Immunological Responses to Helminths and HIV-1 CoInfections

  • Elton Chavura Swansea University, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Wales, United Kingdom
  • Wales Singini Mzuzu University, Faculty of Environmental Science, Mzuzu, Malawi
  • Russel Chidya Mzuzu University, Faculty of Environmental Science, Mzuzu, Malawi
  • Balwani Chingatichifwe Mbakaya University of Livingstonia, Department of Public Health, Malawi
Keywords: Helminths, WaSH, HIV/AIDS, CD4 count, HIV-1 RNA, Viral load, disease progression

Abstract

Aim: Helminth infections result from poor sanitation. We evaluated the effect of helminth infections on HIV disease progression through the monitoring of 2 outcomes: (1) plasma HIV-1 RNA Viral load (V/L) and (2) Cluster of Differentiation (CD4+) T-lymphocyte count amongst helminth-HIV-1 co-infected persons. We hypothesized that (1) concurrent helminth infections compromise immune control, resulting in rising VL and reduced CD4+ T-lymphocyte count (2) and that, subject to successful treatment, a decrease in plasma VL could slow down disease progression. Methods: We reviewed 2032 citations, evaluated 432 abstracts, and included 10 articles according to the PRISMA diagram. The methodologies were appraised using a Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: At enrolment, plasma VL was significantly higher in individuals with helminths (5.01 log10 vs. 3.41 log10, p < 0.001). The effective range was 5.28 log10 copies/mL at baseline and 4.67 log10 copies/mL, (p  < 0.05) after treatment and a trend for 0.61 log10 lower VL. Significant interactions were seen in the successfully treated groups (p < 0.001). CD4+ T-lymphocyte count values were not significantly different in the co-infection groups relative to those with HIV infection alone.

Conclusion: Helminths and HIV-1 co-infections are associated with an increase in HIV-1 RNA levels that accelerate the progression of the sub-clinical disease to symptomatic AIDS.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

PlumX Statistics

References

1. Adeleke, O.A., Yogeswaran, P. and Wright, G., 2015. Intestinal helminth infections amongst HIV-infected adults in Mthatha General Hospital, South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine, 7(1), pp.1-7.
2. Alsan, M.M., Westerhaus, M., Herce, M., Nakashima, K. and Farmer, P.E., 2011. Poverty, global health, and infectious disease: lessons from Haiti and Rwanda. Infectious Disease Clinics, 25(3), pp.611-622.
3. Azoh Barry, J., 2014. Social sciences research on infectious diseases of poverty: too little and too late?. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 8(6), p.e2803.
4. Bangert, M., Molyneux, D.H., Lindsay, S.W., Fitzpatrick, C. and Engels, D., 2017. The cross-cutting contribution of the end of neglected tropical diseases to the sustainable development goals. Infectious diseases of poverty, 6(1), pp.1-20.
5. Bhutta, Z.A., Sommerfeld, J., Lassi, Z.S., Salam, R.A. and Das, J.K., 2014. Global burden, distribution, and interventions for infectious diseases of poverty. Infectious diseases of poverty, 3(1), pp.1-7.
6. Blackwell, A.D., 2016. Helminth infection during pregnancy: insights from evolutionary ecology. International journal of women's health, 8, p.651.
7. Brown, M., Kizza, M., Watera, C., Quigley, M.A., Rowland, S., Hughes, P., Whitworth, J.A. and Elliott, A.M., 2004. Helminth infection is not associated with faster progression of HIV disease in coinfected adults in Uganda. The Journal of infectious diseases, 190(10), pp.1869-1879.
8. Campbell, S.J., Biritwum, N.K., Woods, G., Velleman, Y., Fleming, F. and Stothard, J.R., 2018. Tailoring water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) targets for soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis control. Trends in parasitology, 34(1), pp.53-63.
9. Deol, A.K., Fleming, F.M., Calvo-Urbano, B., Walker, M., Bucumi, V., Gnandou, I., Tukahebwa, E.M., Jemu, S., Mwingira, U.J., Alkohlani, A. and Traoré, M., 2019. Schistosomiasis—assessing progress toward the 2020 and 2025 global goals. New England Journal of Medicine, 381(26), pp.2519-2528.
10. Downs, J.A., Dupnik, K.M., van Dam, G.J., Urassa, M., Lutonja, P., Kornelis, D., de Dood, C.J., Hoekstra, P., Kanjala, C., Isingo, R. and Peck, R.N., 2017. Effects of schistosomiasis on susceptibility to HIV-1 infection and HIV-1 viral load at HIV-1 seroconversion: A nested case- control study. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 11(9), p.e0005968.
11. Elliott, A.M., Ndibazza, J., Mpairwe, H., Muhangi, L., Webb, E.L., Kizito, D., Mawa, P., Tweyongyere, R. and Muwanga, M., 2011. Treatment with anthelminthics during pregnancy: what gains and what risks for the mother and child?. Parasitology, 138(12), pp.1499-1
12. Engels, D. and Zhou, X.N., 2020. Neglected tropical diseases: an effective global response to local poverty-related disease priorities. Infectious diseases of poverty, 9(1), pp.1-9.
13. Hernández-Bello, R., Nava-Castro, K., Muñiz-Hernández, S., Nava-Luna, P., Trejo-Sánchez, I., Tiempos-Guzmán, N., Mendoza-Rodríguez, Y. and Morales-Montor, J., 2012. Beyond the reproductive effect of sex steroids: their role during immunity to helminth parasite infections. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry, 12(11), pp.1071- 1080.
14. Kallestrup, P., Zinyama, R., Gomo, E., Butterworth, A.E., van Dam, G.J., Erikstrup, C. and Ullum, H., 2005. Schistosomiasis and HIV-1 infection in rural Zimbabwe: implications of coinfection for excretion of eggs. The Journal of infectious diseases, 191(8), pp.1311-1320.
15. Li, P., Xing, H., Zhao, Z., Yang, Z., Cao, Y., Li, W., Yan, G., Sattabongkot, J., Cui, L. and Fan, Q., 2015. Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 in the China–Myanmar border area. Acta tropica, 152, pp.26-31.
16. Mermin, J., Ekwaru, J.P., Were, W., Degerman, R., Bunnell, R., Kaharuza, F., Downing, R., Coutinho, A., Solberg, P., Alexander, L.N. and Tappero, J., 2011. Utility of routine viral load, CD4 cell count, and clinical monitoring among adults with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in Uganda: randomised trial. Bmj, 343.
17. Modjarrad, K. and Vermund, S.H., 2010. Effect of treating co-infections on HIV-1 viral load: a systematic review. The Lancet infectious diseases, 10(7), pp.455-463.
18. Mulu, A., Maier, M. and Liebert, U.G., 2013. Deworming of intestinal helminths reduces HIV-1 subtype C viremia in chronically co- infected individuals.International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 17(10), pp.e897-e901.
19. Mpairwe, H., Tweyongyere, R. and Elliott, A., 2014. Pregnancy and helminth infections. Parasite immunology, 36(8), pp.328-337.
20. Rabiu, O.R., Dada-Adegbola, H., Falade, C.O., Arinola, O.G., Odaibo, A.B. and Ademowo, O.G., 2021. Malaria, Helminth Infections and Clinical Status Among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women. International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS, 10(1), p.81.
21. Richmond, B.W., Mansouri, S., Serezani, A., Novitskiy, S., Blackburn, J.B., Du, R.H., Fuseini, H., Gutor, S., Han, W., Schaff, J. and Vasiukov, G., 2021. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells link localized secretory IgA deficiency to adaptive immune activation in COPD. Mucosal immunology, 14(2), pp.431-442.
22. Sartorius, B., VanderHeide, J.D., Yang, M., Goosmann, E.A., Hon, J., Haeuser, E., Cork, M.A., Perkins, S., Jahagirdar, D., Schaeffer, L.E. and Serfes, A.L., 2021. Subnational mapping of HIV incidence and mortality among individuals aged 15–49 years in sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–18: a modelling study. The Lancet HIV, 8(6), pp.e363-e375.
23. Stillwaggon, E. (2005). AIDS and the Ecology of Poverty. Oxford University Press.
24. Vanhamme, L., Souopgui, J., Ghogomu, S. and Ngale Njume, F., 2020. The Functional Parasitic Worm Secretome: Mapping the Place of Onchocerca volvulus Excretory Secretory Products. Pathogens, 9(11), p.975.
25. Walson, J.L., Stewart, B.T., Sangaré, L., Mbogo, L.W., Otieno, P.A., Piper, B.K., Richardson, B.A. and John-Stewart, G., 2010. Prevalence and correlates of helminth co-infection in Kenyan HIV-1 infected adults. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 4(3), p.e644.
26. Walson, J.L., Otieno, P.A., Mbuchi, M., Richardson, B.A., Lohman-Payne, B., Macharia, S.W., Overbaugh, J., Berkley, J., Sanders, E.J., Chung, M. and John-Stewart, G.C., 2008. Albendazole treatment of HIV-1 and helminth co-infection: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. AIDS (London, England), 22(13), p.1601.
27. Webb, E.L., Ekii, A.O. and Pala, P., 2012. Epidemiology and immunology of helminth–HIV interactions. Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS, 7(3), pp.245-253.
28. Wolday, D., Mayaan, S., Mariam, Z.G., Berhe, N., Seboxa, T., Britton, S., Galai, N., Landay, A. and Bentwich, Z., 2002. Treatment of intestinal worms is associated with decreased HIV plasma viral load. JAIDS- HAGERSTOWN MD-, 31(1), pp.56-62.
29. Woodburn, P.W., Muhangi, L., Hillier, S., Ndibazza, J., Namujju, P.B., Kizza, M., Ameke, C., Omoding, N.E., Booth, M. and Elliott, A.M., 2009. Risk factors for helminth, malaria, and HIV infection in pregnancy in Entebbe, Uganda. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 3(6), p.e473.
30. World Health Organization, 2013. Global update on HIV treatment 2013: results, impact and opportunities.
31. World Health Organization, 2012. Research priorities for helminth infections: technical report of the TDR disease reference group on helminth infections. World Health Organization.
32. World Health Organization, 2011. Helminth control in school-age children: a guide for managers of control programmes. World Health Organization.
Published
2023-03-31
How to Cite
Chavura, E., Singini, W., Chidya, R., & Mbakaya, B. C. (2023). Immunological Responses to Helminths and HIV-1 CoInfections. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 19(9), 211. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2023.v19n9p211
Section
ESJ Natural/Life/Medical Sciences