TY - JOUR
T1 - HIV and tuberculosis co-infection among migrants in Portugal
T2 - a brief study on their sociodemographic, clinical, and genomic characteristics
AU - Tavares, Ana Maria
AU - Pingarilho, Marta
AU - Batista, Judite
AU - Viveiros, Miguel
AU - Dias, Sónia
AU - Toscano, Cristina
AU - Gomes, Perpétua
AU - Abecasis, Ana B
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are among the global deadliest diseases. Migrant populations are particularly vulnerable to these infections. Yet, literature is still scarce on the epidemiology of HIV-TB co-infection among migrants. In this study, we characterized native and migrant HIV patients followed in Portuguese hospitals, who were diagnosed with TB, regarding their sociodemographic, clinical, and genomic characteristics. Among 67 patients with HIV and TB diagnoses, there were 24 migrants, most from sub-Saharan Africa. Most patients had CD4+ T cell counts below 350 cells/μL, and were diagnosed simultaneously for HIV and TB. When compared to natives, migrants presented a higher proportion of non-B HIV-1 infections. Patients infected with these non-B HIV-1 strains presented higher viral loads, which can have an important impact for the transmissibility and pathogenicity of both diseases. Future studies should investigate different HIV strains and consequences for TB and HIV transmission and disease outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations.
AB - HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are among the global deadliest diseases. Migrant populations are particularly vulnerable to these infections. Yet, literature is still scarce on the epidemiology of HIV-TB co-infection among migrants. In this study, we characterized native and migrant HIV patients followed in Portuguese hospitals, who were diagnosed with TB, regarding their sociodemographic, clinical, and genomic characteristics. Among 67 patients with HIV and TB diagnoses, there were 24 migrants, most from sub-Saharan Africa. Most patients had CD4+ T cell counts below 350 cells/μL, and were diagnosed simultaneously for HIV and TB. When compared to natives, migrants presented a higher proportion of non-B HIV-1 infections. Patients infected with these non-B HIV-1 strains presented higher viral loads, which can have an important impact for the transmissibility and pathogenicity of both diseases. Future studies should investigate different HIV strains and consequences for TB and HIV transmission and disease outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations.
U2 - 10.1089/AID.2020.0119
DO - 10.1089/AID.2020.0119
M3 - Article
C2 - 32962419
SN - 0889-2229
VL - 37
SP - 34
EP - 37
JO - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
JF - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
IS - 1
ER -