HIV Care in Ukrainian Migrants in Two European Countries: All the Same?

War in Ukraine prompted an enormous refugee influx into Europe, including approximately 4200 people with HIV. The unique healthcare features of Ukrainian refugees living with HIV were compared between two infectious disease departments in Bonn, Germany, and Szczecin, Poland. This is a retrospective study on 161 people living with HIV (PLWH) refugees from Ukraine seeking care in Bonn (n = 30) and Szczecin (n = 131) between April 2022 and May 2023.

Deficient Immune Response following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients with Hepatobiliary Carcinoma: A Forgotten, Vulnerable Group of Patients.

Introduction: Data on immune response rates following vaccination for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with hepatobiliary carcinoma (HBC) are rare. However, impaired immunogenicity must be expected due to the combination of chronic liver diseases (CLDs) with malignancy and anticancer treatment.

Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal study, 101 patients were included, of whom 59 were patients with HBC under anticancer treatment.

Major revision version 12.0 of the European AIDS Clinical Society guidelines 2023.

Background: The European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines were revised in 2023 for the 19th time, and all aspects of HIV care were updated.

Key Points Of The Guidelines Update: Version 12.0 of the guidelines recommend the same six first-line treatment options for antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve adults as versions 11.

Prognostic value of non-invasive scores based on liver stiffness measurement, spleen diameter and platelets in HIV-infected patients.

Background And Aims: People living with HIV (PLWH) are at high risk for advanced chronic liver disease and related adverse outcomes. We aimed to validate the prognostic value of non-invasive scores based on liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and on markers of portal hypertension (PH), namely platelets and spleen diameter, in PLWH.

Methods: We combined data from eight international cohorts of PLWH with available non-invasive scores, including LSM and the composite biomarkers liver stiffness-spleen size-to-platelet ratio score (LSPS), LSM-to-Platelet ratio (LPR) and PH risk score.

People living with HIV, HCV and HIV/HCV coinfection in intensive care in a German tertiary referral center 2014-2019.

Purpose: The epidemiology of HIV-infected individuals on the Medical Intensive Care Units (MICU) has changed after profound progress in treatment of AIDS-defining illnesses and anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Changes of MICU utilization of Hepatitis C (HCV) patients following roll-out of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) are yet to evaluate.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study on all patients with HIV, HIV/HCV and HCV admitted to the MICU of University Hospital Bonn 2014-2019.

HIV-Associated Microbial Translocation May Affect Cytokine Production of CD56bright NK Cells via Stimulation of Monocytes.

The mechanisms involved in HIV-associated natural killer (NK) cell impairment are still incompletely understood. We observed HIV infection to be associated with increased plasma levels of IFABP, a marker for gut epithelial barrier dysfunction, and LBP, a marker for microbial translocation. Both IFABP and LBP plasma concentrations were inversely correlated with NK cell interferon-γ production, suggesting microbial translocation to modulate NK cell functions.

Comparative Analysis of Antibody Titers against the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Infected Patient Cohorts and Diverse Vaccination Regimes.

The presence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 correlates with protection against infection and severe COVID-19 disease courses. Understanding the dynamics of antibody development against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is important for recommendations on vaccination strategies and on control of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates the dynamics and extent of α-Spike-Ab development by different vaccines manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Against SARS-CoV-2 After Natural Infection Is More Potent Than After Vaccination.

We compared the ability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike-specific antibodies to induce natural killer cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in patients with natural infection and vaccinated persons. Analyzing plasma samples from 39 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and 11 vaccinated individuals, significant induction of ADCC could be observed over a period of more than 3 months in both vaccinated and recovered individuals. Although plasma antibody concentrations were lower in recovered patients, we found antibodies elicited by natural infection induced a significantly stronger ADCC response compared to those induced by vaccination, which may affect protection conferred by vaccination.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction Contributes to Impaired Cytokine Production of CD56bright Natural Killer Cells From Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals Under Effective Antiretroviral Therapy.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with impaired natural killer (NK) cell activity, which is only incompletely restored under antiretroviral therapy. Analyzing the bioenergetics profiles of oxygen consumption, we observed that several parameters were significantly reduced in HIV+ NK cells, indicating a mitochondrial defect. Accordingly, we found HIV+ CD56bright NK cells to display a decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial mass.

[HIV Test in Pregnancy - 100% Not Reached in 2020].

Introduction: In 2019 38 million people were living with HIV worldwide, more than half of them girls and women. Knowledge about maternal HIV status enables HIV transmission prophylaxis, reducing mother-to-child transmission<1%. We aimed to investigate the implementation of the mandatory documentation of counseling and optional HIV testing in the maternity records as recommended in the German maternity guidelines.

The association between hepatitis B virus infection and nonliver malignancies in persons living with HIV: results from the EuroSIDA study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on non-liver malignancies in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods: All persons aged ≥ 18 years with known hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) status after the latest of 1 January 2001 and enrolment in the EuroSIDA cohort (baseline) were included in the study; persons were categorized as HBV positive or negative using the latest HBsAg test and followed to their first diagnosis of nonliver malignancy or their last visit.

Results: Of 17 485 PLWH included in the study, 1269 (7.

Stratifying the risk of NAFLD in patients with HIV under combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).

Background: De novo steatosis is the main criteria for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is becoming a clinically relevant comorbidity in HIV-infected patients. This may be due to the HIV virus itself, as well as long-term toxicities deriving from antiretroviral therapy. Therefore, HIV infected patients require prevention and monitoring regarding NAFLD.

SARS-CoV-2 seroconversions and chains of infection in healthcare professionals in a German maximum care provider (The CoSHeP study).

Introduction: The CoSHeP study provides novel data on SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion rates in healthcare professionals (HP) at risk at the University Hospital Bonn, a maximum healthcare provider in a region of 900.000 inhabitants.

Methods: Single-center, longitudinal observational study investigating rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroconversion in HP at 2 time-points.

Obstacles to HBV functional cure: Late presentation in HIV and its impact on HBV seroconversion in HIV/HBV coinfection.

Several cohorts have shown that long-term tenofovir-containing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) leads to higher HBsAg seroclearance rates in HIV/HBV coinfected patients vs HBV-monoinfected patients under tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based therapy. We have analysed data on determinants of HBsAg loss in a retrospective multicentric cohort of 359 HIV/HBV coinfected patients. Median CD4 T-cell count at baseline was 359/ul (321-404), CDC stage was C in 20% (n = 70).

Hepatitis B virus subgenotype F3 reactivation with vaccine escape mutations: A case report and review of the literature.

Hepatitis B represents a global health threat because its chronic course and sequelae contribute to a high morbidity and mortality. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can be controlled by vaccines, antiviral treatment, and by interrupting transmission. Rare vaccine escape mutants are serious because they eliminate vaccine protection.