, foramevidenciadas consequências sociais, econômicas e de saúde.(AU)

Identification of the shared hub gene signatures and molecular mechanisms between HIV-1 and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The close link between HIV-1 infection and the occurrence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of their interrelation remain unclear. The microarray data of HIV-1 and PAH were downloaded from GEO database. We utilized WGCNA to identify shared genes between HIV-1 and PAH, followed by conducting GO and pathway enrichment analyses. Subsequently, differentially genes analysis was performed using external validation datasets to further filter hub genes. Immunoinfiltration analysis was performed using CIBERSORT. Finally, hub gene expression was validated using scRNA-seq data. We identified 109 shared genes through WGCNA, primarily enriched in type I interferon (IFN) pathways. By taking the intersection of WGCNA important module genes and DEGs, ISG15 and IFI27 were identified as pivotal hub genes. Immunoinfiltration analysis and scRNA-seq results indicated the significant role of monocytes in the shared molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 and PAH. In summary, our study illustrated the possible mechanism of PAH secondary to HIV-1 and showed that the heightened IFN response in HIV-1 might be a crucial susceptibility factor for PAH, with monocytes being pivotal cells involved in the type I IFN response pathway. This provides potential new insights for further investigating the molecular mechanisms connecting HIV-1 and PAH.

Dolutegravir + Lamivudine vs. Dolutegravir + Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine: Very-Low-Level HIV-1 Replication through 144 Weeks in the GEMINI-1 and GEMINI-2 Studies.

In GEMINI-1/-2, dolutegravir + lamivudine was non-inferior to dolutegravir + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) in achieving viral suppression (viral load [VL] < 50 copies/mL) in treatment-naive adults. Abbott's RealTime HIV-1 assay provides quantitative VL (40-10,000,000 copies/mL) and qualitative target detected or target not detected (TND) for VL < 40 copies/mL. This post hoc analysis assessed very-low-level viremia and "blips" through Week 144. Proportions with VL < 40 copies/mL and TND are presented overall and by baseline VL and CD4+ cell count. "Blips" (single VL ≥ 50 to <200 copies/mL with adjacent values < 50 copies/mL) were assessed from Day 1 after VL suppression and from Weeks 48 through to 144. Proportions with TND increased through Week 48 and were similar between groups at all visits (Week 144: dolutegravir + lamivudine, 451/716 [63%]; dolutegravir + TDF/FTC, 465/717 [65%]). By observed analysis, TND rates were similar between groups across baseline subgroups. Through Week 144, proportions with ≥1 "blip" were generally comparable for dolutegravir + lamivudine vs. dolutegravir + TDF/FTC from Day 1 (15% vs. 20%) and from Week 48 (7% vs. 11%). Through 144 weeks, the proportions with TND or "blips" were similar between dolutegravir + lamivudine and the three-drug comparator, reinforcing the efficacy and durability of dolutegravir + lamivudine.

HIV-1 Vpr Functions in Primary CD4+ T Cells.

HIV-1 encodes four accesory proteins in addition to its structural and regulatory genes. Uniquely amongst them, Vpr is abundantly present within virions, meaning it is poised to exert various biological effects on the host cell upon delivery. In this way, Vpr contributes towards the establishment of a successful infection, as evidenced by the extent to which HIV-1 depends on this factor to achieve full pathogenicity in vivo. Although HIV infects various cell types in the host organism, CD4+ T cells are preferentially targeted since they are highly permissive towards productive infection, concomitantly bringing about the hallmark immune dysfunction that accompanies HIV-1 spread. The last several decades have seen unprecedented progress in unraveling the activities Vpr possesses in the host cell at the molecular scale, increasingly underscoring the importance of this viral component. Nevertheless, it remains controversial whether some of these advances bear in vivo relevance, since commonly employed cellular models significantly differ from primary T lymphocytes. One prominent example is the "established" ability of Vpr to induce G2 cell cycle arrest, with enigmatic physiological relevance in infected primary T lymphocytes. The objective of this review is to present these discoveries in their biological context to illustrate the mechanisms whereby Vpr supports HIV-1 infection in CD4+ T cells, whilst identifying findings that require validation in physiologically relevant models.

Presence of tuberculosis symptoms among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Zimbabwe.

We conducted secondary data analysis using a biobehavioral survey dataset of 1538 MSM from Zimbabwe. Survey participants were screened for the four symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis infection using the WHO TB screening algorithm. Results: All participants experienced at least one symptom suggestive of tuberculosis. 40% of HIV-positive MSM reported having had a cough in the last month and 13% of them experienced unexpected weight loss. The prevalence of experiencing any of the four TB symptoms amongst HIV-positive MSM was 23%. Contribution There is an urgent need for active TB case finding and treatment amongst HIV-positive MSM in Zimbabwe. Clinicians will need to ensure that MSM who need TB testing receive it timeously.

HIV-1 Tat is present in the serum of people living with HIV-1 despite viral suppression.

OBJECTIVES: Despite successful human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), individuals with HIV still face health risks, including cancers, cardiovascular and neurocognitive diseases. An HIV protein, Tat, is potentially involved in these HIV-related diseases. Previous studies demonstrated circulating Tat in the blood of untreated people with HIV. Here, we measured Tat levels in the serum of cART-treated people with HIV to examine the effect of cART on Tat production. METHODS: Serum samples from 63 HIV-positive and 20 HIV-seronegative individuals were analyzed using an ELISA assay that detected Tat concentrations above 2.5 ng/mL. RESULTS: Among HIV-positive individuals, the Tat level ranged from 0 to 14 ng/mL. 25.4% (16 out of 63) exceeded the 2.5 ng/mL cut-off, with a median HIV Tat level of 4.518 [3.329-8.120] ng/mL. No correlation was revealed between Tat levels and CD4+ T cell counts, serum HIV RNA, p24 antigen, or anti-Tat levels. CONCLUSIONS: Despite cART, circulating HIV Tat persists and may contribute to HIV-related diseases. This emphasizes the need for further research on the mechanisms of Tat action in non-infected cells where it can penetrate upon circulation in the blood.

Clinical presentations and outcomes of HIV-1 and HIV-2 among infected children in Guinea-Bissau: a nationwide study.

OBJECTIVES: Disease progression, loss to follow-up, and mortality of HIV-2 compared with HIV-1 in children is not well understood. This is the first nationwide study reporting outcomes in children with the two HIV types in Guinea-Bissau. STUDY DESIGN: Nationwide retrospective follow-up study. METHODS: This is a retrospective follow-up study among HIV-infected children <15 years at nine ART centers from 2006 to 2021. Baseline parameters and disease outcomes for children with HIV-2 and HIV-1 were compared. RESULTS: The annual number of children diagnosed with HIV peaked in 2017. HIV-2 (n = 64) and HIV-1 (n = 1945) infected children were different concerning baseline median age (6.5 vs 3.1 years, P < 0.01), but had similar levels of severe immunodeficiency (P = 0.58) and severe anemia (P = 0.26). Within the first year of follow-up, 36.3% were lost, 5.9% died, 2.7% had transferred clinic, and 55.2% remained for follow-up. Mortality (HR = 1.05 95% CI: 0.53-2.08 for HIV-2) and attrition (HR = 0.86 95% CI: 0.62-1.19 for HIV-2) rates were similar for HIV types. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in children diagnosed per year since 2017 is possibly due to lower HIV prevalence, lack of HIV tests, and the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. Children with HIV-2 were twice as old as HIV-1 infected when diagnosed, which suggests a slower disease progression. However, once they develop immunosuppression mortality is similar.

Acceptability and tolerability of long-acting injectable cabotegravir or rilpivirine in the first cohort of virologically suppressed adolescents living with HIV (IMPAACT 2017/MOCHA): a secondary analysis of a phase 1/2, multicentre, open-label, non-comparative dose-finding study.

BACKGROUND: Long-acting injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine have demonstrated safety, acceptability, and efficacy in adults living with HIV-1. The IMPAACT 2017 study (MOCHA study) was the first to use these injectable formulations in adolescents (aged 12-17 years) living with HIV-1. Herein, we report acceptability and tolerability outcomes in cohort 1 of the study. METHODS: In this a secondary analysis of a phase 1/2, multicentre, open-label, non-comparative dose-finding study, with continuation of pre-study oral combination antiretroviral treatment (ART), 55 adolescents living with HIV-1 were enrolled to receive sequential doses of either long-acting cabotegravir or rilpivirine and 52 received at least two injections. Participants had a body weight greater than 35 kg and BMI less than 31·5 kg/m2 and had been on stable ART for at least 90 consecutive days with an HIV-1 viral load of less than 50 copies per mL at a participating IMPAACT study site. Participants had to be willing to continue their pre-study ART during cohort 1. The primary objectives of the study were to confirm doses for oral and injectable cabotegravir and for injectable rilpivirine in adolescents living with HIV. This analysis of participant-reported outcomes included a face scale assessment of pain at each injection and a Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) at baseline and week 16 for participants in the USA, South Africa, Botswana, and Thailand. A subset of 11 adolescents and 11 parents or caregivers in the USA underwent in-depth interviews after receipt of one or two injections. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03497676. FINDINGS: Between March 19, 2019, and Nov 25, 2021, 55 participants were enrolled into cohort 1. Using the six-point face scale, 43 (83%) of participants at week 4 and 38 (73%) at week 8 reported that the injection caused "no hurt" or "hurts little bit", while only a single (2%) participant for each week rated the pain as one of the two highest pain levels. Quality of life was not diminished by the addition of one injectable antiretroviral. In-depth interviews revealed that parents and caregivers in the USA frequently had more hesitancy than adolescents about use of long-acting formulations, but parental acceptance was higher after their children received injections. INTERPRETATION: High acceptability and tolerability of long-acting cabotegravir or rilpivirine injections suggests that these are likely to be favoured treatment options for some adolescents living with HIV. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health and ViiV Healthcare.

Spatial resolution of HIV-1 post-entry steps in resting CD4 T cells.

Resting CD4 T cells resist productive HIV-1 infection. The HIV-2/simian immunodeficiency virus protein viral accessory protein X (Vpx) renders these cells permissive to infection, presumably by alleviating blocks at cytoplasmic reverse transcription and subsequent nuclear import of reverse-transcription/pre-integration complexes (RTC/PICs). Here, spatial analyses using quantitative virus imaging techniques reveal that HIV-1 capsids containing RTC/PICs are readily imported into the nucleus, recruit the host dependency factor CPSF6, and translocate to nuclear speckles in resting CD4 T cells. Reverse transcription, however, remains incomplete, impeding proviral integration and viral gene expression. Vpx or pharmacological inhibition of the deoxynucleotide triphosphohydrolase (dNTPase) activity of the restriction factor SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) increases levels of nuclear reverse-transcribed cDNA and facilitates HIV-1 integration. Nuclear import and intranuclear transport of viral complexes therefore do not pose important blocks to HIV-1 in resting CD4 T cells, and the limitation to reverse transcription by SAMHD1's dNTPase activity constitutes the main pre-integration block to infection.