Monitoring antiretroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS patients in resource-limited settings: CD4 counts or total lymphocyte counts?

SummaryObjectiveIn order to improve the monitoring of disease progression and therapeutic effectiveness in the management of HIV/AIDS in a resource-limited setting, this study was carried out to establish a correlation between total lymphocyte counts (TLC) and CD4 lymphocyte counts in HIV-1 infected/AIDS adults in Yaoundé, Cameroon.MethodsFull blood counts, differential white, and CD4 counts were measured in 149 patients using standard methods. The correlation coefficient established correlation between values. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were calculated as required.ResultsThe mean TLC, CD4 count, and CD4% as well as CD4/CD8 ratios were 1.932±0.895×109/L, 268±183cells/mm3, 14.51±15.9%, and 0.34±0.25, respectively. Only a weak correlation was observed between TLC and CD4 counts (r=0.41, p=0.05). As a predictor of CD4 count, TLC cut-offs <2.0 and <1.0×109/L were unable to predict these values reliably, but showed that at TLC cut-offs of <1.0×109/L there was a high chance of CD4 counts being under 200cells/mm3.ConclusionsThese data suggest that TLC are of limited value in predicting CD4 counts and should not be substituted for CD4 counts whenever possible. However, TLC may be reliably used in designing algorithms and programs for initiating patient management and follow-up in this setting

Facteurs obstétricaux, infectieux et traumatiques associés à l’épilepsie dans la zone rurale de Bangoua (Ouest, Cameroun)

Introduction:&nbsp;les étiologies des épilepsies sont très variées et résultent de la conjonction de facteurs génétiques, périnataux, les anomalies du développement cortical, et des lésions acquises du cortex cérébral. La présente étude a été conçue pour déterminer les facteurs obstétricaux, infectieux et traumatiques pouvant expliquer la prévalence élevée de l'épilepsie à Bangoua. Méthodes:&nbsp;la présente étude cas-témoins a été réalisée dans la localité de Bangoua, département du Ndé, région de l'Ouest du Cameroun. Les patients épileptiques consentants et les témoins non épileptiques appariés selon l'âge et le sexe ont été recrutés du 4 août au 20 octobre 2008. Le diagnostic d'épilepsie était retenu lorsqu'un patient avait rapporté au moins deux crises d'épilepsie non provoquées au cours des deux dernières années. Résultats:&nbsp;l'âge des patients variait de 6 à 65 ans avec une moyenne de 26,7 ± 10,6 ans. Le sexe masculin prédominait chez les patients épileptiques (54,3%). Plus de la moitié (57,1%) des patients épileptiques avaient des antécédents familiaux d'épilepsie et les atteintes infectieuses du système nerveux central étaient deux fois plus fréquentes (p=0,005) chez les participants épileptiques (38,6%) que chez les témoins (17,4%). Conclusion:&nbsp;la présente étude a relevé que dans la localité de Bangoua, un antécédent familial d'épilepsie, le paludisme, une infection urinaire ou une éclampsie pendant la grossesse, un antécédent d'encéphalite sont des facteurs associés à l'épilepsie

HIV Genetic Diversity in Cameroon: Possible Public Health Importance

To monitor the evolving molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of HIV in a country where many distinct strains cocirculate, we performed genetic analyses on sequences from 75 HIV-1-infected Cameroonians: 74 were group M and 1 was group O. Of the group M sequences, 74 were classified into the following env gp41 subtypes or recombinant forms: CRF02 (n = 54), CRF09 (n = 2), CRF13 (n = 2), A (n = 5), CRF11 (n = 4), CRF06 (n = 1), G (n = 2), F2 (n = 2), and E (n = 1, CRF01), and 1 was a JG recombinant. Comparison of phylogenies for 70 matched gp41 and protease sequences showed inconsistent classifications for 18 (26%) strains. Our data show that recombination is rampant in Cameroon with recombinant viruses continuing to recombine, adding to the complexity of circulating HIV strains. This expanding genetic diversity raises public health concerns for the ability of diagnostic assays to detect these unique HIV mosaic variants and for the development of broadly effective HIV vaccines.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/63150/1/aid.2006.22.812.pd

Targeting Antibody Responses to the Membrane Proximal External Region of the Envelope Glycoprotein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Although human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) infection induces strong antibody responses to the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) only a few of these antibodies possess the capacity to neutralize a broad range of strains. The induction of such antibodies represents an important goal in the development of a preventive vaccine against the infection. Among the broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies discovered so far, three (2F5, Z13 and 4E10) target the short and hidden membrane proximal external region (MPER) of the gp41 transmembrane protein. Antibody responses to MPER are rarely observed in HIV-infected individuals or after immunization with Env immunogens. To initiate antibody responses to MPER in its membrane-embedded native conformation, we generated expression plasmids encoding the membrane-anchored ectodomain of gp41 with N-terminal deletions of various sizes. Following transfection of these plasmids, the MPER domains are displayed on the cell surface and incorporated into HIV virus like particles (VLP). Transfected cells displaying MPER mutants bound as efficiently to both 2F5 and 4E10 as cells transfected with a plasmid encoding full-length Env. Mice immunized with VLPs containing the MPER mutants produced MPER-specific antibodies, the levels of which could be increased by the trimerization of the displayed proteins as well as by a DNA prime-VLP boost immunization strategy. Although 2F5 competed for binding to MPER with antibodies in sera of some of the immunized mice, neutralizing activity could not be detected. Whether this is due to inefficient binding of the induced antibodies to MPER in the context of wild type Env or whether the overall MPER-specific antibody response induced by the MPER display mutants is too low to reveal neutralizing activity, remains to be determined