HIV-1 Integrase Resistance among Highly Antiretroviral Experienced Patients from Morocco.

Background: We aimed to analyze for the first time in Morocco the integrase (IN) sequence variability among highly experienced HIV-1-infected patients with no prior IN strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) exposure who failed on reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors.

Methods: The HIV-1 IN region was sequenced from plasma samples of all 78 recruited patients. The amino acid IN sequences were HIV-1 subtyped and screened for the presence of polymorphisms against the HxB2 clade B consensus sequence by the geno2pheno subtyping tool and interpreted for drug resistance according to the Stanford algorithm.

Prevalence of resistance to integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) among untreated HIV-1 infected patients in Morocco.

Objective: The integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are an important class in the arsenal of antiretroviral drugs designed to block the integration of HIV-1 cDNA into the host DNA through the inhibition of DNA strand transfer. In this study for the first time in Morocco, the complete HIV-1 integrase gene was analysed from newly diagnosed patients to evaluate the prevalence of natural polymorphisms and INSTIs resistance-associated mutations in the integrase gene.

Results: The 864pb IN coding region was successfully sequenced from plasma sample for 77 among 80 antiretroviral naïve patients.

The single nucleotide polymorphism +936 C/T VEGF is associated with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression in Moroccan breast cancer women.

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent regulator of angiogenesis, is involved in the development and progression of breast cancer (BC). The functional +936 C/T polymorphism of the VEGF-A gene has been implicated in BC susceptibility; however, published data are conflicting. In the current case-control study, we analyzed the association of the +936 C/T polymorphism with BC risk and tumor markers expression, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu) and caner antigen 15.

Investigating the association of vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms with breast cancer: a Moroccan case-control study.

The main mediator of breast cancer (BC) angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Variation of VEGF-A gene may influence the BC susceptibility. The present case-control study investigated the association of the four commonly studied single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of VEGF-A, namely: -1154A/G (rs1570360), -2578C/A (rs699947), -634G/C (rs2010963) and -460T/C (rs833061) with BC susceptibility and aggressiveness in Moroccan women.

Reactivation of cytomegalovirus in a patient with stevens-johnson syndrome-toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse cutaneous reactions to drugs. We describe the case of a 19 year old patient with SJS/TEN overlap syndrome, who developed severe interstitial pneumonia after she had received antiepileptic drugs. A cytomegalovirus infection was diagnosed by Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) detection on Bronchoalveolar lavage.

Range-reference determination of lymphocyte subsets in Moroccan blood donors.

Background: Information on lymphocyte populations (T, B, and Natural killer cells) and subpopulations (CD4 and CD8) in Morocco is scarce if not inexistent.

Objective: To establish a reference value of these cells in 242 Moroccan young adult blood donors by flow cytometry.

Results: Smokers had significantly higher total leukocyte count (p < 0.

Factors influencing uptake of influenza vaccine amongst healthcare workers in a regional center after the A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic: lessons for improving vaccination rates.

Background: Vaccination of health-care workers (HCWs) against seasonal influenza has been consistently recommended worldwide in order to prevent nosocomial transmission and ensure delivery of health-care services during outbreaks. Overall, immunization rates were low across all nation, including among HCWs. Little is known about the acceptability and compliance with seasonal influenza vaccine among HCWs after the A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic.

Drug resistance mutations in HIV type 1 isolates from patients failing antiretroviral therapy in Morocco.

The emergence of viral-resistant strains is a major problem for the medical management of HIV-infected individuals. The aim of this study was to characterize viral subtypes and drug-resistance mutations (DRMs) in HIV-1 isolates from patients failing antiretroviral therapy (ART). A total of 45 HIV-1-infected patients failing ART were enrolled.

[Usefulness of microalbuminuria in the metabolic syndrome as a predictor of cardiovascular disease. Prospective study about 78 cases].

Aim: Increased urinary albumin-excretion is a cardiovascular risk factor. The metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and mortality. The aim of this prospective study was to explore the combined associations of microalbuminuria and metabolic syndrome with the risk of incident cardiovascular disease.

Presence of drug resistance mutations among drug-naive patients in Morocco.

The aim of the present study was to determine viral subtypes and resistance mutations to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in HIV-1-infected treatment-naive patients from Rabat, Morocco during the period 2005-2009. The protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes were sequenced, the phylogenetic trees were inferred, and the resistance-associated mutations to NRTIs, NNRTIs, and PIs were recorded according to the international list of surveillance drug resistance mutations (SDRMs). The viral subtypes were subtype B (74%), CRF02_AG (15%), A1 (6%), C (2%), F1 (1%), CRF09 (1%), and CRF25_cpx (1%).

Occult HBV infection may represent a major risk factor of non-response to antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C.

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common in chronic hepatitis C patient. However, its significance and consequences are still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of occult HBV among HCV chronic carriers in France and to assess its impact on liver histology and response to antiviral therapy.

[Early surgery in infective endocarditis. Retrospective study apropos of 30 cases].

Aim: The aim of this study is to stress the interest of the early surgery in infective endocarditis (IE), its indications and prognostic implications.

Methods: It is a retrospective descriptive study of 30 cases (29 men and 1 woman with an average age of 35+/-12 years) with IE underwent surgery management in the acute phase between September 1993 and June 2005.

Results: They were 25 rheumatic lesions, 2 aortic bicuspids and 3 mechanical valves prosthesis.

Analysis of HCV co-infection with occult hepatitis B virus in patients undergoing IFN therapy.

Background/aim: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by the presence of HBV DNA in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the patient serum. Although such infections have been identified in patients with chronic hepatitis C, the clinical significance of those co-infections is still not understood. Our aim was, therefore, to assess the prevalence and clinical consequences of occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C patients undergoing antiviral therapy.