Genetic Characterization of HIV-1 Gene from Virologically Controlled Aging Individuals with HIV on Long-Term Antiretroviral Therapy.

Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) that reduces the viral load to undetectable levels and improve CD4 T cell counts, viral eradication has not been achieved due to HIV-1 persistence in resting CD4 T-cells. We, therefore, characterized the gene, which is essential for HIV-1 replication and pathogenesis, from 20 virologically controlled aging individuals with HIV (HIV) on long-term ART and improved CD4 T-cell counts, with a particular focus on older individuals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell genomic DNA from HIV were used to amplify gene by polymerase chain reaction followed by nucleotide sequencing and analysis.

Infections following rattlesnake envenomation and use of antibiotics.

Background: There are 7000-8000 venomous snake bites annually in the USA. Antibiotics are commonly administered to bite victims because infection is difficult to differentiate from local tissue injury following envenomation.

Methods: The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (APDIC) in Tucson oversees antivenom administration for 14 Arizona counties.

Plasma Levels of Secreted Cytokines in Virologically Controlled HIV-Infected Aging Adult Individuals on Long-Term Antiretroviral Therapy.

HIV-infected (HIV) aging adult individuals who have achieved undetectable viral load and improved CD4 T cell counts due to long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) may continue to experience inflammation and immunosenescence. Therefore, we evaluated the plasma levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in 173 HIV aging adult individuals with age ranging from 22 to 81 years on long-term ART with viral load mostly <20 HIV RNA copies/mL and compared with 92 HIV-uninfected (HIV or healthy controls) aging individuals. We found that the median levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were higher ( < 0.

The Paradoxical Effects of Serum Amyloid-P Component on Disseminated Candidiasis.

Serum amyloid P component (SAP) may play an important role in human fungal diseases. SAP binds to functional amyloid on the fungal surface and masks fungi from host immune processes, skewing the macrophage population from the pro-inflammatory M1 to the quiescent M2 type. We assessed the role of SAP in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis.

Blocking Serum Amyloid-P Component from Binding to Macrophages and Augmenting Fungal Functional Amyloid Increases Macrophage Phagocytosis of .

-macrophage interactions are important immune defense responses associated with disseminated and deep-seated candidiasis in humans. Cells of spp. express functional amyloids on their surfaces during the pathogenesis of disseminated candidiasis.

Evidence of likely autochthonous Chagas disease in the southwestern United States: A case series of Trypanosoma cruzi seropositive blood donors.

Background: Chagas disease is a parasitic infection that can insidiously cause non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Given the largely silent nature of this progressive disease, asymptomatic blood donors pose potential blood transfusion risk. Blood donation screening has become an unintentional form of Chagas disease surveillance, with thousands of new cases identified since national surveillance was initiated in 2007.

Genetic Analysis of HIV-1 Sequences from HIV-Infected Older Patients on Long-Term Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: Many HIV-infected individuals have achieved undetectable viral load and increased CD4 T cell counts due to the success of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). However, HIV persists in resting T cells, monocytes/macrophages and other quiescent cells. Furthermore, the HIV- 1 vpr accessory gene may play an important role in the persistence of HIV in these infected patients.

Phenotypic frailty in people living with HIV is not correlated with age or immunosenescence.

Background: It has been hypothesized that HIV-1 infection prematurely "ages" individuals phenotypically and immunologically. We measured phenotypic frailty and immune "aging" markers on T-cells of people living with HIV on long term, suppressive anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to determine if there is an association between frailty and immunosenescence.

Methods: Thirty-seven (37) community-dwelling people living with HIV were measured for frailty using a sensor-based frailty meter that quantifies weakness, slowness, rigidity, and exhaustion.

Seasonal Flight Pattern of the Kissing Bugs and (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in Southern Arizona, United States.

The two most common kissing bugs, and , in the Sonoran Desert around Tucson, Arizona are hematophagous vectors of Chagas disease and can induce potentially life-threatening allergic reactions. They were surveyed during their summer dispersal flight period to determine which environmental factors are correlated with flight activity. The two most important factors governing flights of were temperatures in the range of 26-35 °C and wind speeds below 14 km/h (9 miles/h).

Recognition and screening for Chagas disease in the USA.

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan , is a public health concern, mainly among countries in South and Central America. However, despite the large number of immigrants from endemic countries living in the USA, awareness of CD is poor in the medical community, and therefore it is significantly underdiagnosed. To avoid the catastrophic cardiac complications of CD and to prevent maternal-fetal transmission, widespread educational programs highlighting the need for diagnosis are urgently needed.

A Southwestern United States Pilot Investigation of Triatomine-Mite Prevalence.

Background: Chagas disease is a leading cause of cardiac failure in Latin America. Due to poor safety profiles and efficacy of currently available therapeutics, prevention is a priority for the millions living at risk for acquiring this clinically important vector-borne disease. Triatomine vectors of the Chagas disease parasite, are found in the southwestern United States, but risk for autochthonous transmission is thought to be low.

Kissing Bug Intrusions into Homes in the Southwest United States.

Kissing bugs readily enter homes in the Sonoran Desert and bite the residents. Their saliva is highly antigenic, causing local and systemic skin reactions and life-threatening anaphylaxis. We attempted to determine what characteristics of homesites may have contributed to home intrusion by kissing bugs.

Scorpion Stings and Antivenom Use in Arizona.

Background: Arizona's rugged desert landscape harbors many venomous animals, including a small nocturnal scorpion, Centruroides sculpturatus, whose venom can cause severe neuromotor disturbance. An effective antivenom is available at selected health care facilities in the state.

Methods: We analyzed 4398 calls of scorpion stings to the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (APDIC) in Tucson over a period of 3 years, from January 2017 to December 2019.

Characterization of HIV-1 Envelope V3 Region Sequences from Virologically Controlled HIV-Infected Older Patients on Long Term Antiretroviral Therapy.

Although many HIV-infected patients have attained older age owing to the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in controlling viremia and increasing CD4 T cell counts, HIV continues to persist in several target cells. We have characterized 514 HIV-1 envelope V3 region sequences (94-96 amino acids [aa]) from 25 HIV-infected older patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA on long-term ART with controlled viremia (undetectable viral load) and improved CD4 T cell counts. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the V3 region sequences of each patient formed distinct clusters that were well separated and discriminated from other patients' sequences.

Evaluation of HIV-specific T-cell responses in HIV-infected older patients with controlled viremia on long-term antiretroviral therapy.

HIV-infected older individuals may have a diminished immune response because of exhaustion/immune aging of T-cells. Therefore, we have investigated HIV-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses in 100 HIV-infected patients (HIV+) who have aged on long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) and achieved controlled viremia (mostly undetectable viral load; 92 patients with <20 to <40 HIV RNA copies/mL and 8 <60 to <100) and improved CD4 T-cell counts. We show that the median frequencies of HIV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ IFN-γ T-cells were higher in HIV+ than uninfected individuals (HIV-), including increasing levels of IFN-γproduced by CD4+ T-cells and decreasing levels by CD8+ T-cells with increasing CD4 T-cell counts in HIV+.

Autochthonous Chagas Disease: How Are These Infections Happening?

Proven cases of vector-transmitted acute autochthonous Chagas disease in the United States are rare (<10 cases). Possible or probable cases of unknown duration determined by serology are uncommon as well (<100). In Latin America it is widely accepted that after feeding, the kissing bug defecates and Trypanosoma cruzi in the feces is rubbed into the bite punctum.

Autochthonous Chagas Disease in the United States: How Are People Getting Infected?

In the United States, Chagas disease is diagnosed in less than 1% of the estimated > 300,000 people who have the disease. However, the actual prevalence remains unknown, and these estimates may be wide of the mark (too high or too low). The greater part of those living with the disease acquired the infection in an endemic region of Latin America, but autochthonous transmission in the United States is increasingly being described.