Short communication: Does interleukin-28B single nucleotide polymorphisms influence the natural history of hepatitis B?

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) nearby the IL28B gene have been associated with spontaneous hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance and response to interferon-based therapies in both monoinfected and HIV-coinfected patients. However, its impact on spontaneous clearance of HBV (the pathogenesis of which is also related to interferon) is less known. A case-control study was performed.

HCV-specific T-cell responses in HIV/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy are comparable to those observed in hepatitis C virus-monoinfected individuals.

Background: Cellular responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV) are impaired in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients showing uncontrolled viral replication and immune suppression. Very few studies have explored to what extent HCV-specific response improves as a consequence of control of HIV replication by highly active antiretroviral therapy. We compared HCV-specific T-cell responses between HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, showing complete viral suppression, and HCV-monoinfected patients.

Short communication: use of serum bilirubin levels as surrogate marker of early virological response to atazanavir-based antiretroviral therapy.

Given that atazanavir (ATV) increases bilirubin in an exposure-dependent manner, we tested whether bilirubin levels could be used as a surrogate of virological response to ATV-based regimens in 182 patients. Bilirubin increases of ≥0.7 mg/dl were independently associated with early virological response with an odds ratio of 5.

Short communication: severe immune suppression in patients infected with R5-tropic HIV-1 strains is associated with increased gp120 net charge at variable regions.

CXCR4-tropic viruses have been associated with advanced immune suppression. However, 50% of patients with AIDS exclusively harbor CCR5-tropic viruses. The net charge at HIV-1 envelope gp120 variable regions was examined in 66 HIV-1-infected individuals with CCR5-tropic viruses, of whom 30 had less than 200 cells/mm(3).

Clinical and virological outcomes in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis B on long-term nucleos(t)ide analogues.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common in HIV-positive individuals and increases liver-related mortality. Nucleos(t)ide analogues with activity against both HBV and HIV are widely used in coinfected patients, but its long-term effect on liver disease is unknown.

Methods: Clinical outcomes, HBsAg and/or HBeAg clearance, and changes in liver stiffness were longitudinally evaluated retrospectively in all HIV-HBV-coinfected individuals followed at our institution.