Virology Department
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Item Screening for HIV and hepatitis C virus using saliva tests in a prison in Ghana. A study of the prevalence and the status of knowledge(Lakartidningen, 2012) Ljungdahl, M.; Rie, C.M.; Gyan, B.A.; Hagbe, F.S.; Britton, S.HIV and HCV infection are two serious blood-borne diseases, more common among prisoners and prison officers than in the general population. In this study, the prevalence of HIV and HCV among prisoners and prison officers was investigated in a Ghanaian prison, using saliva tests. A questionnaire examined risk behaviour and knowledge of the diseases. The results showed a HIV prevalence of 2.6% and HCV prevalence of 2.3%. Furthermore, wariness concerning HIV and HCV was observed, more profound among inmates than officers. HIV and HCV prevalence in the Ghanaian prison ward was unexpectedly low. Saliva-based quick tests should be used for screening in prisons, because of poor hygiene standards and fear of needles; the HCV test, though, would need further validation. There is a need to improve the prevention of HIV and HCV transmission in prisons of Ghana, by increased testing and education, in order to reduce illness and stigmatisation.Item Low level of transmitted HIV Drug resistance at two HIV care centres in Ghana: a threshold survey(Ghana medical journal, 2013-06) Bonney, E.Y.; Addo, N.A.; Ntim, N.A.; Addo-Yobo, F.; Bondzie, P.; Aryee, K.E.; Barnor, J.; Brandful, J.; Bekoe, V.; Ohene, S.A.; Ampofo, W.As access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) increases, the emergence and transmission of HIV drug resistant strains becomes a major problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore recommends an initial minimum-resource method to signal when transmitted HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) requires action. This survey sought to generate information on the presence of HIV drug-resistant strains in the locality where Ghana's ART for HIV was first introduced. The Ghana HIVDR threshold survey (TS) was conducted and analyzed according to WHO strategy for surveillance of HIVDR in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Sixty (60) plasma specimens were collected from 2007 to 2009 by an unlinked anonymous method from HIV seropositive pregnant women, aged between 15 to24 years, who were with their first pregnancy and ART naive. Genotyping was done as follows; Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from the samples and the protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes amplified and sequenced. The sequences were then analyzed for HIV drug resistance mutations using Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database. Only two individuals were found with major HIVDR mutations: one each in the PR and RT genes. Thus the level of HIVDR in the study population in 2009 was classified as low (< 5%). As at February 2009, transmitted drug resistance was not a serious problem in the Eastern Region of Ghana. However, it is important to continue monitoring tHIVDR in order to understand the dynamics of the evolution of HIV drug resistance in the country.Item Establishment of in-house quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay for HIV-1 viral load measurement: Application to evaluate efficacy of ART in Ghanaian patients in an urban setting(Journal of AIDS and Clinical Research, 2014-01) Barnor, J.S.; Yamamoto, N.; Brandful, J.A.M.; Ampofo, W.; Bonney, J.H.K.; Bonney, E.; Odoom, J.K.; Aidoo, S.; Alale, M.; Ntim, N.A.; Amoah, Y.O.; Ofori, S.B.; Ndzinu, J.; Aziati, I.D.; Addo, N.-A.; Nyarko, A.; Ido, E.; Ishikawa, K.; Yamaoka, S.The aim of this study was to establish and apply a real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA quantification in patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Ghana, where recombinant strains including CRF02_AG are prevalent. The primers and TaqMan probe concentrations as well as reaction temperatures were optimized to establish an efficient in-house quantitative assay system for HIV RNA, a tool for HIV viral load measurement in patients. Then an already established HIV-specific PCR amplicon (HIV-1 NL4-3) was used as an external standard to estimate the linearity, amplification efficiency, analytical sensitivity and reproducibility of the in-house real time quantitative assay. Finally, the assay was applied to quantify the viral load in clinical samples of HIV patients on ART. The real time quantitative assay was shown to have good linearity (R2=1.0), high amplification efficiency (E=1.91), high sensitivity (180 copies/ml), and high reproducibility (variation coefficient range, from 1.25% to 3.58%). Analytical specificity and sensitivity of the assay in clinical samples was 96.7% and 95.0%, respectively. The established tool is reliable and covers all relevant genotypes including rare and recombinant forms that circulate in the sub-region. It could therefore allow general monitoring of antiretroviral therapy in patients living in resource-limited settings due to its simplicity, rapidity and less-labour intensiveness. © 2014 Barnor JS, et al.Item Joint research project on infectious diseases in West-African subregion(Journal of Disaster Research, 2014-10) Ido, E.; Suzuki, T.; Ampofo, W.K.; Ayi, I.; Yamaoka, S.; Koram, K.A.; Ohta, N.A research collaboration project in Ghana has joined the MEXT program supported by the Japanese government since 2008. The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), the University of Ghana, and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) are core parties in the project, and researchers from other institutions also participate temporarily. Two TMDU faculty members are sent to Ghana to manage and implement joint research projects for virology and parasitology, which cover HIV, African trypanosomes, malaria parasites, and vector insects. Along with joint research, mutual exchange activities for young researchers and students have been promoted to develop human resources in tropical infectious disease research. Subjects in our project are all public health concerns both in Ghana and West-Africa and in other parts of the world. Our joint projects have strengthened and promoted global information networks on infectious diseases and the health and welfare of the residents of Ghana and Japan. © 2014, Journal of Disaster Research. All rights reserved.Item Procyanidin trimer C1 derived from Theobroma cacao reactivates latent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 provirus.(Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2015-04) Hori, T.; Barnor, J.; Nguyen Huu, T.; Morinaga, O.; Hamano, A.; Ndzinu, J.; Frimpong, A.; Minta-Asare, K.; Amoa-Bosompem, M.; Brandful, J.; Odoom, J.; Bonney, J.; Tuffour, I.; Owusu, B.-A.; Ofosuhene, M.; Atchoglo, P.; Sakyiamah, M.; Adegle, R.; Appiah-Opong, R.; Ampofo, W.; Koram, K.; Nyarko, A.; Okine, L.; Edoh, D.; Appiah, A.; Uto, T.; Yoshinaka, Y.; Uota, S.; Shoyama, Y.; Yamaoka, S.Despite remarkable advances in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection remains incurable due to the incomplete elimination of the replication-competent virus, which persists in latent reservoirs. Strategies for targeting HIV reservoirs for eradication that involves reactivation of latent proviruses while protecting uninfected cells by cART are urgently needed for cure of HIV infection. We screened medicinal plant extracts for compounds that could reactivate the latent HIV-1 provirus and identified a procyanidin trimer C1 derived from Theobroma cacao as a potent activator of the provirus in human T cells latently infected with HIV-1. This reactivation largely depends on the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways because either overexpression of a super-repressor form of IκBα or pretreatment with a MEK inhibitor U0126 diminished provirus reactivation by C1. A pan-PKC inhibitor significantly blocked the phorbol ester-induced but not the C1-induced HIV-1 reactivation. Although C1-induced viral gene expression persisted for as long as 48 h post-stimulation, NF-κB-dependent transcription peaked at 12 h post-stimulation and then quickly declined, suggesting Tat-mediated self-sustainment of HIV-1 expression. These results suggest that procyanidin C1 trimer is a potential compound for reactivation of latent HIV-1 reservoirs.Item CD4+ T cell counts in initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV infected asymptomatic individuals; controversies and inconsistencies(Elsevier, 2015-12) Maina, E.K.; Bonney, E.Y.; Bukusi, E.A.; Sedegah, M.; Lartey, M.; Ampofo, W.K.The primary goal when devising strategies to define the start of therapy in HIV infected individuals is to avoid HIV disease progression and toxicity from antiretroviral therapy (ART). Intermediate goals includes, avoiding resistance by suppressing HIV replication, reducing transmission, limiting spread and diversity of HIV within the body and protecting the immune system from harm. The question of how early or late to start ART and achieve both primary and intermediate goals has dominated HIV research. The distinction between early and late treatment of HIV infection is currently a matter of CD4+ T cells count, a marker of immune status, rather than on viral load, a marker of virus replication. Discussions about respective benefits of early or delayed therapy, as well as the best CD4+ T cell threshold during the course of HIV infection at which ART is initiated remains inconclusive. Guidelines issued by various agencies, provide different initiation recommendations. This can be confusing for clinicians and policy-makers when determining the best time to initiate therapy. Optimizing ART initiation strategies are clearly complex and must be balanced between individual and broader public health needs. This review assesses available data that contributes to the debate on optimal time to initiate therapy in HIV-infected asymptomatic individuals. We also review reports on CD4+ T cell threshold to guide initiation of ART and finally discuss arguments for and against early or late initiation of ART.