PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (Mar 2014)

Helminth-associated systemic immune activation and HIV co-receptor expression: response to albendazole/praziquantel treatment.

  • Mkunde Chachage,
  • Lilli Podola,
  • Petra Clowes,
  • Anthony Nsojo,
  • Asli Bauer,
  • Onesmo Mgaya,
  • Dickens Kowour,
  • Guenter Froeschl,
  • Leonard Maboko,
  • Michael Hoelscher,
  • Elmar Saathoff,
  • Christof Geldmacher

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002755
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 3
p. e2755

Abstract

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BackgroundIt has been hypothesized that helminth infections increase HIV susceptibility by enhancing systemic immune activation and hence contribute to elevated HIV-1 transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.ObjectiveTo study systemic immune activation and HIV-1 co-receptor expression in relation to different helminth infections and in response to helminth treatment.MethodsHIV-negative adults with (n = 189) or without (n = 57) different helminth infections, as diagnosed by Kato-Katz, were enrolled in Mbeya, Tanzania. Blinded to helminth infection status, T cell differentiation (CD45RO, CD27), activation (HLA-DR, CD38) and CCR5 expression was determined at baseline and 3 months after Albendazole/Praziquantel treatment. Plasma cytokine levels were compared using a cytometric bead array.ResultsTrichuris and Ascaris infections were linked to increased frequencies of "activated" CD4 and/or CD8 T cells (pConclusionsIncreased expression of T cell activation markers was associated with Trichuris and Ascaris infections with relatively little effect of helminth treatment.