The impact of host genetics on HIV infection and disease progression in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy

A 43-year-old man, known to be HIV-positive, presented with a six-week history of symptoms including cough, hemoptysis, anterior chest pain, fever and wasting. His CD4 cell count was 46 cells/μL, and his chest x-ray showed a cavitating lesion in the left upper lobe. Sputum culture was positive forNocardia farcinica. His infection resolved following initiation of antiretroviral therapy.Nocardiais an uncommon opportunistic pathogen in patients with HIV infection and is usually associated with advanced CD4 depletion, cavitary pneumonia, metastatic infection and high mortality. The impact of antiretroviral therapy onNocardiainfection in the setting of HIV has not been clearly elucidated. The current report is the first to present a case in which a complete clinical cure ofNocardiapneumonia has been documented, primarily in response to highly active antiretroviral therapy alone.

Download Full-text

Liver disease, HIV and aging

Sexual Health ◽

10.1071/sh10163 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 512 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia ◽

Chloe L. Thio

Keyword(s):

Liver Disease ◽

Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Hiv Infection ◽

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Future Research ◽

Hiv Replication ◽

Highly Active ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

The Impact ◽

Hiv Negative

The life expectancy of HIV-infected patients has increased due to the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in controlling HIV replication; thus, the population living with HIV infection is steadily aging. Liver-related morbidity and mortality has emerged as a leading problem in HIV-infected patients. Since aging, HIV infection and HAART all affect the liver, understanding the impact of the combination of these factors on liver disease is crucial for optimisation of care in the aging HIV-infected population. This review will focus on the current understanding of liver disease in older (>50 years old) HIV-negative individuals and in HIV-infected individuals. Areas for future research in the area of HIV, liver disease and aging will also be discussed.

Download Full-text

Impact of HIV infection and smoking on lung immunity and related disorders

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/13993003.00353-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (6) ◽

pp. 1781-1795 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Theresa M. Rossouw ◽

Ronald Anderson ◽

Charles Feldman

Keyword(s):

Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Hiv Infection ◽

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Opportunistic Infections ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Highly Active ◽

Life Years ◽

Primary Focus ◽

The Impact

HIV-infected persons not only have higher rates of smoking than the general population, but are also unusually vulnerable to the associated adverse health effects, both infective and noninfective in origin. Indeed, in the setting of well-organised care and availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected smokers lose more life-years to smoking than to HIV infection per se, presenting a major challenge to healthcare providers. Not surprisingly, the respiratory system is particularly susceptible to the damaging interactive chronic inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of HIV and smoking, intensifying the risk of the development of opportunistic infections, as well as lung cancer and obstructive lung disorders. The impact of smoking on the immunopathogenesis and frequencies of these respiratory conditions in the setting of HIV infection, as well as on the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy, represent the primary focus of this review.

Download Full-text