AIDS
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Hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV coinfection is associated with rapid progression of hepatic fibrosis and liver disease. T-cell response has been implicated in the pathophysiological outcome of the disease. ⋯ TEM cells play an important role during viral infection and enhanced expression of inhibitory markers is associated with decreased proliferation and cytotoxicity and increased IL-10 production, which was pronounced in HCV/HIV coinfection. Thus, decreased TEM functionality contributes to diminished host immune responses during HCV/HIV coinfection as compared to HCV or HIV monoinfection.
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To evaluate the global and country-level burden of HIV/AIDS relative to 291 other causes of disease burden from 1980 to 2010 using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) as the vehicle for exploration. ⋯ In the midst of a global economic recession, tracking the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its importance relative to other diseases and injuries is critical to effectively allocating limited resources and maintaining funding for effective HIV/AIDS interventions and treatments.
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HIV-infected patients with treated cryptococcal meningitis are at risk for further neurological deterioration after commencing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), mostly because of cryptococcosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (C-IRIS). Identifying predictors of C-IRIS could enable risk stratification. ⋯ Persistent CSF cryptococcal growth at cART initiation and poor CD4 T-cell increases on cART are strong predictors of C-IRIS. Approaches aimed at achieving CSF culture negativity prior to cART should be evaluated as a strategy to reduce rates of C-IRIS.
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We aimed to determine whether endothelial activation biomarkers increase after HIV-1 acquisition, and whether biomarker levels measured in chronic infection would predict disease progression and death in HIV-1 seroconverters. ⋯ HIV-1 acquisition was associated with endothelial activation, with sustained elevations of soluble ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 postinfection. Soluble VCAM-1 may be an informative biomarker for predicting the risk of HIV-1 disease progression, morbidity, and mortality.