Characteristics of HIV and Helicobacter pylori coinfection of gastrointestinal system – our experience

Abstract

- Infection caused by gram-negative bacterium Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and infection caused by HIV retrovirus have some similarities. Both of them cause infections in human population, and go through acute and chronic phase. Acute phase for both infections is mainly asymptomathic and lately continues in chronic phase. Hp chronic infection usually lasts for years, and if not curedit can possibly last for the life time. On the other side, chronic HIV infection is a life time infection and it demands the treatment throught the life.  Spontaneous eradication of Hp is possible, but unfortunately very rare. When it comes to the coinfection of Hp and HIV, the eradication of Hp is not possible [1,2,3]. Back in 1996, FDA approved both using antibiotic therapy in treatment of eradication of Hp and HAART regimen [4,5]. However, even after 30 years of detecting the causes of these infections, both of them still representan important public health problem [6,7]. Patients with HIV/AIDS have frequent gastrointestinal distress [8,9]. The causes of gastrointestinal distress could be due to HIV per se, coinfections HIV/Hp, opportunistic and non-opportunistic infections, HAART, medications for opportunistic infections, comorbidities and life conditions. [9,10].

               Hp infection in HIV patients is a coinfection [11], not an opportunistic infection and it is not present in AIDS patients, especially those with a severe degree of immunodeficiency.

What determines the presence of HIV / Hp coinfection has not been conclusively identified so far. The role of demographic factors, immune function, ART (antiretroviral therapy) success, and diagnostic capabilities is indisputable.[11, 12, 13].

               In the period of 10 years (2007-2017) at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Podgorica, the examined group (E) was represented by 103 PL / HIV examinees (patients living with HIV / AIDS), diagnosed with HIV / Hp coinfection. The control group (C) was represented by 96 , HIV negative examinees, with Hp monoinfection. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Hp infection and the association with clinical, immunological, virological parameters and therapy in the modern era of HAART (2011 - 2017) among examinees with HIV / Hp coinfection (E), and in the control (C) group.