Liver pathologies and infection with Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) are widespread among HIV-infected patients. However, a possible contribution of toxoplasmosis to the development of various forms of liver diseases in HIV-infected individuals has not yet been determined. This research is a retrospective cohort study. Medical cards of 907 HIV-positive patients, including 119 individuals who died, were studied. The patients were divided into two groups: 531 patients were seropositive to T. gondii and 376 seronegative. General liver pathology was more widespread among patients seropositive to T. gondii than in seronegative patients (63.1 ± 2.1% and 51.9 ± 2.6%, respectively, p < 0.001). The association of seropositive to T. gondii with general liver pathology is weak both in the whole cohort (Pearson's contingency coefficient C = 0.112), and among the deceased patients (C = 0.228). and Chronic HBV-HCV coinfection was more common in the seropositive than in seronegative individuals as it was found both in entire cohorts (26.0 ± 1.9% and 18.6 ± 2.0%, respectively, p = 0.010) and in died patients (31.0 ± 5.5% and 14.6 ± 5.1%, respectively, p = 0.041). Toxoplasma gondii had a weak role in distributing of HBV-HCV coinfection between cohorts (C = 0.187). In both cohorts in patients with chronic hepatitis, regardless of its etiology, there was no significant difference in alanine transaminase activity (ALT). Cirrhosis of the liver occurred 4.5 times more often in deceased seropositive patients than in the entire seropositive cohort (23.9 ± 5.1 and 5.3 ± 2.0, respectively, p = 0.0006) whereas it no significantly increased in seronegative cohort (10.4 ± 4.4 against 4.8 ± 1.1, p > 0.05). In them T. gondii is weakly involved in cirrhosis formation (C = 0.168). Thus, in HIV-infected patients, T. gondii is a weak nonspecific adjunct that supports chronic liver inflammation and progression of cirrhosis, regardless of etiology, but does not influence the degree of hepatitis activity. The increased prevalence of HBV-HCV coinfection in patients seropositive for T. gondii may be related to their risk factor behaviour associated with uncontrolled blood contacts.
Studie si klade za cíl prozkoumat faktory, které ovlivňují kvalitu ţivota HIV infikovaných osob. Na základě výsledků mnoha výzkumů byl zjištěn pozitivní efekt na kvalitu ţivota HIV infikovaných osob u těchto faktorů: vysoká hladina CD4+ lymfocytů, nízká virová náloţ, zaměstnanost a sociální opora. Zatímco deprese, nízký počet CD4+ lymfocytů, vysoká virémie a souběţná onemocnění (jako např. pneumocystová pneumonie, hepatitida C a cytomegalovirová infekce) mají negativní efekt na kvalitu ţivota. Úloha genderu v oblasti kvality ţivota HIV infikovaných osob není zatím zřejmá. Některé výzkumy dokládají niţší kvalitu ţivota HIV pozitivních ţen v porovnání s HIV pozitivními muţi, zatímco jiné neprokazují ţádné rozdíly. Antiretrovirová terapie má jak pozitivní, tak negativní efekt na kvalitu ţivota. Objevují se zjištění, ţe souběţná infekce virem HGV můţe mít pozitivní vliv na se zdravím související kvalitu ţivota HIV infikovaných osob. V dalším výzkumu budou autoři zkoumat efekt infekce virem HGV na celkovou kvalitu ţivota HIV pozitivních osob. Zatím v této oblasti bylo podniknuto málo výzkumů. Objevení faktorů, které ovlivňují kvalitu ţivota HIV infikovaných osob, můţe zvýšit porozumění jejich potřebám, coţ můţe zvýšit jejich adherenci k antiretrovirové terapii a sníţit tendence k rizikovému chování. and The study aims to investigate factors that infuence the quality of life of HIV infected people. Based on findigns from a number of researches high level of CD4+ lymphocytes count, low viral load, employment and social support have been found to have a positive effect on the quality of life of HIV infected individuals, while depression, low CD4+ lymphocytes count, high level of viraemia, and comorbidities (such as pneumocystis pneumonia, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus infection) have a negative effect on the quality of life. The role of gender in the quality of life of HIV infected people is as yet not clear. Some researches document lower quality of life in HIV positive women compared to HIV positive men, while others don’t show any difference. Antiretroviral therapy has both positive and negative effect on quality of life. There is an indication that co-infection with hepatitis G virus may positively influence health related aspects of the quality of life of HIV infected people. In a further research, the authors will examine the effects of HGV infection on general quality of life in HIV positive individuals. As yet very little research has been done in this area. It is hoped that by discovering the range of factors that may influence the quality of life of HIV infected people, their needs will be better understood, which may in turn increase their adherence to antiretroviral therapy and lower their tendency towards risky behavior.
Retroviry jsou jednoduché RNA viry, které se vyznačují schopností přepsat svou RNA do dvouřetězcové DNA a tu stabilně začlenit do genetické informace hostitelské buňky. Tato jejich vlastnost stojí za latencí viru HIV, která v současnosti představuje hlavní překážku v úspěšné léčbě HIV pozitivních pacientů. Na druhou stranu lze této jejich vlastnosti využít pro přenos genetické informace za účelem léčby četných chorob s využitím přístupů genové terapie. Pro tyto účely je však potřeba retroviry vybavit sekvencemi, které zajistí jejich stabilní aktivitu a ochrání je před umlčením., Retroviruses are simple RNA viruses, which exhibit an ability to convert their RNA to double-stranded DNA and introduce it into the host cell genome. This ability stands behind the HIV latency phenomenon - a major obstacle to successful therapy. On the other hand, this capability can be utilized for the transfer of genetic information in order to cure various diseases using gene therapy approaches. To achieve successful therapy, the retroviruses need to be equipped with sequences protecting them from silencing, thus stabilizing their activity., and Filip Šenigl.