A high antibody level (S/CO ratio >/=20 by ChLIA HCV) clearly divides the viremic from the nonviremic blood donors and functions as an accurate serologic marker to guide the use of routine HCV RNA testing to confirm hepatitis C infection.

Abstract. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and dengue coinfection has not been extensively studied. We report herein a case of dengue serotype 1 infection in an HIV-1-positive patient coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Colima State, Mexico. CD4 + cells and HIV-1 viremia remained at normal levels, and no severe complications were observed during this multiple viral infection. The alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase values were elevated before and during dengue infection. Surprisingly, these parameters were significantly reduced 2 months later. Because of the lack of evidence regarding this multiple viral interaction, further research is required to understand the biologic and clinical course of dengue infection in HIV-1/HBV coinfected patients, especially in tropical regions where dengue virus transmission is highly active.

Dengue virus infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients is not well studied. Previous reports suggest a transitory inhibition of the HIV-1 viral load, as well as a benign clinical progression of dengue. The follow-up of six HIV-1-infected patients, diagnosed and hospitalized with dengue virus infection in the State of Colima, Mexico, was carried out to analyze the progression of this viral coinfection. The presence of dengue virus serotype 1 was confirmed through molecular tests. No severe complications were observed in any of the patients during dengue virus infection. Significant alteration of the HIV-1 viral loads was not observed during dengue virus infection and 6 months after coinfection. Further studies are required to understand the pathology, as well as the clinical course, of these viral coinfections.

BackgroundThis study reports a case series of HIV-1-infected patients that had dengue infection during the outbreak in 2009 in Colima, Mexico and it analyzes the effect of the interaction in relation to the progression of HIV disease.MethodsWhole blood samples from 22 HIV-1-infected patients who were suspected to have dengue infection were analyzed. The diagnosis of dengue infection was confirmed through the detection of NS1 antigen using SD Bioline Dengue Duo Rapid Test. Dengue virus serotype was determined by RT-PCR technique. Amplicons were cloned and submitted for automated sequencing for both strands. Comparison of the sequences with all of those published in GenBank (NCBI) was done using Blast Software. Written informed consent was obtained under the protocol approved by the Ethical Review Committee of the Center for Biomedical Research, University of Colima.ResultsWe tested 22 whole blood samples from HIV-1-infected patients in our laboratory, and 7 were positive for Dengue virus type 1. Two strains of DEN1 were identified in these infections. The strains were DENV-1/MX/BID-V3664/2006 (GenBank: GQ868499) and DENV-1/MX/BID-V3744/2008 (GenBank: GQ868529) with a similarity of 99% each. CD4+ cells remained at normal levels and it was not observed an accelerated progression of HIV disease.ConclusionsThis is the fifth and largest report dealing with a coinfection among HIV and Dengue virus in the world, and the first report documented in Mexico. The lack of complications associated with this interaction suggests that this combination is relatively benign. Little has been documented about the interaction among these pathogens and further research is needed to understand the biology of HIV reproduction in the context of coinfection with Dengue virus. Furthermore, this report supports the circulation of multiple genetic variations of DEN1 in hyperendemic areas which may complicate the epidemiological panorama of the disease in those areas.