Stress-Related Herpesvirus Reactivation in Badgers Can Result in Clostridium Proliferation

Clostridium perfringens is an important food-borne zoonotic pathogen and a member of the commensal gut microbiome of many mammals. Predisposing factors such as coinfection with other pathogens or diet change can, however, cause overgrowth and subsequent disease development. Here we investigated the occurrence of C. perfringens in a free-ranging badger population with up to 100% prevalence of herpesvirus infection. Herpesvirus reactivation is known to be associated with increased susceptibility bacterial infections. PCR screening of rectal swabs from 69 free-ranging badgers revealed 15.9% (11/69, 95% CI = 9.1–26.3%) prevalence of detectable C. perfringens (Type A) DNA in the digestive tracts of assymptomatic animals. The results of Fisher’s exact test revealed C. perfringens detection was not biased by age, sex and seasons. However, badgers with genital tract gammaherpesvirus (MusGHV-1) reactivation (p = 0.007) and infection with a specific MusGHV-1 genotype (p = 0.019) were more prone to of C. perfringens proliferation, indicating coinfection biased dynamics of intestinal C. perfringens. An inclusion pattern analysis further indicated that, causally, MusGHV-1 reactivation potentiated C. perfringens detection. Whether or not specific MusGHV-1 genotype infection or reactivation plays a role in C. perfringens overgrowth or disease development in badgers will require further investigation. Nevertheless, a postmortem examination of a single badger that died of fatal disease, likely associated with C. perfringens, revealed MusGHV-1 detection in the small intestine.

Human Papillomavirus Same Genotype Persistence and Risk of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 2+ Recurrence

To evaluate the significance of HPV persistence as a predictor for the development of CIN2+ recurrence and the impact of multiple genotypes and of HPV 16/18 on recurrence risk. A prospective cohort observational study was carried out at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy, from December 2006 to December 2014. A total of 408 women surgically treated by excisional procedure for pre-neoplastic and neoplastic cervical lesions were enrolled. HPV test was performed at baseline and at first follow-up visit planned at 6 ± 3 months after treatment. Two-year cumulative incidences for relapse were estimated and compared by the Gray’s test. Overall, 96 (23.5%) patients were persistent for at least one genotype at three to nine months from baseline and 21 (5.1%) patients relapsed. The two-year cumulative relapse incidence was higher in HPV persistent patients compared to not-persistent (CIF = 27.6%, 95% CI: 16.2–40.2% versus CIF = 1.7%, 95% CI: 0.3–5.8%, p < 0.001), in women with persistent multiple infections (CIF = 27.2%, 95% CI: 7.3–52.3%, p < 0.001), and with the persistence of at least one genotype between 16 and 18, irrespective of the presence of other HR genotypes (CIF = 32.7%, 95% CI: 17.9–48.3%, p < 0.001), but not significantly different from women positive for single infections or any other HR genotype, but not for 16 and 18. The risk of CIN2+ recurrence should not be underestimated when same HPV genotype infection persists after treatment.

Genotyping and sero-virological characterisation of hepatitis B virus-infected blood donors in Central Eritrea

Aim To determine serological markers and genotypes profiles of HBV isolates in Central Eritrea. Materials & methods A total of 191 HBsAg sero-positive samples were randomly selected for the study from 23,232 screened blood donors from 2015 to 2017. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to perform HBV serological markers screening, while genotypes were determined using type-specific primer-based multiplex-nested PCR. Results The median age of infected blood donors was 28.9 ± 10.26 years. Of 191 HBsAg reactive serum samples, 77.5% (148/191) were sero-positive for HBcAb-total, among which 99.3% (147/148) and 0.7% (1/148) were sero-positive for HBsAg and HBsAb, respectively. Interestingly, among 147 HBcAb-total/HBsAg reactive samples, 16 (10.9%) and 131 (77.9%) were sero-positive for HBeAg and HBeAb, respectively. For genotyping, 73 HBV isolates were successfully amplified and genotyped, with 59 (80.8%) had a mono-genotype and 14 (19.2%) had a mixed-genotype infection. Among HBV isolates with mono-genotypes: 39 (53.4%) D; 10 (13.7%) E; 6 (8.2%) A and 4 (5.5%) C. While five mixed-genotypes comprised: 6 (8.2%) C/D; 3 (4.1%) C/D/E; 2 (2.7%) each with genotype A/D and D/E; and 1 (1.4%) genotype B/D. Conclusion HBV genotype D is the predominant genotype, either as a HBV mono- or mixed-genotype infection, among blood donors in Eritrea.

Contact patterns and HPV-genotype interactions yield heterogeneous HPV-vaccine impacts depending on sexual behaviours: an individual-based model

Human papillomaviruses are common sexually transmitted infections, caused by a large diversity of genotypes. In the context of vaccination against a subgroup of genotypes, better understanding the role of genotype interactions and human sexual behavior on genotype ecology is essential. Herein, we present an individual-based model that integrates realistic heterosexual partnership behaviors and simulates interactions between vaccine and non-vaccine genotypes. Genotype interactions were considered, assuming a previous vaccine-genotype infection shortened (competition) or extended (synergy) the duration of a secondary non-vaccine-genotype infection. Sexual behavior determined papillomavirus acquisition and transmission: only 19.5% of active individuals with 0–1 partner during the year, but >80% of those with ≥2 partners, were infected before vaccine introduction. Genotype interactions, despite being silent during the pre-vaccination era, markedly impacted genotype ecology after vaccination started, with a significant increase/decrease of non-vaccine prevalence for competitive/synergistic interactions. These changes were more pronounced in individuals with ≤3 partners (up to 30% of prevalence modification assuming 65% vaccine coverage) but barely visible for individuals with >3 partners (at most 0.30%). Results suggest that considering genotype interactions, in conjunction with heterogeneous sexual behaviors, is essential to anticipate the impact of existing and future anti-papillomavirus vaccines targeting a subgroup of genotypes.

Hepatitis E 3ra Genotype Infection in People Living With HIV in Spain

BackgroundThe objective of our study was to assess the prevalence and incidence of HEV in people living with HIV (PLWH) in a Spanish national cohort.MethodsRetrospective longitudinal study including PLWH recruited in the cohort of adult HIV-infected patients of the AIDS Research Network in follow-up at 28 Spanish hospitals with available serum samples in 2014 and 2015. All samples were tested for HEV IgG, IgM, and RNA. Samples with detectable HEV viral loads were genotyped. Prevalence and incidence of HEV infection were calculated.ResultsThe study sample comprised 845 PLWH. At baseline, 101 patients were positive for HEV IgG antibodies (11.9%), none had HEV IgM antibodies, and 2 presented detectable HEV RNA (0.23%). Forty-two seroconverted for IgG, supposing a cumulative incidence of 5.7%. One subject was positive for IgM (0.13%), and 2 showed detectable HEV RNA (0.27%). One case was infected by the emergent HEV genotype 3ra.ConclusionOur study identifies one case of HEV 3ra genotype infection, the main host of which is rabbit, showing a potential zoonotic role of this emerging genotype in Spain.