Journal
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Volume 18, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
BIOMED CENTRAL LTD
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-018-3140-7
Keywords
HIV; Tick-borne disease; Human granulocytic anaplasmosis; Lyme borreliosis
Categories
Funding
- Ministry of Science and Higher Education [IP2014050373]
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Background: The studies on the occurrence and diversity of tick-borne infections in HIV-infected individuals have been few, and the subject has been relatively neglected when compared with other common infections associated with HIV. In HIV-positive patients in whom a serological diagnostics is complicated due to reduced positive predictive value, a method where the microorganism is detected directly is of great value. Therefore, we performed a molecular study to ascertain the prevalence and incidence of tick-borne infections in HIV-infected persons in Poland, an endemic area for Ixodes ricinus ticks. Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood of tested patients. Detection of tick-borne pathogens was performed by amplification and sequencing of different loci. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of obtained nucleotide sequences were performed. Serum samples were analyzed for antibodies against tick-borne pathogens by using commercial tests in all patients. Results: Among 148 studied blood samples from HIV-infected patients, two cases (1.4%) of infection with tickborne pathogen were reported. No symptoms of tick-borne infection were observed in these cases. In one case a patient was infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum -the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) and in the other with Borrelia garinii. Conclusions: Our study revealed the first case of HIV positive patient infected with A. phagocytophilum. Asymptomatic tick-borne infection can occur in HIV-positive patients. The detailed history of tick bites, especially in endemic tick areas, should be considered as part of anamnesis in routine clinical care of HIV-positive patients.
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