14 research outputs found
HIV Infection and Host Genetic Mutation among Injecting Drug-users of Northeastern States of India
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among injecting drug-users (IDUs) of the northeastern states of India to understand the host genetic factors that confer resistance to HIV infection. The study aimed at assessing the existence and magnitude of genetic mutations of chemokine receptors, such as CCR2-64I, CCR-5 D-32, and SDF-1-3‘A, that are known to confer resistance to HIV infection and progression of disease in some set-ups. In total, 711 IDUs from Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya were sampled for the study. The selected participants were interviewed to study their sociodemography, risk behaviours, and risk perceptions after obtaining their verbal informed consent. The interview was followed by collection of about 5 mL of blood samples by an unlinked anonymous method for studying genetic mutation and HIV infection. All the blood samples were transported to and processed at the clinical medicine laboratory of the National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India. The genetic mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay techniques. The study revealed that 328 (46.1%) IDUs were aged 20–29 years, 305 (42.9%) were aged 30–39 years, and only two (0.3%) were aged above 49 years. The rate of HIV seropositivity varied widely among the IDUs living in different northeastern states that ranged from 4.5% to 61%. There was not a single IDU with CCR5 homozygous mutation. Mutated genes of CCR2-64I and SDF-1-3'A were detected in the frequencies of 49% and 23% respectively in them. The rate of HIV seropositivity in IDUs having CCR2 mutant gene was 27% (n=94) and without mutation was 27% (n=98). Similarly, HIV seropositivity in IDUs with and without SDF1 mutation was 28% (n=46) and 27% (n=146) respectively. Both the differences were not statistically significant. A CCR5 homozygous mutation is known to be the most prominent marker that confers resistance against HIV infection. The absence of CCR5 mutant gene in this population suggests that they do not have any additional protection against HIV infection. Analysis also revealed that, although mutation of CCR2 and SDF1 was present in this population, it did not confer any additional resistance against HIV. This indicates that the IDUs of northeastern India are not additionally protected against HIV infection through genetic mutation and are, therefore, vulnerable to acquire HIV infection due to high-risk behaviour and other related factors
Sex-trafficking, Violence, Negotiating Skill, and HIV Infection in Brothel-based Sex Workers of Eastern India, Adjoining Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among brothel-based sex workers of West Bengal, eastern India, to understand sex-trafficking, violence, negotiating skills, and HIV infection in them. In total, 580 sex workers from brothels of four districts participated in the study. A pretested questionnaire was introduced to study their sociodemography, sex-trafficking, violence, and negotiating skills. Blood sample of 4–5 mL was collected from each sex worker using an unlinked anonymous method to study their HIV status. Data were edited and entered into a computer using the Epi Info software (6.04d version). Both univariate and multivariate analyses were done to find out any association between HIV and relevant risk factors. Results of the study revealed that a sizeable number of the participants were from Nepal (9%) and Bangladesh (7%). The seroprevalence of HIV was strikingly higher among Nepalese (43%) than among Bangladeshis (7%) and Indians (9%). Almost one in every four sex workers (24%) had joined the profession by being trafficked. Violence at the beginning of this profession was more among the trafficked victims, including those sold by their family members (57%) compared to those who joined the profession voluntarily (15%). The overall condom negotiation rate with most recent two clients was 38%. By multivariate analysis, HIV was significantly associated with sexual violence (odds ratio=2.3; 95% confidence interval 1.2–4.5). The study has documented that the trafficked victims faced violence, including sexual violence, to a greater magnitude, and sexual violence was associated with acquiring HIV in them. There is a need for an in-depth study to understand the problem of trafficking and its consequences
Genetic Characterization of HIV-1 Strains Among the Injecting Drug Users in Nagaland, India
Global HIV-1 surveillance has led to the detection of its new recombinant forms. This study was carried out for the first time to elucidate the genetic characterization and evolutionary relationship of HIV-1 strains among injecting drug users of Nagaland, northeastern India. A total of 156 injecting drug users participated in this study voluntarily. Among them 18 were seropositive for HIV-1 (11.5%)
HIV Infection and Host Genetic Mutation among Injecting Drug-users of Northeastern States of India
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among injecting
drug-users (IDUs) of the northeastern states of India to understand the
host genetic factors that confer resistance to HIV infection. The study
aimed at assessing the existence and magnitude of genetic mutations of
chemokine receptors, such as CCR2-64I, CCR-5 D-32, and SDF-1-3`A, that
are known to confer resistance to HIV infection and progression of
disease in some set-ups. In total, 711 IDUs from Manipur, Mizoram,
Nagaland, and Meghalaya were sampled for the study. The selected
participants were interviewed to study their sociodemography, risk
behaviours, and risk perceptions after obtaining their verbal informed
consent. The interview was followed by collection of about 5 mL of
blood samples by an unlinked anonymous method for studying genetic
mutation and HIV infection. All the blood samples were transported to
and processed at the clinical medicine laboratory of the National
Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India. The
genetic mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and
the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay techniques.
The study revealed that 328 (46.1%) IDUs were aged 20-29 years, 305
(42.9%) were aged 30-39 years, and only two (0.3%) were aged above 49
years. The rate of HIV seropositivity varied widely among the IDUs
living in different northeastern states that ranged from 4.5% to 61%.
There was not a single IDU with CCR5 homozygous mutation. Mutated genes
of CCR2-64I and SDF-1-3\u2019A were detected in the frequencies of 49%
and 23% respectively in them. The rate of HIV seropositivity in IDUs
having CCR2 mutant gene was 27% (n=94) and without mutation was 27%
(n=98). Similarly, HIV seropositivity in IDUs with and without SDF1
mutation was 28% (n=46) and 27% (n=146) respectively. Both the
differences were not statistically significant. A CCR5 homozygous
mutation is known to be the most prominent marker that confers
resistance against HIV infection. The absence of CCR5 mutant gene in
this population suggests that they do not have any additional
protection against HIV infection. Analysis also revealed that, although
mutation of CCR2 and SDF1 was present in this population, it did not
confer any additional resistance against HIV. This indicates that the
IDUs of northeastern India are not additionally protected against HIV
infection through genetic mutation and are, therefore, vulnerable to
acquire HIV infection due to high-risk behaviour and other related
factors
Is Vibrio fluvialis emerging as a pathogen with epidemic potential in coastal region of Eastern India following cyclone Aila?
An isolated area with diarrhoea epidemic was explored at Pakhirala
village of the Sundarbans, a coastal region of South 24 Parganas
district of West Bengal, eastern India. The Pakhirala village was
surrounded by other villages affected by a similar epidemic. The
affected villages experienced this epidemic following the cyclone Aila,
which had hit the coastal region of the Sundarbans in eastern India. In
Pakhirala, the situa-tion was the worst. Within a span of six weeks (5
June-20 July 2009), 3,529 (91.2%) of 3,871 residents were affected by
watery diarrhoea. Of all the cases (n=3,529), 918 (26%) were affected
by moderate to severe diarrhoea. In other villages, 28,550 (70%) of the
40,786 people were affected; of them, 3,997 (14%) had moderate to
severe watery diarrhoea. The attack rate and the severity of the cases
were significantly higher in Pakhirala village compared to other
affected villages. The laboratory results revealed that Vibrio
fluvialis was the predominant pathogen in Pakhirala village (5 of 6
laboratory-confirmed organisms) whereas Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa was
the predominant pathogen in other villages of Gosaba block (7 of 9
bacteriologi-cally-confirmed organisms). This result indicates that V.
fluvialis behaves more aggressively than V. cholerae O1 in an epidemic
situation with a higher attack rate and a different clinical picture.
An in-depth study is required to explore its pathogenicity in detail,
geographical distribution, and possible control measures, including
development of specific vaccine preparation and determination of its
efficacy
Sex-trafficking, Violence, Negotiating Skill, and HIV Infection in Brothel-based Sex Workers of Eastern India, Adjoining Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among
brothel-based sex workers of West Bengal, eastern India, to understand
sex-trafficking, violence, negotiating skills, and HIV infection in
them. In total, 580 sex workers from brothels of four districts
participated in the study. A pretested questionnaire was introduced to
study their sociodemography, sex-trafficking, violence, and negotiating
skills. Blood sample of 4-5 mL was collected from each sex worker using
an unlinked anonymous method to study their HIV status. Data were
edited and entered into a computer using the Epi Info software (6.04d
version). Both univariate and multivariate analyses were done to find
out any association between HIV and relevant risk factors. Results of
the study revealed that a sizeable number of the participants were from
Nepal (9%) and Bangladesh (7%). The seroprevalence of HIV was
strikingly higher among Nepalese (43%) than among Bangladeshis (7%) and
Indians (9%). Almost one in every four sex workers (24%) had joined the
profession by being trafficked. Violence at the beginning of this
profession was more among the trafficked victims, including those sold
by their family members (57%) compared to those who joined the
profession voluntarily (15%). The overall condom negotiation rate with
most recent two clients was 38%. By multivariate analysis, HIV was
significantly associated with sexual violence (odds ratio=2.3; 95%
confidence interval 1.2-4.5). The study has documented that the
trafficked victims faced violence, including sexual violence, to a
greater magnitude, and sexual violence was associated with acquiring
HIV in them. There is a need for an in-depth study to understand the
problem of trafficking and its consequences
Oncogenic HPV among HIV infected female population in West Bengal, India
Abstract Background Prevalence of both cervical cancer and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection are very high in India. Natural history of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is known to be altered in HIV positive women and there is an increased possibility of persistence of HPV infections in this population. Therefore, this study was conducted to understand the epidemiology and circulating genotypes of oncogenic HPV among HIV positive and negative female population in West Bengal, India. Methods In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, 93 known HIV positive females attending a pre-ART registration clinic and 1106 HIV negative females attending a Reproductive and Child Health Care Clinic were subjected to study. Cervical cell samples collected from the study population were tested for the presence of HPV 16, 18 using specific primers. Roche PCR assay was used to detect other specific HPV genotypes in the cervical cells specimens of HIV positive cases only. Results Prevalence of HPV 16, 18 among HIV positive females (32.2%; n = 30) was higher than HIV negative females (9.1%; n = 101). About 53% (23/43) of cases with oncogenic HPV were infected with genotypes other than 16, 18 either as single/multiple infections. HPV 18 and HPV 16 were the predominant genotypes among HIV positive and HIV negative subjects respectively. Oncogenic HPV was not found to be associated with age and duration of sexual exposure. But the presence of HIV was found to a statistically significant predictor oncogenic HPV. Conclusion The currently available HPV vaccines offer protection only against HPV 16 and 18 and some cross- protection to few associated genotypes. These vaccines are therefore less likely to offer protection against cervical cancer in HIV positive women a high percentage of who were infected with non-16 and non-18 oncogenic HPV genotypes. Additionally, there is a lack of sufficient evidence of immunogenicity in HIV infected individuals. Therefore, prevention of cervical cancer in HIV positive women must be focused towards early detection of oncogenic HPV & cervical cytological abnormality followed by an appropriate treatment.</p