HBV and HCV Co-Infection in Chinese Newly Diagnosed HIV+ Subjects in 2015 and 2023: A Cross-Sectional Study.

With shared routes of transmission, HBV and HCV co-infection are estimated to occur more in subjects with HIV. This study aimed to characterize and describe the prevalence of HBV and HCV co-infections in a cohort of newly diagnosed HIV+ subjects living in China. We conducted a cross-sectional study among newly diagnosed HIV+ subjects aged 18-100 who participated in surveys on the national HIV molecular epidemiology in 2015 and 2023.

The impact of attrition on the transmission of HIV and drug resistance.

Background: Attrition due to loss to follow-up or termination of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-infected patients in care may increase the risk of emergence and transmission of drug resistance (TDR), diminish benefit of treatment, and increase morbidity and mortality. Understanding the impact of attrition on the epidemic is essential to provide interventions for improving retention in care.

Methods: We developed a comprehensive HIV transmission dynamics model by considering CD4 + cell count dependent diagnosis, treatment, and attrition involving TDR and acquired drug resistance.

Co-evolution of compensatory mutation K43E with mutation M41L in long-term HIV antiretroviral treatment.

Background: Compensatory mutations have been observed to emerge with drug resistance (DR) mutations, but their effects on virological response to treatment have not been fully examined. In this study, we characterized the emergence and depletion dynamics of a compensatory mutation K43E that correlated with primary nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) drug resistance mutations in Chinese HIV patients on antiretroviral treatment.

Method: Single Genome Amplification (SGA) was used to obtain the HIV-1 pol gene quasispecies in three patients over 6 years of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment.

The development of drug resistance mutations K103N Y181C and G190A in long term Nevirapine-containing antiviral therapy.

Objective: We built a cohort study of HIV patients taking long-term first-line Antiretroviral Therapy in 2003. In this assay, we focused on the development of primary drug resistance mutations against Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NNRTI), K103N, Y181C and G190A.

Method: The cohort study was built in Henan province, China.

Impact of HIV drug resistance on virologic and immunologic failure and mortality in a cohort of patients on antiretroviral therapy in China.

Objectives: To study the dynamics of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) and its association with virologic and immunologic failure as well as mortality among patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in China.

Design: We recruited 365 patients on cART in two rural Chinese counties in 2003-2004 and followed them every 6 months until May 2010.

Methods: Virologic failure, HIVDR, immunologic failure and death were documented.

[The study of an in-house method for drug resistance genotyping testing on HIV-1 strains prevailing in China].

Objective: To evaluate the amplification rate and the lowestlower detection limit of an in-house HIV-1 Drug resistant (HIVDR) genotyping test.

Methods: A total of 30 plasma samples were selected, which covered all major HIV-1 subtypes predominating prevailing in China (B', CRF07_BC, CRF01 _AE). The viral loads of the 30 selected samples were detected in triplicate by Easy Q method and the average values were taken as the viral loads of the samples.

A new pattern-based method for identifying recent HIV-1 infections from the viral env sequence.

The long asymptomatic stage of HIV infection poses a great challenge in identifying recent HIV infections. This is a bottleneck for monitoring HIV epidemic trends and evaluating the effectiveness of national AIDS control programs. Several serological methods were used to address this issue with some success.

Preferential CTL targeting of Gag is associated with relative viral control in long-term surviving HIV-1 infected former plasma donors from China.

It is generally believed that CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a critical role in limiting the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and in determining the outcome of the infection, and this effect may partly depend on which HIV product is preferentially targeted. To address the correlation between HIV-1-specific CTL responses and virus replication in a cohort of former plasma donors (FPDs), 143 antiretroviral therapy naive FPDs infected with HIV-1 clade B' strains were assessed for HIV-1-specific CTL responses with an IFN-γ Elispot assay at single peptide level by using overlapping peptides (OLPs) covering the whole consensus clade B proteome. By using a Spearman's rank correlation analysis, we found that the proportion of Gag-specific CTL responses among the total virus-specific CTL activity was inversely correlated with viral loads while being positively correlated to CD4 counts, as opposed to Pol- and Env-specific responses that were associated with increased viral loads and decreased CD4 counts.

[Feasibility of using dried blood spots to detect HIV drug resistance genotyping].

Objective: This study aimed at exploring the feasibility of using dried blood spots (DBS) to detect HIV drug resistance genotyping in China by comparing the results of drug resistance from DBS, plasma and whole blood samples.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 39 AIDS patients from Anhui (10), Yunnan (13), Hunan (6) and Xinjiang (10) provinces and autonomous regions. The HIV strains that infected these patients covered all the major HIV-1 subtypes prevailing in China (B, CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC).

CD8+ cell noncytotoxic antiviral response in long-term HIV-1 infected former blood donors in China.

Most of the HIV-infected long term survivors show strong CD8+ cell noncytotoxic antiviral response (CNAR) that plays as an important factor for maintaining the relative healthy state of infected individuals. HIV infected former blood donors (FBDs) in Anhui, China are the unique population that considered infected by the same or a related HIV strain by the same exposure route, and is better to be studied for viral and host immunological factors associated with disease progression, such as CNAR. We examined CNAR in 63 asymptomatic untreated HIV infected FBDs with different CD4+ cell counts and plasma viral loads.

[CD8+ cell noncytotoxic antiviral response (CNAR) to HIV in nosocomial HIV-infected individuals].

Objective: To study the CD8+ cell noncytotoxic antiviral response (CNAR) to HIV in nosocomial HIV infected individuals, and reveal the relationship between the CNAR and CD4+ cell count.

Method: CD8+ cells from HIV-1 sero-positive individuals were separated by immunomagnetic beads and mixed with CD4+ cells at different CD8 CD4 cell input ratios (2:1, 1:1, 0.5:1 and 0.

A line immunoassay utilizing recombinant nucleocapsid proteins for detection of antibodies to human coronaviruses.

Most coronaviruses infecting humans cause mild diseases, whereas severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus is an extremely dangerous pathogen. Here, we report the development of a serologic assay for detection of antibodies to human coronaviruses (HCoVs) based on recombinant nucleocapsid (N) proteins of all known pathogenic strains (229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, SARS). The novel immunoassay is highly useful for epidemiologic surveys, where use of nucleic acid diagnostics often is limited.

[Sequence analysis of gag and env genes of HIV type 1 circulating in former blood donors of Fuyang city, Anhui province].

Objective: To determine the subtype and analyze the genetic characteristics of the HIV-1 predominantly circulating in the former blood donors of Fuyang city, Anhui province.

Methods: Whole blood samples were collected from 294 HIV-positive former blood donors of Fuyang city, 157 males and 137 females, aged 42 +/- 8. The fragments of HIV-1 env and gag genes were amplified by nested-PCR from the whole blood samples and thereafter sequenced.

Epidemiology, clinical and laboratory characteristics of currently alive HIV-1 infected former blood donors naive to antiretroviral therapy in Anhui Province, China.

Background: Unregulated commercial blood/plasma collection among farmers occurred between 1992 and 1995 in central China and caused the second major epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in China. It is important to characterize HIV-1-infected former blood donors and to study characteristics associated with disease progression for future clinical intervention and vaccine development.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on HIV-1-infected former blood donors (FBDs) and age-matched HIV-seronegative local residents.

Characterization of five nearly full-length genomes of early HIV type 1 strains in Ruili city: implications for the genesis of CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC circulating in China.

To trace the genesis of HIV-1 CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC, two predominant circulating recombinants among intravenous drug users in China, a retrospective molecular epidemiological investigation (1996-1998) was conducted in Ruili city of Yunnan, where the first AIDS epidemic among IDUs was reported in 1989. Fifty-four HIV-1 env C2V3 sequences were determined and genotyped with 49 subtype B and only 5 subtype C strains. The nearly full-length genome analyses of these five env-based subtype C samples revealed that four of them were actually BC recombinants and only one was pure subtype C.

[Identification of signature amino acids in the env V3-V4 and flanking regions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 predominant strains in China].

Objective: To identify signature amino acids in the V3-V4 and flanking regions of the env gene from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) predominant strains in China and to elucidate the role of these signature amino acids on epidemiologic tracking and the development of vaccine.

Methods: Fragments of the HIV-1 env gene were amplified by nested-PCR from the whole blood of HIV-1 infected individuals from 12 provinces in China. Then, the PCR products were directly sequenced by using ABI 377 DNA SEQUENCER.

[Sequence variation in the env V3-V4 region of HIV type 1 predominant subtype B and C strains circulating in China].

Objective: To identify genetic variation of HIV-1 predominant subtype B and C strains in China during rapid horizontal transmission and to elucidate the potential relationship between genetic variation and selective pressure.

Methods: After the fragments of HIV-1 env gene were amplified by nested-PCR from the whole blood of 258 HIV-1 infected individuals, PCR products were directly sequenced using ABI 377 DNA sequencer. The sequences covering env V3-V4 region of 72 HIV-1 subtype B(n=37) and C(n=35) strains were selected for phylogenetic analysis.