Impact of antiretroviral and tuberculosis therapies on CD4 and CD8 HIV/M. tuberculosis-specific T-cell in co-infected subjects.

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) changed HIV clinical management but it is still unclear how pre-existing HIV/Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cells are restored.

Aim: to evaluate the impact of ART and TB therapies on the functional and phenotypic profile of Mtb-specific antigen-response of CD4 and CD8 T-cells in prospectively enrolled HIV-TB co-infected patients.

Immune characterization of the HBHA-specific response in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected patients with or without HIV infection.

Introduction: RD1-based Interferon-γ Release Assays (IGRAs) cannot distinguish latent from active tuberculosis (TB) disease. Conversely, a positive response to heparin-binding haemagglutinin (HBHA)-based IGRAs, among TB-infected subjects, correlates with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) containment and low risk of TB progression. The aim of this study was to characterize HBHA-immune responses in HIV-infected and uninfected subjects with active TB or latent TB infection (LTBI).

Polyfunctional T-cells and effector memory phenotype are associated with active TB in HIV-infected patients.

Objectives: Polyfunctional T-cells associate with chronic viral infection control while their involvement in tuberculosis (TB) is unclear. We evaluated TB-specific polyfunctional T-cell response and memory status in antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve HIV-infected patients from a low TB-endemic country.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled HIV-infected patients, 12 with active TB (HIV-TB) and 15 with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI).

The potential impact of routine testing of individuals with HIV indicator diseases in order to prevent late HIV diagnosis.

Background: The aim of our work was to evaluate the potential impact of the European policy of testing for HIV all individuals presenting with an indicator disease, to prevent late diagnosis of HIV. We report on a retrospective analysis among individuals diagnosed with HIV to assess whether a history of certain diseases prior to HIV diagnosis was associated with the chance of presenting late for care, and to estimate the proportion of individuals presenting late who could have been diagnosed earlier if tested when the indicator disease was diagnosed.

Methods: We studied a large cohort of individuals newly diagnosed with HIV infection in 13 counselling and testing sites in the Lazio Region, Italy (01/01/2004-30/04/2009).

IFNγ/TNFα specific-cells and effector memory phenotype associate with active tuberculosis.

Objectives: Controversial results were reported on the role of polyfunctional T-cells in tuberculosis (TB). Our aim was to simultaneously characterize the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-specific immune response as cytokine production and memory phenotype by flow cytometry after in vitro stimulation with region of difference 1 ("RD1") recombinant proteins (ESAT-6 and CFP-10) in patients at different TB stage in a low TB endemic country. To assess the specificity of these findings, we evaluated the response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), an unrelated antigen.

Neurocognitive performance and quality of life in patients with HIV infection.

We examined the relationship of HIV-related cognitive impairment and health-related quality of life (QoL). Subjects were administered measures of cognitive function (a battery of 17 neuropsychological tests) and of QoL (the MOS-HIV questionnaire). Study measures also included comprehensive clinical and neurological evaluation, laboratory testing, and brain imaging studies in patients with impaired neuropsychological evaluation.