Can Presumptive Anthelminthic Treatment Delay the Progression of HIV in ART-naïve Patients in Rural Africa?

Summary

This study focuses on one of the major health issues of Sub-Saharan Africa: multi-parasitism and co-infections. In particular this study aims to elucidate the interaction of helminths with HIV. There is good reason to suspect a detrimental effect of helminth infection on the course of HIV infection. We hypothesize, that treatment of helminths in HIV- and helminth co-infected individuals leads to a reduction of HIV viral load. With a lower HIV RNA level one would expect a slower decline of CD4 cells and hence also a slower progression of the disease. Ideally this would lead to a prolongation of the chronic phase of HIV infection and to a delay in the time when anti-retroviral treatment needs to be started.

Timeline

Start

2009-01

Primary completion

2010-09

Completion

2010-09

Publications

• Background Walson JL, John-Stewart G. Treatment of helminth co-infection in HIV-1 infected individuals in resource-limited settings. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD006419. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006419.pub2.
• Background Walson JL, Otieno PA, Mbuchi M, Richardson BA, Lohman-Payne B, Macharia SW, Overbaugh J, Berkley J, Sanders EJ, Chung MH, John-Stewart GC. Albendazole treatment of HIV-1 and helminth co-infection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. AIDS. 2008 Aug 20;22(13):1601-9. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e32830a502e.
• Background Gupta SB, Jacobson LP, Margolick JB, Rinaldo CR, Phair JP, Jamieson BD, Mehrotra DV, Robertson MN, Straus WL. Estimating the benefit of an HIV-1 vaccine that reduces viral load set point. J Infect Dis. 2007 Feb 15;195(4):546-50. doi: 10.1086/510909. Epub 2007 Jan 5.
• Background Mohammed KA, Haji HJ, Gabrielli AF, Mubila L, Biswas G, Chitsulo L, Bradley MH, Engels D, Savioli L, Molyneux DH. Triple co-administration of ivermectin, albendazole and praziquantel in zanzibar: a safety study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2008 Jan 23;2(1):e171. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000171.
• Background Brown M, Mawa PA, Kaleebu P, Elliott AM. Helminths and HIV infection: epidemiological observations on immunological hypotheses. Parasite Immunol. 2006 Nov;28(11):613-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2006.00904.x.
• Background Kallestrup P, Zinyama R, Gomo E, Butterworth AE, Mudenge B, van Dam GJ, Gerstoft J, Erikstrup C, Ullum H. Schistosomiasis and HIV-1 infection in rural Zimbabwe: effect of treatment of schistosomiasis on CD4 cell count and plasma HIV-1 RNA load. J Infect Dis. 2005 Dec 1;192(11):1956-61. doi: 10.1086/497696. Epub 2005 Oct 20.
• Background Brown M, Kizza M, Watera C, Quigley MA, Rowland S, Hughes P, Whitworth JA, Elliott AM. Helminth infection is not associated with faster progression of HIV disease in coinfected adults in Uganda. J Infect Dis. 2004 Nov 15;190(10):1869-79. doi: 10.1086/425042. Epub 2004 Oct 20.
• Background Elliott AM, Mawa PA, Joseph S, Namujju PB, Kizza M, Nakiyingi JS, Watera C, Dunne DW, Whitworth JA. Associations between helminth infection and CD4+ T cell count, viral load and cytokine responses in HIV-1-infected Ugandan adults. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2003 Jan-Feb;97(1):103-8. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(03)90040-x.
• Background Modjarrad K, Zulu I, Redden DT, Njobvu L, Lane HC, Bentwich Z, Vermund SH. Treatment of intestinal helminths does not reduce plasma concentrations of HIV-1 RNA in coinfected Zambian adults. J Infect Dis. 2005 Oct 1;192(7):1277-83. doi: 10.1086/444543. Epub 2005 Aug 25.
• Background Wolday D, Mayaan S, Mariam ZG, Berhe N, Seboxa T, Britton S, Galai N, Landay A, Bentwich Z. Treatment of intestinal worms is associated with decreased HIV plasma viral load. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2002 Sep 1;31(1):56-62. doi: 10.1097/00126334-200209010-00008.

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