Brief Report: No Evidence for an Association between Statin Use and Lower Biomarkers of HIV Persistence or Immune Activation/Inflammation during Effective ART

Background: Statins exert pleiotropic anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects, which might translate into antiviral activity. We evaluated whether reported current statin exposure is associated with lower levels of markers of HIV persistence and immune activation/inflammation. Methods: We compared levels of markers of HIV viral persistence [cell-associated HIV RNA (CA-RNA), CA-DNA, and single copy assay plasma HIV RNA] and immune activation/inflammation (IL-6, IP-10, neopterin, sCD14, sCD163, and TNF-alpha) between statin users and nonusers among participants of ACTG A5321 who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) during chronic infection and maintained virologic suppression (HIV-1 RNA levels ≤50 copies/mL) for ≥3 years. Results: A total of 303 participants were analyzed. Median time on the current statin was 2.9 years (1.2-5.1). There were no differences between statin users and nonusers in levels of CA-DNA (median 650 vs. 540 copies/106 CD4+ T cells; P = 0.58), CA-RNA (53 vs. 37 copies/106 CD4+ T cells; P = 0.12), or single copy assay (0.4 vs. 0.4 copies/mL; P = 0.45). Similarly, there were no significant differences between statin users and nonusers in markers of inflammation/activation, except for IP-10 (137 vs. 118 pg/mL; P = 0.028). Findings were unchanged after adjustment for factors including pre-ART CD4 and HIV RNA, and years on ART. Conclusions: In this cohort of persons on long-term suppressive ART, current statin use was not associated with lower levels of HIV persistence or immune activation/inflammation. These results do not support a major role for statins in reducing HIV persistence, although an early transient effect cannot be excluded. Prospective, randomized studies are needed to confirm these findings

EVALUATION NATURELLE DE L\u2019IMPACT DE BEAUVERIA BASSIANA : CHAMPIGNON ENTHOMOPATHOG\uc9NE DANS LA DYNAMIQUE DE POPULATION DE HYPOTHENEMUS HAMPEI , SCOLYTE DE BAIES DES CERISES DE COFFEA CANEFORA COFFEA CANEFORA

A study of finding out natural enemies of the coffee cherry borer beetle Coffea canephora , Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) was carried out at two ecologically different sites of Cameroon: Nkoemvone in the South region of the country and Nkolbisson around Yaound\ue9 in the central region. For six months, 500 berries were randomly collected monthly at each site. The presence of entomopathogenic fungus was observed on berries infested by the borer beetle. Rates of borer insect mortality due to Bauveria bassiana at Nkoemvone are: 70.6% in August, 64.6% in September, 32% in October, 43.2% in November, 39.2% in December and very low in January (8.6%). On the other hand, these rates at Nkolbisson are: 42.6% in October, 10% in November, 3.4% in December, 2.6% in January, 1.4% in February and 0% in March. From these observations, it was possible to carry out a research on the pathogenicity tests through its natural presence and on artificial-infection trials of the borer beetle with this fungus in order to protect better the coffee grains with a biological product.Une \ue9tude de recherche des ennemis naturels contre le scolyte des cerises de caf\ue9ier Coffea canephora , Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera, Scolytidae), a \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9e dans deux sites au Cameroun : Nkoemvone une r\ue9gion du Sud du pays et Nkolbisson pr\ue8s de Yaound\ue9, une r\ue9gion du centre. Pendant six mois, 500 baies \ue9taient mensuellement pr\ue9lev\ue9es de mani\ue8re al\ue9atoire dans chaque site. La pr\ue9sence du champignon entomopathog\ue8nes a \ue9t\ue9 observ\ue9e sur les baies attaqu\ue9es par les scolytes. Les taux de mortalit\ue9 du scolyte due \ue0 Bauveria bassiana \ue0 Nkoemvone sont de 70,6 en ao\ufbt, 64,6% en septembre, 32% en octobre, 43,2% en Novembre, 39,2% en d\ue9cembre et tr\ue8s faible en janvier (8,6%). Par contre ce taux \ue0 Nkolbisson est de 42,6% en octobre, 10% en Novembre, 3,4% en d\ue9cembre, 2,6%en janvier, 1,4% en f\ue9vrier et 0% en Mars. A partir de ces observations, il a \ue9t\ue9 possible de proposer par sa pr\ue9sence naturel une cherche sur le test de pathogenicit\ue9 et des essais d\u2019infection artificielle du scolyte avec ce champignon \ue0 fin mieux prot\ue9ger les grains de caf\ue9ier avec un produit biologique