The identification of newly diagnosed individuals carrying resistance-associated mutations confirms that drug resistance transmission is a public health problem in Portugal, with a possible impact on prevention, treatment and monitoring of HIV-1 infections.

The Treponema pallidum particle agglutination technique (TP.PA) was evaluated, in comparison with the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test, microhemagglutination assay for Treponema pallidum antibodies (MHA-TP), and fluorescent treponemal antibody-ABS (FTA-Abs) test for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. We have studied 198 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with syphilis, including neurosyphilis, treated syphilis, and with other neurological manifestations than neurosyphilis. All tests were nonreactive in these last group of patients. In the neurosyphilis patients, sensitivity of the TP.PA was 100%. The performance of this test in CSF from patients with primary syphilis was as good as that of the other tests. In secondary and latent syphilis, the TP.PA results (27 reactive samples/73) were similar to those of the MHA-TP (25 reactive samples/73). In the individuals treated for syphilis, the TP.PA, FTA-Abs, and MHA-TP tests were found to be reactive in eight, six, and eight samples, respectively. In conclusion, it seems that the TP.PA can be used in CSF to diagnose neurosyphilis, although as for other serological tests, interpretation of results should be done in conjunction with other neurosyphilis parameters.

Enterococci are one of the usual residents of the microflora in humans. In the last decade this genus has been reported as the third most common cause of bacteremia. We present the case of a 78-year-old female who was admitted to the emergency room because of nausea, lipothymia, and weakness. She was diagnosed with a pyelonephritis with bacteremia, with the isolation in blood and urine cultures of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus hirae. This last microorganism is a rarely isolated pathogen in humans. Currently it is estimated to represent 1–3% of all enterococcal species isolated in clinical practice.

IntroductionWith improvements in survival and disease progression in the era of combined antiretroviral therapy, complications such as kidney disease are becoming increasingly prevalent in HIV-infected patients. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been associated with nephrotoxicity, including decline in glomerular filtration rate, proximal tubular damage and acute kidney injury.ObjectiveCharacterize kidney safety of TDF-containing antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens in HIV-infected patients.MethodsNon-controlled, observational, retrospective study was based on the clinical files registry of HIV patients who started TDF between January and December 2008. We assessed outpatients followed at a single Portuguese center. Demographic, clinical, virological and immunological data at baseline were collected. Serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and creatinine clearance (CrCL) were assessed at baseline, after six months and every year up to four years. CrCL and eGFR were calculated by Cockroft–Gault and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equations, respectively.ResultsA total of 176 patients (71.6% males) with a mean age of 43 years were enrolled. Ninety-six (52%) were ART-naive patients at TDF initiation. At baseline 12.5% had hypertension, 4% diabetes, 25% chronic hepatitis C and 9% chronic hepatitis B infections; 58% had normal renal function (eGFR ≥90 ml/min/1.73 m2), 36% had mild (eGFR 60-89 ml/min/1.73 m2) renal dysfunction and 2.3% had moderate (eGFR 30-59 ml/min/1.73 m2) renal dysfunction at initiation of TDF. Eighty-three (47%) patients were on protease inhibitors and the remaining on NNRTIs containing regimens. During 48 months follow-up, 5% experienced moderate renal dysfunction and 1.7% severe renal dysfunction. Twenty-one (12%) patients met the definition criteria of rapid decline of renal function (annual decline of eGFR ≥3 ml/min/1.73 m2 in two consecutive years). The development of kidney events was associated with age above 50 years, presence of comorbidities and advanced stage HIV infection (p>0.05 in univariate analysis).ConclusionsThese data reveal a favourable renal safety profile of TDF, during a four-year follow-up. Screening for kidney disease markers, regular follow-up and control and prevention of risk factors for renal failure are crucial for adequate management of HIV-infected patients.

IntroductionFirst antiretroviral therapy (ART) is often switched to simpler, more potent or better tolerated regimens [1, 2]. Although discontinuation rates are frequently studied, the durability of regimens is rarely approached.Materials and MethodsRetrospective study with the following objectives: analyze first ART schemes and their durability in naive patients with chronic HIV-1 and 2 infections, evaluate factors influencing ART change, second-line ART and consequent virologic and immunologic responses. Patients had follow-ups in a Central University Hospital, started ART between January 2007 and December 2012 and changed first regimens. Clinical data was obtained from medical records and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 20).ResultsOf the 652 naive patients who started ART, 164 changed regimens. The majority had HIV-1 infection (n=158). The mean age was 43.9 years (standard deviation±14.3), with a male predominance of 57.9%. Regimens with efavirenz were the most common amongst HIV-1 patients (50%) followed by lopinavir/r (22%). In HIV-2 patients, lopinavir/r (n=3) regimens were most prevalent. First ART regimens had a mean duration of 12.1 months. There was no difference between NNRTI (59.8%) and protease inhibitor (40.2%) schemes regarding durability. Adverse reactions were the major cause of ART switching (55.5%) followed by therapy resistance (12.1%). Age was inversely related to durability (p=0.007 Mann-Whitney, Phi coefficient −0.161) and associated with the appearance of adverse reactions (p=0.04, Chi-square). Younger patients had a reduced risk of adverse reactions by 27%. Adverse reactions increased the risk of inferior durability by 40%. Psychiatric symptoms (28.4%) were the most prevalent, all attributed to efavirenz. The year of ART initiation was associated with different durability rates (p=0.005, Mann-Whitney). Patients started on ART before the year 2010 reduced the probability of inferior ART duration by 25.8%. After second-line ART regimens, TCD4+ counts>500 cell/µL were increased by 38% and favourable virologic outcome achieved in 84%.ConclusionsAdverse reactions were the main cause for ART switching, supporting a cautious approach when initiating regimens, particularly in older patients. All ART naive patients who changed initial therapy had favourable immunological and virologic responses.