Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Prevalence and Association with Inflammatory Cytokines Among Sexual and Gender Minorities Living With and Without HIV-1 from Lagos, Nigeria.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is common globally and contributes significantly to the risk of acquiring HIV-1, yet these two sexually transmitted infections have not been sufficiently characterized for sexual and gender minorities (SGM) across Sub-Saharan Africa. To help fill this gap, we performed a retrospective study using plasma and serum samples from 183 SGM enrolled at the Lagos site of the TRUST/RV368 cohort in Nigeria, assayed them for HSV-2 antibodies with the Kalon ELISA and plasma cytokines and chemokines with Luminex, and correlated the findings with HIV-1 viral loads (VLs) and CD4 counts. We found an overall HSV-2 prevalence of 36.

Anorectal and Urogenital Mycoplasma genitalium in Nigerian Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women: Prevalence, Incidence, and Association With HIV.

Among 413 Nigerian men who have sex with men and transgender women, retrospective testing for Mycoplasma genitalium revealed mostly asymptomatic infections of the anorectum (prevalence, 36.8%; incidence, 18.4 cases/100 person-years) and urogenital tract (12.

New Subtype B Containing HIV-1 Circulating Recombinant of sub-Saharan Africa Origin in Nigerian Men Who Have Sex With Men.

Background: HIV-1 circulating recombinant forms (CRF) containing subtype B are uncommon in sub-Saharan Africa. Prevalent infections observed during enrollment of a prospective study of men who have sex with men (MSM) from Lagos, Nigeria, revealed the presence of a family of subtype B and CRF02_AG recombinants. This report describes the HIV-1 genetic diversity within a high-risk, high-prevalence, and previously undersampled cohort of Nigerian MSM.

Biomarkers of Inflammation Correlate With Clinical Scoring Indices in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Kenyans.

Background: In high-income countries, inflammation has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals despite treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, these findings may not be generalizable to low-income settings.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, multivariable linear regression was used to compare 28 inflammatory biomarker levels in HIV-infected and -uninfected participants.

Molecular screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance markers in Nigerian men who have sex with men and transgender women.

Antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is a global public health issue that threatens effectiveness of current treatments of NG. Increased use of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) in lieu of cultures makes obtaining clinical isolates for susceptibility testing difficult and samples collected in commercial transport buffer for NAATs do not preserve viable organism, while molecular methods of assessing antibiotic susceptibility do not require viable organism. We evaluated 243 NG-positive samples in Aptima transport media including urine, oral, and rectal swabs from Nigerian men who have sex with men for markers to penicillinase-producing NG, ciprofloxacin ( GyrA and ParC mutations), and extended spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs, PenA mosaic [allele X], PonA, mtrR, PorB mutations) by real-time PCR.

Asymptomatic lymphogranuloma venereum among Nigerian men who have sex with men.

Objectives: Recent outbreaks of anorectal lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) have been characterised by proctocolitis requiring extended antibiotic treatment compared with infections caused by other serovars of (CT). We describe the prevalence and clinical features of LGV among Nigerian MSM diagnosed with anorectal CT.

Methods: MSM were recruited for this observational cohort in Lagos, Nigeria, using respondent-driven sampling and screened for HIV and bacterial STIs every three months for up to 18 months.

The role of natural killer (NK) cells and NK cell receptor polymorphisms in the assessment of HIV-1 neutralization.

The importance of innate immune cells in HIV-1 pathogenesis and protection has been highlighted by the role of natural killer (NK) cells in the containment of viral replication. Use of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in immunologic studies provides both HIV-1 target cells (ie. CD4+ T cells), as well as anti-HIV-1 effector cells, such as NK cells.