Publications by authors named "Mario Sarcletti"
Background: In this study, we characterized the HPV genotype distribution in a population of 489 adults already positive for HPV DNA. The study population was divided into two groups: 244 HIV-positive (HIV+) men who have sex with men (MSM) undergoing routine anal screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and 245 women undergoing routine cervical cancer screening. Acknowledging the fact that women and MSM represent two independent circles of sexual practices, which are-largely-exclusive of each other, we were interested in determining if particular genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) disproportionately predominate in one of these circles compared to the other.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Asymptomatic pharyngeal gonorrhoea could play an important role in transmission and should be screened for in persons at risk. We investigated the sensitivity of oral gargle samples to detect N. gonorrhoea and describe the frequency of infection by anatomical site.
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- The study aimed to evaluate how well the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index 2.0 predicts specific causes of death in people with HIV (PWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), which could improve targeted healthcare interventions.
- It involved analyzing data from over 59,000 PWH who started ART between 2000 and 2018, calculating their VACS scores and examining the relationship between these scores and causes of death through various statistical models.
- Findings revealed that the VACS Index 2.0 was particularly effective at predicting deaths from AIDS-related causes and other measurable health issues, but less reliable for predicting suicides or accidental deaths.
Associations between change in BMI and the risk of hypertension and dyslipidaemia in people receiving integrase strand-transfer inhibitors, tenofovir alafenamide, or both compared with other contemporary antiretroviral regimens: a multicentre, prospective observational study from the RESPOND consortium cohorts.
Lancet HIV
May 2024
Background: Integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) and tenofovir alafenamide have been associated with weight gain in several clinical trials and observational cohorts. However, whether weight gain associated with INSTIs and tenofovir alafenamide confers a higher risk of weight-related clinical events is unclear. We aimed to assess whether changes in BMI differentially increase hypertension or dyslipidaemia risk in people with HIV receiving INSTIs, tenofovir alafenamide, or both versus other contemporary regimens.
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- Serovar L1-L3 of Chlamydia trachomatis causes lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), with rising cases among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), making differentiation between LGV and other CT infections crucial for treatment.
- A study analyzed 2,083 CT infections from 1,479 patients in Austria between 2014 and 2021, revealing that LGV was found in 15% of cases and accounted for 23% of rectal CT infections in MSM.
- Most LGV cases were among MSM, often HIV-positive, and frequently included concurrent syphilis; interestingly, 45% of LGV cases were asymptomatic, indicating the need
Article Synopsis
- - The incidence of pyogenic spondylodiscitis is rising in Europe and North America, possibly due to more people with risk factors, but it's unclear how much HIV, even with effective ART, contributes to this risk.
- - The study presents seven cases of pyogenic spondylodiscitis in six HIV patients on ART, all showing severe pain and high inflammatory markers; diagnosis was confirmed through MRI and pathogen isolation.
- - Surgical intervention was necessary for all patients, with an average antibiotic treatment lasting about 17 weeks; five patients fully recovered while one patient died from multi-organ failure, highlighting the growing risk for spondylodiscitis in older HIV patients with comorbidities.
Article Synopsis
- Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease marked by specific granulomas, but similar findings can result from infections, making accurate diagnosis crucial for proper treatment.
- A case of a 31-year-old woman who was misdiagnosed with sarcoidosis revealed a serious infection caused by Mycobacterium genavense due to an immunodeficiency linked to the IL-12Rβ1 gene.
- The patient improved on antimycobacterial treatment and interferon therapy, highlighting the need to consider infections as potential causes of sarcoid-like lesions.
Article Synopsis
- Vaccination against seasonal influenza is crucial for HIV-infected individuals, yet limited data exist on the impact of repeated vaccinations in this group.
- In a study of 344 HIV-infected adults, high seroprotection rates were observed after vaccination, though younger patients had notably lower responses for the A/H3N2 strain compared to older adults.
- Overall, previous vaccination history improved seroprotection rates, while higher immune activation and detectable viral loads hinted at poorer vaccine responses, indicating that age and prior exposure significantly influence vaccination outcomes among HIV-infected individuals.
Objectives: Phylogenetic analyses of 2 or more countries allow to detect differences in transmission dynamics of local HIV-1 epidemics beyond differences in demographic characteristics.
Methods: A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was built using pol -sequences of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) and the Austrian HIV Cohort Study (AHIVCOS), with international background sequences. Three types of phylogenetic cherries (clusters of size 2) were analyzed further: (1) domestic cherries; (2) international cherries; and (3) SHCS/AHIVCOS-cherries.
Objective: To compare the incidence of hypertension in people living with HIV receiving integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) versus non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) or boosted protease inhibitors (PIs) in the RESPOND consortium of HIV cohorts.
Methods: Eligible people with HIV were aged ≥18 years who initiated a new three-drug ART regimen for the first time (baseline), did not have hypertension, and had at least two follow-up blood pressure (BP) measurements. Hypertension was defined as two consecutive systolic BP measurements ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg or initiation of antihypertensives.
A Lower CD4 Count Predicts Most Causes of Death except Cardiovascular Deaths. The Austrian HIV Cohort Study.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
November 2021
(1) Objective: To investigate changes in mortality rates and predictors of all-cause mortality as well as specific causes of death over time among HIV-positive individuals in the combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) era. (2) Methods: We analyzed all-cause as well as cause-specific mortality among the Austrian HIV Cohort Study between 1997 and 2014. Observation time was divided into five periods: Period 1: 1997-2000; period 2: 2001-2004; period 3: 2005-2008; period 4: 2009-2011; and period 5: 2012-2014.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Weight gain effects of individual antiretroviral drugs are not fully understood. We investigated associations between a prespecified clinically significant increase (>7%) in body-mass index (BMI) and contemporary antiretroviral use.
Methods: The International Cohort Consortium of Infectious Diseases (RESPOND) is a prospective, multicohort collaboration, including data from 17 well established cohorts and over 29 000 people living with HIV.
Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness, safety, and reasons for premature discontinuation of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in a diverse population of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected individuals in Europe.
Methods: All HIV/HCV coinfected individuals in the EuroSIDA study that started interferon free DAA treatment between January 6, 2014, and January 3, 2018, with ≥12 weeks of follow-up after treatment stop were included in this analysis. Sustained virological response (SVR) was defined as a negative HCV-RNA result ≥12 weeks after stopping treatment (SVR12).
Objective: The aim of the study was to assess coronary artery disease (CAD) characteristics by coronary computed tomography-angiography (CCTA) in individuals with HIV infection on long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) DESIGN:: Retrospective case-controlled matched cohort study.
Methods: Sixty-nine HIV-positive patients who underwent 128-slice dual source CCTA (mean age 54.9 years, 26.
Objective: HIV positive individuals, particularly men having sex with men (MSM), are at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at genital and extra-genital sites. Data on anorectal Ureaplasma infections are lacking. The aim of our study was to characterize anal Ureaplasma positivity among a cohort of HIV positive MSM and evaluate possible association with papillomavirus infection at the same site.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) and 69th World Health Assembly approved the first global health sector strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis with the goal to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections worldwide. The aim is a 90% reduction of new infections and 65% reduction of HCV-related deaths by 2030.
Aim: This study reports on the epidemiology of HCV infections in the Austrian state of Tyrol (total population 750,000) and uses a predictive model to identify how the WHO strategy for elimination of HCV can be achieved.
Background. Viral loads (VLs) detectable at low levels are not uncommon in patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). We investigated whether a single quantifiable VL predicted virological failure (VF).
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- The study investigates factors related to low-level viraemia (LLV) and virological failure (VF) in patients under combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) for HIV.
- Out of 2276 participants, 86.6% had viral loads below quantification limits, while 9.8% experienced LLV and 3.6% faced VF, with interruptions in cART and specific therapies increasing risks.
- Younger patients, those from high-prevalence countries, and male injecting drug users were more likely to face VF, highlighting the importance of adherence to treatment and the diagnostic methods used for monitoring viral loads.
Introduction: While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased the survival of HIV patients and turned HIV infection into a chronic condition, treatment modifications and poor adherence might limit this therapeutic success.
Methods: Patients from the Austrian HIV Cohort Study, who started their first ART after Rilpivirine became available in February 2011, were analyzed for factors associated with treatment modification which could be either a change of drugs or a stop of the regimen. A drug was considered as stopped when the regimen was interrupted for more than eight days.
Introduction: For some patients, it remains a challenge to achieve complete virological suppression which is the goal of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Identifying factors associated with low-level viraemia (LLV) and virological failure (VF) under ART might help to optimize management of these patients.
Materials And Methods: We investigated patients from the Austrian HIV Cohort Study receiving unmodified ART for >6 months with two nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) with either a non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) or a boosted protease inhibitor (PI) or an integrase inhibitor (INSTI) between 1 July 2012 and 1 July 2013 with at least one viral load (VL) measurement below the limit of detection (BLD) or below level of quantification (BLQ) in their treatment history.