JC virus/human immunodeficiency virus 1 co-infection in the Brazilian Amazonian region

• Published in: The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases Vol. 20; no. 4; pp. 360 - 364
• Main Authors: Cayres-Vallinoto, Izaura Maria Vieira, Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário, Pena, Giselle Priscila dos Anjos, Azevedo, Vânia Nakauth, Machado, Luiz Fernando Almeida, Ishak, Marluísa de Oliveira Guimarães, Ishak, Ricardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Elsevier Editora Ltda 01.07.2016; Contexto; Elsevier; Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - diagnosis; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - urine; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - virology; Brazil; Brazilian Amazon region; Care and treatment; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Child; Co-infection; Coinfection - virology; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Development and progression; DNA, Viral - urine; Female; Forecasts and trends; Health aspects; HIV infections; HIV-1; Humans; INFECTIOUS DISEASES; JC Virus - genetics; JC Virus - isolation & purification; JCV; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal - diagnosis; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polyomavirus; Viral Load; Young Adult; Amazon River region; HIV-1; Co-infection; JCV; Brazilian Amazon region
• ISSN: 1413-8670; 1678-4391; 1678-4391
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2016.05.005

JC virus (JCV) is a member of the Polyomaviridae family and is associated to a severe disease known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, PML, which is gradually increasing in incidence as an opportunistic infection among AIDS patients. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of JCV among HIV-1 carriers including their types and molecular subtypes and the possible association with disease. Urine samples from 66 HIV-1 infected subjects were investigated for the presence of the virus by amplifying VP1 (215bp) and IG (610bp) regions using the polymerase chain reaction. JCV was detected in 32% of the samples. The results confirmed the occurrence of type B (subtype Af2); in addition, another polyomavirus, BKV, was also detected in 1.5% of samples of the HIV-1 infected subjects. Apparently, there was no significant difference between mono- (HIV-1 only) and co-infected (HIV-1/JCV) subjects regarding their TCD4+/TCD8+ lymphocyte counts or HIV-1 plasma viral load. Self admitted seizures, hearing and visual loses were not significantly different between the two groups.