1. Recurrent visceral leishmaniasis relapses in HIV co-infected patients are characterized by less efficient immune responses and higher parasite load
- Author
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Yegnasew Takele, Tadele Mulaw, Emebet Adem, Rebecca Womersley, Myrsini Kaforou, Susanne Ursula Franssen, Michael Levin, Graham Philip Taylor, Ingrid Müller, James Anthony Cotton, and Pascale Kropf
- Subjects
Virology ,Immunology ,Immune response ,Science - Abstract
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and HIV co-infection (VL/HIV) has emerged as a significant public health problem in Ethiopia, with up to 30% of patients with VL co-infected with HIV. These patients suffer from recurrent VL relapses and increased mortality. Those with a previous history of VL relapses (recurrent VL/HIV) experience increased VL relapses as compared to patients with HIV presenting with their first episode of VL (primary VL/HIV). Our aim was to identify drivers that account for the higher rate of VL relapses in patients with recurrent VL/HIV (n = 28) as compared to primary VL/HIV (n = 21). Our results show that the relapse-free survival in patients with recurrent VL/HIV was shorter, that they had higher parasite load, lower weight gain, and lower recovery of all blood cell lineages. Their poorer prognosis was characterized by lower production of IFN-gamma, lower CD4+ T cell counts, and higher expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) on T cells.
- Published
- 2023
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