Managing techniques of Retro Virus Infection

The Retroviruses section is all aspects of human and animal retroviruses. We welcome basic and translational studies on the mechanisms of retrovirus replication and pathogenesis, including reports on the development of antiretroviral drugs and vaccines. Interdisciplinary research on retroviruses using multiple approaches is particularly welcome. Transplantation among HIV positive patients may be a valuable therapeutic intervention. This study involves an HIV D+/R+ kidney–liver transplantation, where PBMC-associated HIV quasispecies were analyzed in donor and transplant recipients (TR) prior to transplantation and thereafter, together with standard viral monitoring.The donor was a 54 year of age HIV infected woman: kidney and liver recipients were two HIV infected men, aged 49 and 61. HIV quasispecies in PBMC was analyzed by ultra-deep sequencing of V3 env region. During TR follow-up, plasma HIV-1 RNA, HIV-1 DNA in PBMC, analysis of proviral integration sites and drug-resistance genotyping were performed. Other virological and immunological monitoring included CMV and EBV DNA quantification in blood and CD4 T cell counts.Donor and TR were all ART-HIV suppressed at transplantation. Thereafter, TR maintained a nearly suppressed HIV-1 viremia, but HIV-1 RNA blips and the increase of proviral integration sites in PBMC attested some residual HIV replication. A transient peak in HIV-1 DNA occurred in the liver recipient. No major changes of drug-resistance genotype were detected after transplantation. CMV and EBV transient reactivations were observed only in the kidney recipient, but did not require specific treatment. CD4 counts remained stable. No intermixed quasispecies between donor and TR was observed at transplantation or thereafter. Despite signs of viral evolution in TR, HIV genetic heterogeneity did not increase over the course of the months of follow up. No evidence of HIV superinfection was observed in the donor nor in the recipients. The immunosuppressive treatment administrated to TR did not result in clinical relevant viral reactivations. Kidney transplantation is a primary therapy for end-stage renal disease, just as orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) is considered to be the best curative treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HIV-positive individuals have a higher incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and face nearly a threefold higher mortality on dialysis, compared to their HIV-negative counterparts. HCV/HIV or HBV/HIV co-infection are frequent in people who inject drugs (PWID) . HCC is a relevant cause of mortality in co-infected patients, since HIV-related immunosuppression enhances viral replication in liver cells contributing to HCC pathogenesis