Limbic encephalitis secondary to HIV seroconversion

We present a case of acute limbic encephalitis secondary to HIV seroconversion. The patient made a gradual neurological recovery following treatment with antiretroviral therapy, steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin.     

Sexual risk behaviors and implications for secondary HIV transmission during and after HIV seroconversion

OBJECTIVES: To determine the potential for secondary HIV transmission among newly HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) during their HIV antibody seroconversion period, and for the 12 months after seroconversion. DESIGN: A cohort study. METHODS: Risk assessment questionnaires administered before receipt of the first positive HIV antibody result, plasma and seminal viral load measurements, and risk assessments one month and quarterly after receipt of the first HIV-positive test, and generalized estimating equation modelling techniques to analyse behavioral trends. RESULTS: Of 66 seroconverters, more than half reported unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with HIV-negative or unknown-serostatus partners during seroconversion, with 27% reporting insertive UAI with an HIV-negative partner. The initial median plasma viral load was 4.6 log/ml, the median seminal viral load was 2.7 log/ml, suggesting a high level of infectiousness. Compared with risk behavior during seroconversion, UAI with HIV-negative or unknown-serostatus partners was reduced after the receipt of positive antibody results; however, a substantial proportion of participants reported high-risk behaviors for transmission for 12 months of follow-up. After learning of their HIV infection, recent seroconverters did not reduce the risk of secondary transmission by engaging in proportionally more high-risk practices with HIV-infected partners (compared with HIV-negative or unknown-serostatus partners), or engaging in proportionally more receptive compared with insertive UAI. CONCLUSION: Substantial potential exists for secondary HIV transmission during and for one year after HIV seroconversion. Receipt of an HIV-positive test is associated with a significant reduction in risk behavior, reinforcing the need to identify and counsel recently HIV-infected MSM.     

Atypical presentation of HIV seroconversion illness in a young woman

Early detection and counselling of HIV-infected individuals can have an impact on prevention of HIV transmission. We describe an atypical presentation of an HIV seroconversion illness in a woman.     

Immunoglobulin levels in haemophiliacs at HIV seroconversion and during follow up

Summary Immunoglobulins and aminotransferases were followed in 66 haemophilia patients and 13 von Willebrand patients over a six-year period. The results were correlated to HIV serology and lymphocyte subsets. Elevated IgG levels were found in 29/53 patients with haemophilia A, 2/13 with haemophilia B and in 0/13 with von Willebrand's disease. Elevated IgA and IgM levels were seen in 20% and 27% of the patients respectively, with a distribution similar to the elevated IgG levels, except that elevated IgA and IgM levels were also seen in 4/13 patients with von Willebrand's disease. Patients with HIV antibodies had significantly higher immunoglobulin levels than seronegative patients, and this elevation occurred in connection with seroconversion in the majority of the former. The IgG levels could not be correlated to the T4 cell count, but there has been a trend to less clinical symptoms related to HIV infection among those with stable IgG levels during the past few years. No correlation was found between elevated IgG levels and the aminotransferase levels, nor was any correlation found with the amount of blood coagulation factor concentrate given to the patients. The elevation of immunoglobulins observed in our haemophiliacs is multifactorial, but HIV infection is maybe the most important mechanism. The longitudinal IgG pattern may contribute to the prediction of the clinical outcome of this infection.

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Immunglobulinspiegel bei Hämophilen zum Zeitpunkt der HIV-Serokonversion und bei Verlaufskontrollen

Zusammenfassung Bei 66 Patienten mit Hämophilie und 13 Patienten mit Morbus von Willebrand-Jürgens wurden über einen Zeitraum von sechs Jahren Bestimmungen der Immunglobulin- und Aminotransferase-Spiegel vorgenommen. Die Werte wurden mit der HIV-Serologie und Lymphozyten-Subpopulationen in Beziehung gebracht. Bei 29 von 53 Patienten mit Hämophilie A, zwei von 13 Patienten mit Hämophilie B und keinem von 13 Patienten mit M. von Willebrand-Jürgens fanden sich erhöhte IgG-Spiegel. Erhöhungen der IgA- und IgM-Spiegel fanden sich bei 20 bzw. 27% der Patienten, die Verteilung auf die Gruppen war ähnlich wie bei den IgG-Spiegeln, doch waren auch bei vier der 13 Patienten mit M. von Willebrand-Jürgens Titererhöhungen nachzuweisen. Bei Patienten mit HIV-Antikörpern fanden sich signifikant höhere Immunglobulin-Spiegel als bei seronegativen Patienten; bei der Mehrzahl der Fälle trat die Erhöhung in Verbindung mit der Serokonversion auf. Zwischen der Zahl der T4-Lymphozyten und IgG-Spiegeln fand sich keine Korrelation, doch bestand ein Trend zu geringfügigeren Symptomen der HIV-Infektion, wenn die IgG-Spiegel während der Beobachtungszeit von sechs Jahren stabil war. Die erhöhten IgG-Spiegel korrelierten nicht mit den Aminotransferase-Werten oder der Menge an applizierten Gerinnungsfaktor-Konzentraten. Für die bei unseren Hämophilie-Patienten beobachtete Immunglobulin-Erhöhung kommen viele Ursachen in Frage, doch könnte die HIV-Infektion der wichtigste Faktor sein. Longitudinale IgG-Muster sind möglicherweise als prädiktive Parameter für den klinischen Verlauf dieser Infektion zu verwerten.

     

Effective therapy has altered the spectrum of cause-specific mortality following HIV seroconversion

INTRODUCTION: Although HAART has led to a reduction in overall mortality among HIV-infected individuals, its impact on death from specific causes is unknown. METHODS: Twenty-two cohorts of HIV-infected individuals with known dates of seroconversion are pooled in the CASCADE collaboration. Causes of death (COD) were categorized into three AIDS-related and seven non-AIDS-related causes. The unknown causes were assigned a separate category. The cumulative incidence for each COD was calculated in the presence of the other competing COD, for the pre-HAART and HAART eras. A multivariate regression analyses for the cumulative rate of progression to the different COD was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1938 of 7680 HIV-seroconverters died. Pre-HAART, AIDS opportunistic infections (OI) was the most common COD, followed by unknown and HIV/AIDS-unspecified. In the HAART era, the cumulative incidence for all AIDS-related COD decreased, OI remaining the most important. Large reductions in death due to other infections and organ failure were seen. Cumulative death risk decreased in the HAART era for most causes. The effect of HAART was not the same for all risk groups. The cumulative risk of death from AIDS-related malignancies, OI and non-AIDS-related malignancies decreased significantly among homosexual men (MSM), whereas the risk of dying from (un)-intentional death increased significantly among injecting drug users (IDU). A non-significant increase in hepatitis/liver-related death was seen in MSM, IDU and haemophiliacs. CONCLUSION: Overall and cause specific mortality decreased following the introduction of HAART. OI remain the most common COD in the HAART era, suggesting that AIDS-related events will continue to be important in the future. Future trends in COD should be monitored using standardized guidelines.     

The impact of age,HIV serostatus and seroconversion on methamphetamine use

ABSTRACT

Background: Characterizing methamphetamine use in relation to age, HIV serostatus and seroconversion is pertinent given the increasingly older age of the population with HIV and the intertwined epidemics of methamphetamine use and HIV. Objectives: Study aims were to investigate whether (i) methamphetamine use differs by age and HIV serostatus, and (ii) receiving an HIV diagnosis impacts methamphetamine use among younger and older persons with HIV. Methods: This study examined methamphetamine use characteristics among 217 individuals with a lifetime methamphetamine dependence diagnosis who completed an in-person study assessment. Results: Multivariable regressions revealed that HIV serostatus uniquely attenuates methamphetamine use, such that persons with HIV report a smaller cumulative quantity (β = ?0.16, p = 0.01) and a fewer number of days (β = ?0.18, p = 0.004) of methamphetamine use than persons without HIV. Among the HIV+ sample, all participants persisted in methamphetamine use after receiving an HIV diagnosis, with about 20% initiating use after seroconversion. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that density of methamphetamine use (i.e. grams per day used) was greater among the younger, relative to the older, HIV+ group (p = 0.02), and increased for both age groups following seroconversion (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These analyses indicate that although HIV serostatus may attenuate methamphetamine use behaviors, many people with HIV initiate, or persist in, methamphetamine use after receiving an HIV diagnosis. These findings raise the question of whether tailoring of prevention and intervention strategies might reduce the impact of methamphetamine and HIV across the age continuum.     

陇川县14个艾滋病单阳家庭阴性配偶HIV阳转的原因分析

目的分析云南省陇川县艾滋病单阳家庭阴性配偶艾滋病病毒(HIV)阳转的原因。方法对2006年7月31日至2011年8月19日,发生HIV阳转的14个艾滋病单阳家庭进行一对一、面对面访谈。结果 14个艾滋病单阳家庭中,11例(另3例已死亡)HIV感染者和13例(1例已死亡)发生HIV阳转的配偶,在其阳转前一年内与其HIV感染配偶间性行为时均未能坚持使用安全套,其原因为:8个家庭的男性觉得使用安全套不舒服;2个家庭想要小孩;2个家庭的安全套用完后未及时补充;1个家庭属安全套使用方法不当;另有1个家庭的HIV感染者不想让其配偶知道自己感染了HIV。结论艾滋病家庭内二代传播的威胁依然存在,必须深入细致地了解单阳家庭未坚持使用安全套的原因,并促使每次性行为都能坚持正确使用安全套,以降低艾滋病单阳家庭阴性配偶HIV阳转率。     

Immunologic aberrations, HIV seropositivity and seroconversion rates in patients with hemophilia B

Because there have been reports that factor IX concentrate is less immunosuppressive and therefore factor IX users have less immunologic aberrations, we have studied a group of 22 patients with hemophilia B and six patients with factor VIII deficiency and high titer inhibitors with respect to lymphocyte numbers and function, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serology, and factor usage. This group was compared to 111 patients with hemophilia A and a group of 28 healthy male volunteer controls. When the study began in 1983, the majority of patients with hemophilia B and with higher titer factor VIII inhibitors were seronegative, 77% and 83% respectively, as compared to only 30% of patients with hemophilia A. At that time the factor IX users also had milder immune aberrations than the hemophilia A group. However, with time and increasing clotting factor concentrate usage, seroconversion and more striking abnormalities in immune function have occurred in the hemophilia B group. In a subgroup of 16 patients with hemophilia B studied twice, the incidence of seropositivity increased from 31% in 1983 to 69% in 1985. We thus conclude that factor IX concentrate in itself is not less immunosuppressive than factor VIII concentrate. Seroconversion in factor IX concentrate users appears to be lagging behind seroconversion in factor VIII concentrate users, perhaps secondary to the lower cumulative dosage of concentrate that patients with hemophilia B utilize.     

2012年河南省驻马店市HIV单阳家庭阴性配偶阳转情况及其影响因素分析

目的了解2012年河南省驻马店市艾滋病病毒（HIV）单阳家庭中,HIV阴性配偶的阳转情况及其影响因素。方法2012年7—12月,对河南省驻马店市单阳家庭进行横断面调查,收集HIV单阳家庭的基本信息、配偶间性行为信息、原阳者的治疗信息、CD4＋T淋巴细胞计数等,并对阴性配偶进行采血检测其HIV抗体阳转情况。结果共随访单阳家庭3850户,阴性配偶3850人,其中HIV抗体阳转17人,2012年驻马店市单阳家庭阴性配偶的HIV阳转率为0．44％。按原阳者性别分层,分别得到原阳者为男性的女性配偶阳转的危险因素为：近一年夫妻性生活不坚持使用安全套[比值比（OR）=31．176,95％可信区间（CI）：6．617-146．884,P〈0．0001]。原阳者为女性的男性配偶阳转的危险因素为：近一年夫妻性生活不坚持使用安全套（OR=37．859,95％CI：10．058～142．504,P〈0．0001）,近一年夫妻性生活频次〉2次／月（OR=5．875,95％CI：1．200～28．771,P=0．0289）,最近一次CD4＋T淋巴细胞计数≤350个／μL（OR=5．983,95％CI：1．213～29．503,P=0．0280）。综合来看,家庭内配偶间HIV传播的影响因素为：近一年夫妻性生活不坚持使用安全套（OR=32．557,95％CI：11．772-90．042,P〈0．0001）,近一年夫妻性生活频次〉2次／月（OR=5．630,95％CI：1．775-17．854,P=0．0033）,最近一次CD4＋T淋巴细胞计数≤350个／μL（OR=4．895,95％CI：1．536-15．606,P=0．0073）。结论驻马店市HIV单阳家庭阴性配偶阳转率较低,仍需要加强安全套的宣传以及CD4＋T淋巴细胞计数和病毒载量的检测工作。