High Resolution HLA ∼A, ∼B, ∼C, ∼DRB1, ∼DQA1, and ∼DQB1 Diversity in South African Populations.

Lack of HLA data in southern African populations hampers disease association studies and our understanding of genetic diversity in these populations. We aimed to determine HLA diversity in South African populations using high resolution HLA ∼A, ∼B, ∼C, ∼DRB1, ∼DQA1 and ∼DQB1 data, from 3005 previously typed individuals. We determined allele and haplotype frequencies, deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), linkage disequilibrium (LD) and neutrality test.

Recombination Between High-Risk Human Papillomaviruses and Non-Human Primate Papillomaviruses: Evidence of Ancient Host Switching Among Alphapapillomaviruses.

We use all the currently known 405 Papillomavirus (PV) sequences, 343 curated PV sequences from both humans and animals from the PAVE data base, to analyse the recombination dynamics of these viruses at the whole genome levels. After showing some evidence of human and non-human primate PV recombination, we report a comprehensive recombination analysis of all currently known 82 Alphapapillomaviruses (Alpha-PVs). We carried out an exploratory study and found novel recombination events between High-Risk HPV Types and Macaca fascicularis PV1 (MfPV1), Macaca Fuscata PV2 (MfuPV2) and Pan Paniscus PV1 (PpPV1) Papillomaviruses.

KIR and HLA-C Genetic Polymorphisms Influence Plasma IP-10 Concentration in Antiretroviral Therapy-Naive HIV-Infected Adult Zimbabweans.

Past studies on the relationship between Killer cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genetic variation and chronic immune activation (CIA) in HIV infection are not uniformly consistent. Moreover, interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10) is a soluble biomarker of immune activation, with high plasma concentrations predicting accelerated disease progression in HIV infection. Thus, we investigated the association of KIR and HLA-C genetic polymorphisms with plasma IP-10 concentration in 183 treatment-naive chronically HIV-infected adults of Bantu origin from Zimbabwe.

HLA-C*18:01 and KIR2DL2+C1 genetic variants are associated with low viral load in cART naïve HIV-infected adult Zimbabweans.

Introduction: Polymorphisms in killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene families are implicated in differential outcomes of HIV infection. However, research findings on the influence of KIR and HLA-C polymorphism on HIV disease progression remain inconclusive. We thus investigated the association of KIR and HLA-C gene polymorphisms with plasma HIV load (VL) and CD4+ T lymphocyte (CD4) count in 183 chronically HIV-infected, combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) naïve Zimbabweans of Bantu origin.

Human Leukocyte Antigen-A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1 Allele and Haplotype Frequencies in a Subset of 237 Donors in the South African Bone Marrow Registry.

Human leukocyte antigen- (HLA-) A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1, and HLA-DQB1 allele and haplotype frequencies were studied in a subset of 237 volunteer bone marrow donors registered at the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR). Hapl-o-Mat software was used to compute allele and haplotype frequencies from individuals typed at various resolutions, with some alleles in multiple allele code (MAC) format. Four hundred and thirty-eight HLA-A, 235 HLA-B, 234 HLA-DRB1, 41 HLA-DQB1, and 29 HLA-C alleles are reported.

Plasma IP-10 Concentrations Correlate Positively with Viraemia and Inversely with CD4 Counts in Untreated HIV Infection.

Background: Chronic immune activation is a feature of HIV infection associated with accelerated HIV disease progression. There is conflicting data on the association of biomarkers of immune activation with traditional markers of HIV disease progression; CD4 counts and viral load (VL).

Objective: The study aimed to determine the association of biomarkers of immune activation; interferon (IFN)-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10) and soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14) in chronic HIV infection with traditional markers of HIV disease progression.

KIR Gene Content Diversity in a Zimbabwean Population: Does KIR2DL2 Have a Role in Protection Against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection?

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) mediate natural killer cell function through interaction with their cognate human leukocyte antigen ligands. Thus, KIR gene variants have been implicated in resistance or susceptibility to viral infections. However, research on the role of these variants remains contradictory and inconclusive.

Human Leukocyte Antigen Diversity: A Southern African Perspective.

Despite the increasingly well-documented evidence of high genetic, ethnic, and linguistic diversity amongst African populations, there is limited data on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) diversity in these populations. HLA is part of the host defense mechanism mediated through antigen presentation to effector cells of the immune system. With the high disease burden in southern Africa, HLA diversity data is increasingly important in the design of population-specific vaccines and the improvement of transplantation therapeutic interventions.

Frequency of Betapapillomavirus infections among HIV infected and uninfected Black Zimbabweans with cutaneous lesions.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) types from the Betapapillomavirus (β-HPV) genus are plentiful in non-melanoma skin cancers and warts among Caucasians, but there is paucity of information among black Africans. To determine the frequency of β-HPV genotypes in cutaneous infections among Black Zimbabweans, a cross-sectional study was carried out in which blood samples and skin biopsies were collected from patients infected and uninfected with HIV attending a referral hospital. We included 144 participants (72 infected and 72 uninfected with HIV) with clinically apparent cutaneous warts (n = 34), suspected non-melanoma skin cancers (n = 98) and Kaposi sarcoma (KS) (n = 18).

Prevalence of Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis among Archived Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis Isolates in Zimbabwe.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of second line drug resistance patterns and genetic diversity of MDR-TB isolates archived at the BRTI-TB Laboratory, Harare, between January 2007 and December 2011. DSTs were performed for second line antituberculosis drugs. XDR-TB strains were defined as MDR-TB strains with resistance to either kanamycin and ofloxacin or capreomycin and ofloxacin.

Surveillance of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance among HIV-1 infected women attending antenatal clinics in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe.

The rapid scale-up of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and use of single dose Nevirapine (SD NVP) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (pMTCT) have raised fears about the emergence of resistance to the first line antiretroviral drug regimens. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of primary drug resistance (PDR) in a cohort of young (<25 yrs) HAART-naïve HIV pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. Whole blood was collected in EDTA for CD4 counts, viral load, serological estimation of duration of infection using the BED Calypte assay and genotyping for drug resistance.