The brain is a target of HIV-1 and serves as an important viral reservoir. Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell in the human brain, are involved in brain plasticity and neuroprotection. Several studies have reported HIV-1 infection of astrocytes in cell cultures and infected brain tissues. The prevailing concept is that HIV-1 infection of astrocytes leads to latent infection. Here, we provide our perspective on endocytosis-mediated HIV-1 entry and its fate in astrocytes. Natural entry of HIV-1 into astrocytes occurs via endocytosis. However, endocytosis of HIV-1 in astrocytes is a natural death trap where the majority of virus particles are degraded in endosomes and a few which escape intact lead to successful infection. Thus, regardless of artificial fine-tuning (treatment with cytokines or proinflammatory products) done to astrocytes, HIV-1 does not infect them efficiently unless the viral entry route or the endosomal enzymatic machinery has been manipulated.

Abstract:Hepatitis C virus infection is a major health problem among haemodialysis patients in developing countries. Nosocomial transmission of HCV infection was a considerable route, particularly during the outbreaks of infection. To compare serological and molecular methods for detection of HCV infection serum samples were screened for anti-HCV antibodies using a fourth generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and positive samples were confirmed by immunoblot assay. All seropositive and seronegative samples were screened for the presence of HCV-RNA by using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). The overall prevalence was (41.10%) in the three centers (range: 26.05% to 62.82%) with higher prevalence in Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital. All seropositive samples were tested by reverse transcriptase PCR, and 24/92 (26.09%) of confirmed samples were found to contain HCV-RNA. Additionally, 2/5 (40%) of immunoblot-indeterminate and 1/3 (33.33%) of immunoblot-negative samples were also found to be HCV-RNA positive. Also all seronegative samples were screened for the presence of HCV-RNA by using pooling strategy and 2/136 (1.47%) of anti-HCV negative samples were found to be HCV-RNA positive. Our data emphasize the need for stricter adherence to infection control measures in haemodialysis centers and reinforce the importance of screening by both PCR and serological methods at regular intervals to identify all HCV-infected patients.