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Recurrent visceral leishmaniasis relapses in HIV co-infected patients are characterized by less efficient immune responses and higher parasite load

Authors :
Yegnasew Takele
Tadele Mulaw
Emebet Adem
Rebecca Womersley
Myrsini Kaforou
Susanne Ursula Franssen
Michael Levin
Graham Philip Taylor
Ingrid Müller
James Anthony Cotton
Pascale Kropf
Source :
iScience, Vol 26, Iss 2, Pp 105867- (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
Elsevier, 2023.

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.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
25890042
Volume :
26
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
iScience
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.29d9d313ffc048e88b41f54cd8abc82d
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105867