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Viruses
Special Issues
HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection
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HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 10878

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Miguel A. Martínez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain
Interests: My research interests are focused in understanding the molecular mechanisms implicated in human viruses pathogenesis. In the last two decades, I have being studying how the genetic variability of HIV-1 and HCV has influenced virus pathogenesis, immunogenicity and response to antiviral therapy. Recently, I have explored how synonymous codon mutations impact HIV-1 protein expression and virus replication capacity. Codon or codon pair biases and HIV-1 RNA dinucleotide frequencies (e.g., CpG/UpA) affect host innate response, virus latency and pathogenesis (reviewed in Jordan-Paiz, Franco and Martinez, Frontiers in Microbiology 2021; Martinez et al Nucleic Acids Research 2019; Martinez et al Trends in Microbiology 2016).
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are commonly encountered blood-borne infectious viruses. Chronic comorbidities are increasingly important in the medical care of the ageing population of HIV-1 patients.

Currently, in developing countries, the introduction of HCV treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has almost eradicated HCV coinfections in patients with HIV-1. Nevertheless, HIV-1/HCV coinfections remain an important area of study, mainly for two reasons. First, HCV eradication in patients with cirrhosis or pre-cirrhosis does not completely eliminate liver disease progression. Importantly, liver disease is a leading cause of deaths among individuals living with HIV-1. Second, HCV reinfection after treatment presents an important barrier to HCV elimination, particularly in some populations of men who have sex with men (MSM).

Near 10% of HIV-1 patients also have chronic HBV co-infection. HIV-1/HBV co-infection accelerates the progression of chronic HBV to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, or hepatocellular carcinoma compared to chronic HBV mono-infection. Moreover, HIV-1/HBV co-infection alters the natural history of hepatitis B and renders the antiviral treatment more complex. Although some current therapeutic strategies are considered effective options in treating single virus HBV infections, HIV-1/HBV co-infection has altered the natural history of HBV, requiring novel individualized therapeutic forms.

This special issue will focus on aspects playing an important role in the development of liver disease in co-infected patients. Studies about liver disease progression, HIV-1/HCV or HIV-1/HBV co-infection epidemiology as well as the description of new non-invasive diagnostic tools for detecting the presence and progression of liver injury will be also welcome.

Dr. Miguel A. Martínez
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • HIV
  • HCV
  • HBV
  • liver disease
  • spread and epidemiology
  • pathogenesis
  • therapeutics
  • diagnistic tools
  • HCV erradication

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 1465 KiB  
Article
Prevalence and Predictors of Liver Fibrosis in People Living with Hepatitis B in Senegal
by Adrià Ramírez Mena, Ndeye Fatou Ngom, Judicaël Tine, Kine Ndiaye, Louise Fortes, Ousseynou Ndiaye, Maguette Fall, Assietou Gaye, Daye Ka, Moussa Seydi and Gilles Wandeler
Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1614; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081614 - 24 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2002
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the first cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer in West Africa. Although the exposure to additional environmental and infectious risk factors may lead to the faster progression of liver disease, few large-scale studies have evaluated the determinants [...] Read more.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the first cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer in West Africa. Although the exposure to additional environmental and infectious risk factors may lead to the faster progression of liver disease, few large-scale studies have evaluated the determinants of HBV-related liver fibrosis in the region. We used transient elastography to evaluate the prevalence of liver fibrosis and assessed the association between HBV markers and significant liver fibrosis in a cohort of people living with HBV in Dakar, Senegal. The prevalence of significant liver fibrosis was 12.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.6%–15.9%) among 471 people with HBV mono-infection (pwHBV) and 6.4% (95% CI 2.6%–12.7%) in 110 people with HIV/HBV co-infection (pwHIV/HBV) on tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy (p = 0.07). An HBV viral load > 2000 IU/mL was found in 133 (28.3%) pwHBV and 5 (4.7%) pwHIV/HBV, and was associated with significant liver fibrosis (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.95, 95% CI 1.04–3.66). Male participants (aOR 4.32, 95% CI 2.01–8.96) and those with elevated ALT (aOR 4.32, 95% CI 2.01–8.96) were especially at risk of having significant liver fibrosis. Our study shows that people with an HBV viral load above 2000 IU/mL have a two-fold increase in the risk of liver fibrosis and may have to be considered for antiviral therapy, independent of other disease parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection)
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10 pages, 1227 KiB  
Article
Gamma-Delta T-Cell Phenotype and Function in DAA-Treated HIV-HCV Co-Infected and HCV-Mono-Infected Subjects
by Valeria Bono, Camilla Tincati, Lorena Van Den Bogaart, Elvira Stefania Cannizzo, Roberta Rovito, Matteo Augello, Anna De Bona, Antonella D’Arminio Monforte, Laura Milazzo and Giulia Marchetti
Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1594; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081594 - 22 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1777
Abstract
HIV-HCV co-infected subjects are at risk of liver fibrosis which may be linked to immune imbalances. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) represent the mainstay of HCV treatment in co-infected individuals, yet their effects on immune cell populations playing a role in fibrogenesis is unknown. We [...] Read more.
HIV-HCV co-infected subjects are at risk of liver fibrosis which may be linked to immune imbalances. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) represent the mainstay of HCV treatment in co-infected individuals, yet their effects on immune cell populations playing a role in fibrogenesis is unknown. We assessed γδ T-cell phenotype and function, Treg and Th17 frequencies, as well as γ-globulins and B-cell activation in 47 HIV-HCV co-infected and 35 HCV mono-infected individuals prior to and following DAA treatment (SVR12). Γδ T-cell activation decreased in both groups yet persisted at higher levels in the HIV-HCV co-infected subjects. No differences were registered in terms of γδT-cell function. Of note, the Vδ2/Th17 ratio, inversely linked to liver damage, increased significantly in the two groups upon treatment, yet a negative correlation between the Vδ2/Th17 ratio and liver function enzymes was found in the co-infected subjects alone. B-cell activation and γ-globulin levels decreased in both settings, yet B-cell activation remained higher in the HIV-HCV co-infected individuals. In HIV-HCV co-infected and HCV mono-infected participants, the effect of DAA was limited to γδ T- and B-cell activation as well as γ-globulin concentrations and the Vδ2/Th17 ratio, with no changes in γδ T-cell function and Treg frequencies. Importantly, γδ T- and B-cell activation remained at higher levels in the co-infected individuals than in those with HCV mono-infection alone. The persistence of such alterations within these cell subsets may be associated with the risk of hepatic and extrahepatic complications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection)
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10 pages, 5350 KiB  
Article
An Approach to Quantifying the Interaction between Behavioral and Transmission Clusters
by Luisa Salazar-Vizcaya, Katharina Kusejko, Huldrych F. Günthard, Jürg Böni, Karin J. Metzner, Dominique L. Braun, Dunja Nicca, Enos Bernasconi, Alexandra Calmy, Katharine E. A. Darling, Gilles Wandeler, Roger D. Kouyos, Andri Rauch and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Viruses 2022, 14(4), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14040784 - 10 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1830
Abstract
We hypothesize that patterns of sexual behavior play a role in the conformation of transmission networks, i.e., the way you behave might influence whom you have sex with. If that was the case, behavioral grouping might in turn correlate with, and potentially predict [...] Read more.
We hypothesize that patterns of sexual behavior play a role in the conformation of transmission networks, i.e., the way you behave might influence whom you have sex with. If that was the case, behavioral grouping might in turn correlate with, and potentially predict transmission networking, e.g., proximity in a viral phylogeny. We rigorously present an intuitive approach to address this hypothesis by quantifying mapped interactions between groups defined by similarities in sexual behavior along a virus phylogeny while discussing power and sample size considerations. Data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study on condom use and hepatitis C virus (HCV) sequences served as proof-of-concept. In this case, a strict inclusion criteria contrasting with low HCV prevalence hindered our possibilities to identify significant relationships. This manuscript serves as guide for studies aimed at characterizing interactions between behavioral patterns and transmission networks. Large transmission networks such as those of HIV or COVID-19 are prime candidates for applying this methodological approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection)
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10 pages, 1643 KiB  
Article
Hepatitis B Virus Chronic Infection in Blood Donors from Asian and African High or Medium Prevalence Areas: Comparison According to Sex
by Jean-Pierre Allain, Shirley Owusu-Ofori, Xianlin Ye, Cyrille Bisseye, Mira El Chaar and Chengyao Li
Viruses 2022, 14(4), 673; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14040673 - 24 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2141
Abstract
Immune control of various infectious diseases, particularly viral, was shown to be more efficient for females than males. Response to viral vaccines (HAV, HBV) was higher in females. Data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers accumulated over 15 years in blood donors was [...] Read more.
Immune control of various infectious diseases, particularly viral, was shown to be more efficient for females than males. Response to viral vaccines (HAV, HBV) was higher in females. Data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers accumulated over 15 years in blood donors was stratified according to sex, including HBsAg, HBV viral load and levels of anti-HBs in areas where genotypes B and C (China), genotype D (Iran, Lebanon, Tunisia) and genotype E (Ghana, Burkina Faso, Gabon) were prevalent. HBsAg was screened by either ELISA or rapid tests, anti-HBc and anti-HBs by ELISA, HBV DNA load by a standardized method across sites. In Ghanaian children less than 5 years, HBV DNA load was significantly lower in females than in males (p = 0.035). In China, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Gabon blood donors, median HBsAg prevalence was ~5% and 3% in China, ~8.5% and 4.5% in Gabon, ~16% and 11% in Burkina Faso and ~11% and 7% in Ghana for male and female donors, respectively (p < 0.001). In HBsAg+ Ghanaian blood donors, distribution and median viral load were not significantly different between sexes; occult hepatitis B infections (OBI) were significantly more frequent in males. In Chinese blood donor anti-HBc+ and anti-HBs+, anti-HBs levels tended to be higher in males but vaccinated donors’ anti-HBs+ only, while anti-HBs levels were females > males. In areas where genotypes B-E are dominant, the prevalence of chronic HBV infection (HBsAg+) seems better controlled before age 16–18 by females infected vertically or horizontally. OBIs appear considerably more frequent in men, suggesting lower efficacy of HBV infection control. Female blood donors appear significantly safer from HBV than males, and their donation should be encouraged. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection)
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Review

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14 pages, 1003 KiB  
Review
Circulating MicroRNAs as a Tool for Diagnosis of Liver Disease Progression in People Living with HIV-1
by Miguel Angel Martinez, Cristina Tural and Sandra Franco
Viruses 2022, 14(6), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14061118 - 24 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2356
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding specific cell mRNA targets, preventing their translation. miRNAs are implicated in the regulation of important physiological and pathological pathways. Liver disease, including injury, fibrosis, metabolism dysregulation, and tumor development disrupts [...] Read more.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding specific cell mRNA targets, preventing their translation. miRNAs are implicated in the regulation of important physiological and pathological pathways. Liver disease, including injury, fibrosis, metabolism dysregulation, and tumor development disrupts liver-associated miRNAs. In addition to their effect in the originating tissue, miRNAs can also circulate in body fluids. miRNA release is an important form of intercellular communication that plays a role in the physiological and pathological processes underlying multiple diseases. Circulating plasma levels of miRNAs have been identified as potential disease biomarkers. One of the main challenges clinics face is the lack of available noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting the different stages of liver disease (e.g., nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), particularly among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Liver disease is a leading cause of death unrelated to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Here, we review and discuss the utility of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of liver disease in PLWH. Remarkably, the identification of dysregulated miRNA expression may also identify targets for new therapeutics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HIV-1 and Hepatitis Virus Co-infection)
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