An outbreak of HIV-1 subtype G among Italian injecting drug users.

We describe an outbreak of subtype G among injecting drug users (IDU) in northern Italy newly infected with HIV. We analysed pol gene sequences from samples of 139 individuals from different risk groups. Non-B subtypes were more frequently detected among IDU than in homosexual or heterosexual contacts.

Unexpected drug-drug interaction between tipranavir/ritonavir and enfuvirtide.

Fifty-five patients placed on tipranavir/ritonavir 500/200 mg twice a day (27 with enfuvirtide and 28 without) underwent tipranavir and ritonavir plasma concentration measurements by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Markedly higher tipranavir and ritonavir trough concentrations were observed in enfuvirtide recipients. The modelling of sparse plasma samples using a first order absorption and elimination monocompartmental model without time lag predicted higher tipranavir elimination half-life and volume of distribution in enfuvirtide takers.

Resolution of HCV infection after highly active antiretroviral therapy in a HIV-HCV coinfected patient.

The effect of HAART on HCV infection and HCV-RNA plasma levels is controversial. We describe a patient with HIV-HCV coinfection with persistent disappearance of HCV-RNA after immunological and virological response to HAART, and we briefly discuss similar cases reported in the literature.

Vpr and HIV-1 disease progression: R77Q mutation is associated with long-term control of HIV-1 infection in different groups of patients.

Background: Vpr (viral protein R) is a 96 amino acids soluble protein that is expressed late during viral replication. Recent studies have focused on the role of a mutation at position 77 that might be associated with the condition of long-term non-progression, but data are still controversial.

Patients And Methods: Fifteen long-term non-progressors (LTNP), 19 therapy-naive HIV-1-infected patients with progressive disease (Pr), 23 HIV-1-infected patients receiving sub-optimal therapy with dual nucleoside [nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)] therapy but efficiently controlling viral replication (STP) and 19 antiretroviral therapy multi-experienced patients with actively replicating virus (MEP) were analysed.

The presence of anti-Tat antibodies is predictive of long-term nonprogression to AIDS or severe immunodeficiency: findings in a cohort of HIV-1 seroconverters.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 Tat protein plays a key role in the life cycle of the virus and in pathogenesis and is highly conserved among HIV subtypes. On the basis of this and of safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy findings in monkeys, Tat is being tested as a vaccine in phase 1 trials. Here, we evaluated the incidence and risk of progression to advanced HIV disease by anti-Tat serostatus in a cohort of 252 HIV-1 seroconverters.

The effect of hepatitis C on progression to AIDS before and after highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Objectives: To assess the effect of infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) on the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, before and after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Methods: We used data from a multi-centre prospective study of HIV seroconverters. Survival analyses were performed to compare the progression to AIDS by HCV serostatus in the period before HAART (i.

The relationship between nevirapine plasma concentrations and abnormal liver function tests.

Abnormal liver function tests are frequently observed in HIV-infected individuals receiving nevirapine (NVP). Here we investigate the relationship between total and unbound plasma concentrations of NVP and the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gammaGT). HIV-infected individuals [n = 85, 22 female, 34 hepatitis C or B virus (HCV or HBV(+))] receiving NVP (200 mg bd; median duration 66 weeks, range 3-189) and two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) were enrolled into this study.

Lopinavir protein binding in vivo through the 12-hour dosing interval.

Most protease inhibitors available for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are highly bound to plasma proteins, mainly alpha-1 acid glycoprotein. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of total protease inhibitor (PI) concentrations has been increasing in the past few years; however, the pharmacological activity of the PIs is dependent on unbound drug entering cells harboring HIV. There is little information available on unbound drug concentrations of these drugs in vivo.

Clearance of 14-3-3 protein from cerebrospinal fluid heralds the resolution of bacterial meningitis.

The 14-3-3 protein, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) marker of neuronal damage that was recently adopted for the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, is also found in the CSF of patients with a variety of neurological disorders. We prospectively studied 12 consecutive patients with purulent bacterial meningitis and found that 14-3-3 protein was detected in all patients at admission to the hospital. All patients who recovered cleared 14-3-3 protein from the CSF before discharge from the hospital (this was the first CSF marker to clear), whereas those who died never cleared the protein.

Identifying recent HIV infections using the avidity index and an automated enzyme immunoassay.

We evaluated a procedure for identifying recent HIV infections, using sequential serum samples from 47 HIV-positive persons for whom the seroconversion date could be accurately estimated. Each serum sample was divided into two aliquots: one diluted with phosphate-buffered saline and the other diluted with 1 M guanidine. We assayed the aliquots with the automated AxSYM HIV1/2gO test (Abbott Diagnostics Division), without modifying the manufacturer's protocol.

Pharmacokinetics of saquinavir co-administered with cimetidine.

The present study evaluated the effect of cimetidine, a histamine H(2) receptor antagonist able to inhibit cytochrome P450 metabolism, on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of saquinavir soft gel. Twelve healthy volunteers (eight males and four females) participated in an open-label, double-phase pharmacokinetic study. Volunteers took saquinavir soft gel 1200 mg three times a day for 13 days and then saquinavir soft gel 1200 mg twice a day with cimetidine 400 mg twice a day from day 14 to 26.

Precision and accuracy of a procedure for detecting recent human immunodeficiency virus infections by calculating the antibody avidity index by an automated immunoassay-based method.

We evaluated the precision and accuracy of a procedure for detecting recent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, specifically, the avidity index (AI) calculated using a method based on an automated AxSYM HIV 1/2gO assay (Abbott). To evaluate precision, we performed multiple replicates on eight HIV-positive serum samples. To evaluate the accuracy in identifying recent infections (i.

Clinical use of lopinavir/ritonavir in a salvage therapy setting: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Lopinavir/ritonavir was administered to 35 HIV-infected patients after therapeutic failure with other protease inhibitors. The pharmacokinetics (trough concentrations) and baseline viral genotype were determined, together with the immunovirological outcome. The 22 responders had significantly higher mean lopinavir concentrations and lower baseline numbers of mutations.

The unbound percentage of saquinavir and indinavir remains constant throughout the dosing interval in HIV positive subjects.

Aims: To measure the unbound plasma concentrations of saquinavir (SQV) and indinavir (IDV) and to relate them to the total plasma concentrations in order to establish the unbound percentage of protease inhibitors in vivo during a full dosage interval profile.

Methods: HIV-infected subjects (n = 35; median CD4 cell count = 340 x 10(6) cells l-1, range: 120-825; viral load < 50 copies ml-1 in 22/35) treated with SQV or IDV containing regimens were studied. Plasma drug samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12 h postdose for the twice daily regimens and 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 h for the three times daily regimens.