Hepatitis C virus antibody titers associated with cognitive dysfunction in an asymptomatic community-based sample

Abstract

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with cognitive dysfunction in clinic-based studies. The risk could be attributed to factors such as antiviral medications, substance abuse or coincidental infection. Aim To evaluate cognitive function in relation to HCV antibody titers in a community-based sample of asymptomatic individuals at low risk for substance abuse. Methods Adults were ascertained from a community in Mansoura, Egypt, where HCV is endemic (n=258). Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Arabic version of the Penn computerized neurocognitive battery. Substance abuse and psychopathology were also assessed. Antibodies to HCV and Toxoplasma Gondii (TOX), a common protozoan that can affect cognition were estimated using serological IgG assays. Results The prevalence of HCV and TOX infection was 17.6% and 52.9%, respectively. HCV antibody titers were significantly associated with worse function in four cognitive tests for accuracy and three tests for speed, after adjusting for covariates (p<0.05, beta coefficients, 2.1-3.2). TOX antibody titers were associated with impaired accuracy in one test. Conclusions The association between HCV antibody titers and cognitive impairment is not mediated by antiviral treatment or substance abuse in this sample. Whether HCV has a causal role in the cognitive dysfunction should be investigated.

Chronic Tobacco-Smoking on Psychopathological Symptoms, Impulsivity and Cognitive Deficits in HIV-Infected Individuals

“…The additive effects of HIV and chronic smoking led to the poorest cognitive performance in our HIV+Smoker group, across the four groups, which is also consistent with an earlier study that found worse memory and global functioning scores in HIV+Smokers compared to HIV+ non-Smokers (Bryant et al, 2013). However, the HIV+Smokers in this earlier study also had a higher prevalence of hepatitis C virus co-infection, which might have contributed to the poorer cognitive performance (Fialho et al, 2016; Ibrahim et al, 2016), but we excluded such participants in the current study. Since nicotine is neuroprotective (Vieira-Brock et al, 2015), the additive adverse effects of tobacco smoking on cognitive performance in HIV+ participants may be due to chronic tobacco use’s negative influence on cardiovascular risk factors, which in turn may contribute to poorer cognition in HIV+ patients (Becker et al, 2009; Fabbiani et al, 2013), Since smoking cessation may decrease the cardiovascular risks in HIV+ patients (Petoumenos et al, 2011), future studies should evaluate whether smoking cessation may also lead to improved cognition in HIV+Smokers.…”

A Comprehensive Review of Common Bacterial, Parasitic and Viral Zoonoses at the Human-Animal Interface in Egypt

“…In humans, there are limited data on the prevalence of T. gondii and associated risk factors in women during pregnancy. In different Egyptian localities, between 1993 and 2016, the prevalence of toxoplasma antibodies were ranged between 27% and 68% in pregnant women [ 236 , 239 , 245 , 247 , 248 , 249 , 250 , 251 , 252 , 253 ], 26% in cerebrospinal fluid of meningoencephalitis patients [ 254 ], 59.6% in asymptomatic blood donors [ 255 ].…”

A Highlight on Avian Toxoplasmosis: One Health Disease with a Special Reference to the Current Egyptian Situation

“…The results of Giemsa-stained smears revealed the presence of Toxoplasma's tachyzoites in 7% of the examined samples. Hassan et al (2020) The seroprevalences of Toxoplasma infections in humans varied from 27 % to 68% in asymptomatic pregnant women (Ghoneim et al, 2010;El Deeb et al, 2012;Ibrahim et al, 2016b), 26% in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningoencephalitis (Mabrouk and Dahawi, 1991), and 59.6% in blood donors without signs (Elsheikha et al, 2009). It has been reported a higher percentage of toxoplasmosis among Egyptians with liver cirrhosis (El-Henawy et al, 2015;El-Sayed et al, 2016).…”