Questioning the “Ease” in disease: Was living with HIV a burden or boost during the first wave of Covid-19 in France? A qualitative study (COVIDHIV)

Introduction Clinical research has focused on risk factors and treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2), particularly in people with a comorbidity including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but little attention has been paid to the care pathway. This article aims to show how living with HIV may have been a biopsychosocial burden or boost in care pathways for Covid-19. Method People living with HIV (PLHIV) from 9 clinical centers were invited to participate in this qualitative study. The sampling was purposive with a maximum variation in their sociodemographic profiles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation, then coded for thematic analysis, using an inductive general approach. Results We interviewed 34 PLHIV of which 20 had SARS-COV-2 once. They were 24 males, 26 born in France; median age: 55. Twenty had a CD4 number above 500, and all were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV appeared as a burden when Covid-19 symptoms reminded HIV seroconversion, fear of contamination, and triggered questions about ART effectiveness. HIV was not considered relevant when diagnosing Covid-19, caused fear of disclosure when participants sought SARS-COV-2 testing, and its care in hospitals was disrupted by the pandemic. ART-pill fatigue caused avoidance for Covid-19 treatment. As a boost, living with HIV led participants to observe symptoms, to get advice from healthcare professionals, and screening access through them. Some participants could accept the result of screening or a clinical diagnosis out of resilience. Some could consider ART or another drug prescribed by their HIV specialist help them to recover from Covid-19. Conclusion Living with HIV could function as a burden and/or a boost in the care pathways for Covid-19, according to patients’ relationship to their HIV history, comorbidities and representation of ART. Covid-19 in PLHIV needs further qualitative study to gain a more comprehensive assessment of the pandemic’s consequences on their lives and coping strategies

Factors associated with sexual quality of life among men living with HIV

Introduction This study aims to assess the prevalence of sexual difficulties and identify factors associated with the Sexual Quality of Life (SQoL) among people living with HIV (PLWHA). Methods The study included 107 heterosexual men and 474 men who have sex with men (MSM) from five countries. Participants self-reported variables related to physical and mental health, as well as HIV-related parameters. Erectile or ejaculation difficulty, as well as low sexual desire, were investigated. SQoL was measured using the PROQOL-SexLife questionnaire. Results Most of participants reported low sexual desire, predominantly among MSM. Among MSM, living with a partner and healthcare satisfaction were associated with SQoL scores in POP dimension, while consistent condom use, cardiovascular complications, and being single were associated with SQoL scores in STI dimension. Viagra use, anti-cholesterol treatment, and living with a partner were associated with SQoL scores in DIS dimension. Among heterosexual men, employment and African origin were associated with SQoL scores in the POP dimension. Alcohol consumption was associated with SQoL scores in STI dimension. Conclusion This study underscores the importance of non-clinical determinants when assessing SQoL among PLWHA, emphasizing psychological factors and the perceived quality of healthcare. Tailored interventions should incorporate these findings to enhance overall SQoL outcomes

Twin pregnancy obtained with frozen-thawed embryos after in vitro maturation in a patient with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Purpose: A twin pregnancy was obtained in a patient with polycystic ovary syndrome after the transfer of three in vitro maturation-derived day 3 embryos that has been frozen and thawed. Methods: The patient had received mild hMG stimulation followed by hCG injection. After culture for 24 - 48 h, mature oocytes were fertilized by ICSI. Embryos were cultured until day 3; supernumerary embryos were cryopreserved using a slow protocol. Results: Among 15 nonatretic oocytes, 9 matured, 8 were fertilized. Four embryos were transferred but they did not implant. The subsequent transfer of three frozen - thawed embryos resulted in the delivery of two healthy girls. Conclusions: These results indicate that a pregnancy could be obtained with in vitro maturation-derived day-3 frozen - thawed embryos

Fractionation and partial characterization of proteins extracted from the bovine fallopian tube: preparation of tools for further purifications

Described in the present paper is a combined biochemical and immunological approach to study oviductal proteins in the bovine. Antisera were raised against semi-purified proteins extracted from bovine tubal mucosal tissue and were characterized. These antisera are available to monitor puritications of specific oviductal proteins in the future. Oviducts from 170 cyclic cows were collected at a slaughterhouse, and high amounts of mucosal proteins were extracted. The proteins were fractionated after precipitation with ammonium sulfate, anti-bovine serum albumin (bSA) and anti-bovine immunoglobulins bIg) afiinity chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. Each of the 12 fractions obtained after ion exchange chromatography was used to immunize a rabbit. Conditioned media were recovered from bovine oviduct cell monolayers cultured without serum to cot&m the oviductal origin of the extracted proteins. After Western blot analysis, 15 proteins were detected in the bovine oviductal extracts, and their molecular weights and isoelectric points were determined by 2 dimensional electrophoresis. Among these 15 proteins, 11 were also detected in conditioned media of bovine oviductal cells. These results demonstrate an oviductal origin of the 11 detected proteins and strongly suggest their secretion by the oviductal cells