Chronic High-Level Parasitemia in HIV-Infected Individuals With or Without Visceral Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Area in Northwest Ethiopia: Potential Superspreaders?
Clin Infect Dis
; 79(1): 240-246, 2024 Jul 19.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38193647
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
People with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) with recurrent visceral leishmaniasis (VL) could potentially drive Leishmania transmission in areas with anthroponotic transmission such as East Africa, but studies are lacking. Leishmania parasitemia has been used as proxy for infectiousness.METHODS:
This study is nested within the Predicting Visceral Leishmaniasis in HIV-InfectedPatients (PreLeisH) prospective cohort study, following 490 PWH free of VL at enrollment for up to 24-37 months in northwest Ethiopia. Blood Leishmania polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done systematically. This case series reports on 10 PWH with chronic VL (≥3 VL episodes during follow-up) for up to 37 months, and 3 individuals with asymptomatic Leishmania infection for up to 24 months.RESULTS:
All 10 chronic VL cases were male, on antiretroviral treatment, with 0-11 relapses before enrollment. Median baseline CD4 count was 82â cells/µL. They displayed 3-6 VL treatment episodes over a period up to 37 months. Leishmania blood PCR levels were strongly positive for almost the entire follow-up (median cycle threshold value, 26 [interquartile range, 23-30]), including during periods between VL treatment. Additionally, we describe 3 PWH with asymptomatic Leishmania infection and without VL history, with equally strong Leishmania parasitemia over a period of up to 24 months without developing VL. All were on antiretroviral treatment at enrollment, with baseline CD4 counts ranging from 78 to 350â cells/µL.CONCLUSIONS:
These are the first data on chronic parasitemia in PWH from Leishmania donovani-endemic areas. PWH with asymptomatic and symptomatic Leishmania infection could potentially be highly infectious and constitute Leishmania superspreaders. Xenodiagnosis studies are required to confirm infectiousness.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
HIV Infections
/
Parasitemia
/
Leishmaniasis, Visceral
Type of study:
Observational_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Clin Infect Dis
Journal subject:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Belgium
Country of publication:
United States