| 11. |
- Linderholm, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Human exposure to persistent organic pollutants in West Africa - A temporal trend study from Guinea-Bissau
- 2010
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 36:7, s. 675-682
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Humans, independent on where they live, are exposed to complex and various mixtures of chemicals, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The variability of the exposure depends on sources of the chemicals and is influenced by e.g. geography, social and cultural heritage. While exposures to POPs are frequently studied in populations from developed industrial countries, very little is known on levels and trends of POPs in developing countries, especially in Africa. Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate levels and temporal trends of POPs in adults from Guinea-Bissau. Methods Serum samples were obtained from an open cohort of police officers in Guinea-Bissau. Repeated samples from 33 individuals were obtained at five time points between 1990 and 2007, in all 147 samples. Pooled serum samples were extracted and cleaned-up prior to analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The concentration of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (4,4′-DDT) and its metabolites, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were determined. Results The major POP found in all samples was 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethene (4,4′-DDE) followed by 4,4′-DDT. 4,4′-DDE, 4,4′-DDT, PCBs and β- and γ-HCH were significantly decreasing over time. The PBDEs were found at low concentrations, with an increasing temporal trend for BDE-153. Conclusion National and international management may be behind the observed decreased organohalogen compound concentrations in humans from Guinea-Bissau from the early 1990's and onwards, similarly to the development of these compounds in humans from industrial countries. In contrast, PBDEs follow a trend of increasing concentrations even though at low levels
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| 12. |
- Lopatko Lindman, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Declining prevalence rates of syphilis among police officers in Guinea-bissau, west Africa, 1990-2010.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Sexually Transmitted Diseases. - 1537-4521. ; 40:10, s. 794-796
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We analyzed prevalence rates of syphilis (positive Treponema pallidum hemagglutinin antigen/T. pallidum particle antigen and venereal disease research laboratory test) among police officers in Guinea-Bissau from 1990 to 2010 and found a significant decline from 4.5% to 0.4% (P = 0.0065). Our results are in line with other recent reports from West Africa. More research is needed to identify the reasons for this decline.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Malm, Kerstin, 1960-, et al.
(författare)
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Analytical evaluation of nine serological assays for diagnosis of syphilis
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0926-9959 .- 1468-3083. ; 29:12, s. 2369-2376
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The diagnosis of syphilis is most frequently dependent on antibody detection with serological assays. Assays for both treponemal and non-treponemal antibodies are needed to provide a sensitive and specific diagnosis. For decades, a first screening has been done with non-treponemal assays, followed by treponemal. However, in recent years, following laboratory automation, the reverse sequence screening algorithms have been developed, using a treponemal assay as the initial screening test.Objective: To evaluate serological assays for treponemal and non-treponemal antibodies, to use in reverse algorithm screening of syphilis.Material and methods: Six treponemal assays (one IgM-specific assay), two non-treponemal assays and one novel dual point-of-care (POC) assay for serological diagnosis of syphilis were evaluated. Serum samples from Guinea-Bissau and Sweden were examined, as well as two performance panels and samples from blood donors. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each assay, using different assays as gold standard test.Results: The Macro-Vue RPR Card test was the most sensitive non-treponemal test and the TrepSure Anti-Treponema EIA Screen and the SeroDia TP-PA were the most sensitive and specific treponemal assays. Among the automated assays, both the Liaison Treponema Screen and Architect Syphilis TP showed high sensitivity, however, the former had clearly higher specificity.Conclusions: In resourced settings, where the reverse sequence algorithm is preferred for screening, an automated treponemal immunoassay for initial screening subsequently followed by the TrepSure test or TP-PA assay as a second treponemal assay appear highly effective. Finally, a quantitative highly sensitive non-treponemal assay, e.g. the Macro-Vue RPR Card test, could then be used as a supplementary test to evaluate activity of the syphilis infection.
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| 15. |
- Månsson, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 before, during and after a civil war in an occupational cohort in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.
- 2009
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Ingår i: AIDS. - 1473-5571. ; 23, s. 1575-1582
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES:: To study prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 between 1990 and 2007 and to examine impact of the civil war in 1998-1999. We also wanted to investigate possible interaction between HIV-1 and HIV-2. DESIGN:: Open prospective cohort study of 4592 police officers in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. METHODS:: Analysis of HIV-1 and HIV-2 prevalence and incidence divided in 2-3 years time strata. RESULTS:: HIV-1 prevalence (including HIV-1/HIV-2 dual reactivity) increased gradually from 0.6 to 3.6% before the war and was 9.5% in the first serosurvey after the war. HIV-1 incidence more than doubled during and shortly after the war, from 0.50 to 1.22 per 100 person-years. Both prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 decreased in the following periods after the war. HIV-2 prevalence decreased from 13.4 to 6.2% during the entire study period and HIV-2 incidence decreased from 1.38 to 0.18 per 100 person-years. Adjusted incidence rate ratios of HIV-1 incidence in HIV-2-positive participants compared with HIV-negative participants ranged from 1.02 to 1.18 (not significant) depending on the confounding variables included. CONCLUSION:: HIV-1 has increased, whereas HIV-2 has decreased and the risk of acquiring HIV-1 is now more than four times higher as compared with HIV-2. The civil war in 1998-1999 appears to have induced a temporary increase in HIV-1 transmission, but now a stabilization of HIV-1 incidence and prevalence seems to have taken place. There was no evidence of a protective effect of HIV-2 against HIV-1 infection.
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| 16. |
- Nowroozalizadeh, Salma, et al.
(författare)
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Microbial Translocation Correlates with the Severity of Both HIV-1 and HIV-2 Infections
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1537-6613 .- 0022-1899. ; 201:8, s. 1150-1154
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microbial translocation has been linked to systemic immune activation during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection. Here, we show that an elevated level of microbial translocation, measured as plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration, correlates with AIDS in both individuals infected with HIV type 1 and individuals infected with HIV type 2. LPS concentration also correlates with CD4(+) T cell count and viral load independently of HIV type. Furthermore, elevated plasma LPS concentration was found to be concomitant with defective innate and mitogen responsiveness. We suggest that microbial translocation may contribute to loss of CD4(+) T cells, increase in viral load, and defective immune stimuli responsiveness during both HIV type 1 and HIV type 2 infections.
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| 17. |
- Nowroozalizadeh, Salma, et al.
(författare)
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Reply to Redd et al
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1537-6613 .- 0022-1899. ; 203:5, s. 746-746
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 18. |
- Nowroozalizadeh, Salma, et al.
(författare)
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Studies on toll-like receptor stimuli responsiveness in HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections
- 2009
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Ingår i: Cytokine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1096-0023 .- 1043-4666. ; 46:3, s. 325-331
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: HIV-1 and HIV-2 are two related viruses with distinct clinical outcomes, where HIV-1 is more pathogenic and transmissible than HIV-2. The pathogenesis of both infections is influenced by the dysregulation and deterioration of the adaptive immune system. However, their effects on the responsiveness of innate immunity are less well known. Here, we report on toll-like receptor (TLR) stimuli responsiveness in HIV-1 or HIV-2 infections. Methods: Whole blood from 235 individuals living in Guinea-Bissau who were uninfected, infected with HIV-1, infected with HIV-2, and/or infected with HTLV-1, was stimulated with TLR7/8 and TLR9 agonists, R-848 and unmethylated CpG DNA. After TLR7/8 and TLR9 stimuli, the expression levels of IL-12 and IFN-alpha were related to gender, age, infection status, CD4(+) T cell counts. and plasma viral load. Results: Defective TLR9 responsiveness was observed in the advanced disease stage, along with CD4(+) T cell loss in both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. Moreover, TLR7/8 responsiveness was reduced in HIV-1 infected individuals compared with uninfected controls. Conclusions: Innate immunity responsiveness can be monitored by whole blood stimulation. Both advanced HIVA and HIV-2 infections may cause innate immunity dysregulation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 19. |
- Palm, Angelica A., et al.
(författare)
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Interferon Alpha-Inducible Protein 27 Expression Is Linked to Disease Severity in Chronic Infection of Both HIV-1 and HIV-2
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Virology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2673-818X. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Disease progression is slower in HIV-2, as compared with HIV-1 infection, in accordance with low or undetectable plasma viremia at viral setpoint. However, it is unclear why most HIV-2 infected individuals are still at risk of developing AIDS. To explore if specific host responses are linked to HIV disease severity, we have compared blood gene expression profiles between HIV seronegative and HIV-1, HIV-2 or dually HIV-1/HIV-2 infected individuals. In this study the gene encoding Interferon alpha-inducible protein 27 (IFI27) was found to be the most differentially expressed. Detailed expression analysis revealed significantly higher IFI27 expression in HIV infected individuals compared with seronegative individuals, irrespectively of HIV type. Moreover, IFI27 expression was higher in HIV-1 than in HIV-2 infected individuals. Multiple linear regression analysis, adjusting for age and sex, showed also that plasma viral load was the strongest predictor of IFI27 expression, followed by CD4% and HIV type. In line with this, IFI27 expression was found to be higher in HIV-2 viremic, compared with HIV-2 aviremic individuals. Still, HIV-2 aviremic individuals displayed elevated IFI27 expression compared with seronegative individuals. Furthermore, in HIV-2 infected individuals, IFI27 expression was also correlated with plasma markers previously linked to inflammation and disease progression in HIV infection. Taken together, our findings suggest that sustained elevation of type I interferon signaling, here reflected by elevated IFI27 expression in the chronic infection phase, is a key pathogenic feature of both HIV-1 and HIV-2
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| 20. |
- Palm, Angelica A., et al.
(författare)
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Intra-Patient Evolution of HIV-2 Molecular Properties
- 2022
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Ingår i: Viruses. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4915. ; 14:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Limited data are available on the pathogenesis of HIV-2, and the evolution of Env molecular properties during disease progression is not fully elucidated. We investigated the intra-patient evolution of molecular properties of HIV-2 Env regions (V1–C3) during the asymptomatic, treatment-naïve phase of the infection in 16 study participants, stratified into faster or slower progressors. Most notably, the rate of change in the number of potential N-linked glycosylation sites (PNGS) within the Env (V1–C3) regions differed between progressor groups. With declining CD4+ T-cell levels, slower progressors showed, on average, a decrease in the number of PNGSs, while faster progressors showed no significant change. Furthermore, diversity increased significantly with time in faster progressors, whereas no such change was observed in slower progressors. No differences were identified between the progressor groups in the evolution of length or charge of the analyzed Env regions. Predicted virus CXCR4 use was rare and did not emerge as a dominating viral population during the studied disease course (median 7.9 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 5.2–14.0) in either progressor groups. Further work building on our observations may explain molecular hallmarks of HIV-2 disease progression and differences in pathogenesis between HIV-1 and HIV-2.
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