Molecular and Clinical Profiles of Human Pegivirus Type 1 Infection in Individuals Living with HIV-1 in the Extreme South of Brazil

Abstract EN

Human pegivirus type 1 (HPgV-1) infection has been associated with a beneficial effect on the prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-coinfected individuals.

However, the mechanisms involved in this protection are not yet fully elucidated.

To date, circulating HPgV-1 genotypes in HIV-1-infected individuals have not yet been identified in the extreme south of Brazil.

The present study aimed to determine the genotypic circulation of HPgV-1 and the influence of HPgV-1 status and persistence time on the evolution of HIV-1 infection.

A retrospective cohort of 110 coinfected individuals was analyzed.

Samples were subjected to viral RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, nested PCR, and genotyping.

Genotypes 1 (2.8%), 2 (47.9% of subtype 2a and 42.3% of subtype 2b), and 3 (7%) were identified.

In antiretroviral treatment-naïve subjects HPgV-1 subtype 2b was associated with lower HIV-1 viral load (VL) rates (p = 0.04) and higher CD4+ T-cell counts (p = 0.03) than was subtype 2a, and the positivity for HPgV-1 was associated with higher CD4+ T-cell counts (p = 0.02).

However, there was no significant difference in HIV-1 VL between HPgV-1-positive and HPgV-1-negative subjects (p = 0.08).

There was no significant association between the different groups in HPgV-1 persistence and median HIV-1 VL (p = 0.66) or CD4+ T-cell counts (p = 0.15).

HPgV-1 subtype 2b is associated with better prognosis of HIV-1 infection.

Although HPgV-1 infection is persistent, our data suggest that the time of infection does not influence HIV-1 VL or CD4+ T-cell counts in coinfected subjects.