Frequency of human immunodeficiency virus type-2 in hiv infected patients in Maputo City, Mozambique

Abstract

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is primarily caused by HIV-1. Another virus type, HIV-2, is found mainly in West African countries. We hypothesized that population migration and mobility in Africa may have facilitated the introduction and spreading of HIV-2 in Mozambique. The presence of HIV-2 has important implications for diagnosis and choice of treatment of HIV infection. Hence, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HIV-2 infection and its genotype in Maputo, Mozambique.HIV-infected individuals (N = 1,200) were consecutively enrolled and screened for IgG antibodies against HIV-1 gp41 and HIV-2 gp36 using peptide-based enzyme immunoassays (pepEIA). Specimens showing reactivity on the HIV-2 pepEIA were further tested using the INNO-LIA immunoblot assay and HIV-2 PCR targeting RT and PR genes. Subtype analysis of HIV-2 was based on the protease gene.After screening with HIV-2 pepEIA 1,168 were non-reactive and 32 were reactive to HIV-2 gp36 peptide. Of this total, 30 specimens were simultaneously reactive to gp41 and gp36 pepEIA while two samples reacted solely to gp36 peptide. Only three specimens containing antibodies against gp36 and gp105 on the INNO-LIA immunoblot assay were found to be positive by PCR to HIV-2 subtype A.The proportion of HIV-2 in Maputo City was 0.25% (90%CI 0.01-0.49). The HIV epidemic in Southern Mozambique is driven by HIV-1, with HIV-2 also circulating at a marginal rate. Surveillance program need to improve HIV-2 diagnosis and consider periodical survey aiming to monitor HIV-2 prevalence in the country.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibody in HIV/AIDS-infected individuals in Maputo, Mozambique

“…This can probably be explained by the significant prevalence of HIV infection in this population and higher levels of seeking medical care in our reality. 6,12,16 This extends the vulnerability in this population, including the increased risk of vertical transmission not only of HIV, but also of T. gondii. 4,15 Risk factors in this population reflect the data in the literature and the social, economic and cultural context of Mozambique.…”

“…19 The paucity of reliable information on risk factors, main means of transmission and of preventative measures used, is of concern not only for researchers, 9,18,22 but for society in general. Considering the scale of AIDS in Mozambique 6,12,16 and the vulnerability of HIV-infected people with toxoplasmosis, there is a clear need for further studies on this subject. 10,14 This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in patients infected by HIV/AIDS and the association of demographic and social variables in Maputo, Mozambique.…”

Performance of 3 Rapid Tests for Discrimination Between HIV-1 and HIV-2 in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa

“…A serological test, the INNO-LIA HIV-I/II assay, was thus chosen as gold standard in our study based on availability, experience in the laboratory at Aarhus University Hospital, and previous studies using INNO-LIA HIV-I/II. 5,11,12 HIV-1 and HIV-2 RNA measurements were not performed as levels could have been undetectable due to ART, and moreover, HIV-2 RNA levels may be undetectable even in untreated individuals. 13 Furthermore, plasma was scarce, and there was insufficient material for the detection of HIV-1 and 2 RNA among most of the 26% untreated patients.…”

Infection with human retroviruses other than HIV-1: HIV-2, HTLV-1, HTLV-2, HTLV-3 and HTLV-4

“…Other countries with former colonial relations with European countries have also reported HIV-2 infections. This is the case of the former Portuguese colonies, such as Brazil, southwest India, Angola or Mozambique, where the presence of HIV-2 can be explained by the former relationships between Portugal and the African countries where the virus originated, especially Guinea-Bissau [13,14].…”