title: HIV-1 and GBV-C co-infection in Venezuela.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Co-infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) has been associated with prolonged survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of GBV-C infection among HIV-1-infected patients in Venezuela, and to determine the effects of the co-infection on the levels of relevant cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples were collected from 270 HIV-1-seronegative and 255 HIV-1-seropositive individuals. GBV-C infection was determined by RT-PCR of the NS5 region and genotyped by sequence analysis of the 5´UTR region. HIV-1 strains were characterized by sequence analysis of pol, vif, env, and nef genes. Selected cytokines were evaluated by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven of 525 (18.5%) plasma samples tested positive for GBV-C RNA. A significantly higher prevalence of GBV-C was found among HIV-1 patients compared to HIV-1-seronegative individuals (67/255, 26% versus 30/270, 11%; p < 0.001). Statistical difference was observed in the viral load between HIV-1+GBV-C+ and HIV-1+GBV-C- (p = 0.014), although no differences in CD4+ cell counts were found between both groups. TNFα concentration was higher in HIV-1+GBV-C- than in HIV-1+GBV-C+ patients (25.9 pg/mL versus 17.3 pg/mL; p = 0.02); RANTES expression levels were more variable in GBV-C co-infected patients and more frequently elevated in HIV-1 mono-infected patients compared to patients co-infected with GBV-C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The previously observed beneficial effect of co-infection with HIV-1 and GBV-C on disease progression is complex and might be due in part to a change in the cytokine environment. More studies are required to understand the interaction between both viruses.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela. akrodrig@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anny Karely
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Domingo José
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Garzaro
authors.forename: Carmen Luisa
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Cristina R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ameli
authors.forename: Rossana Celeste
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jaspe
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Porto
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monsalve
authors.forename: Ángela
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Pozada
authors.forename: Luzmary
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Miguel E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Quiñones-Mateu
authors.forename: Flor Helene
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.forename: Héctor Rafael
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rangel
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D029407:GB virus C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D015995:Prevalence; D014687:Venezuela; D019562:Viral Load; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics; D054320:vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; C483024:CCL5 protein, human; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D016207:Cytokines; C096041:NS5 protein, flavivirus; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514837:nef protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D054320:vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514847:vif protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1