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. 2019 Nov 20;13(11):e0007886.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007886. eCollection 2019 Nov.

Schistosomiasis was not associated with higher HIV-1 plasma or genital set point viral loads among HIV seroconverters from four cohort studies

Aaron F Bochner  1   2 , W Evan Secor  3 , Jared M Baeten  1   2   4 , Govert J van Dam  5 , Adam A Szpiro  6 , Sammy M Njenga  7 , Paul L A M Corstjens  8 , Romel D Mackelprang  2 , Nelly R Mugo  7 , Julie Overbaugh  9 , Connie Celum  1   2   4 , Andrew Mujugira  10 , R Scott McClelland  1   2   4 , Ruanne V Barnabas  1   2   4
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Schistosomiasis was not associated with higher HIV-1 plasma or genital set point viral loads among HIV seroconverters from four cohort studies

Aaron F Bochner et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Many regions of sub-Saharan Africa experience a high prevalence of both schistosomiasis and HIV-1, leading to frequent coinfection. Higher plasma HIV-1 viral loads are associated with faster disease progression and genital HIV-1 loads are a primary determinant of HIV-1 transmission risk. We hypothesized that schistosome infection would be associated with higher HIV-1 viral loads in plasma and genital samples.

Methods/principal findings: We utilized data from individuals who HIV-1 seroconverted while enrolled in one of four prospective cohort studies. Plasma and genital viral loads collected 4-24 months after the estimated date of HIV-1 acquisition, but prior to antiretroviral therapy initiation, were included. Detection of circulating anodic antigen in archived blood samples, collected prior to HIV-1 seroconversion, identified participants with active schistosomiasis; immunoblots determined the schistosome species causing infection. Our analysis included 370 HIV-1 seroconverters with plasma viral load results, of whom 82 (22%) had schistosomiasis. We did not find a statistically significant association between schistosomiasis and higher HIV-1 set point plasma viral loads (-0.17 log10 copies/ml, 95% CI -0.38 to 0.03); S. mansoni infection was associated with a lower set point (-0.34 log10 copies/ml, 95% CI -0.58 to -0.09). We found no association between schistosomiasis and cervical (+0.07 log10 copies/swab, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.34) or vaginal (+0.11 log10 copies/swab, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.39) set point viral loads; S. haematobium infection was associated with lower cervical viral loads (-0.59 log10 copies/swab, 95% CI -1.11 to -0.06).

Conclusions/significance: These results do not support the hypotheses that schistosome coinfection increases plasma or genital HIV-1 viral loads.

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Conflict of interest statement

I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: RSM has received funding for research, paid to the University of Washington, from Hologic Corporation. All other authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Eligibility and availability of samples from HIV-1 seroconverters in the serodiscordant couples and female sex worker cohorts.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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