Wandeler Gilles, Mulenga Lloyd, Hobbins Michael, Joao Candido, Sinkala Edford, Hector Jonas, Aly Musa, Chi Benjamin H, Egger Matthias, Vinikoor Michael J (2016), Absence of Active Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Clinics in Zambia and Mozambique., in
Open forum infectious diseases, 3(2), 049-049.
Wandeler Gilles, Musukuma Kalo, Zürcher Samuel, Vinikoor Michael J, Llenas-García Jara, Aly Mussa M, Mulenga Lloyd, Chi Benjamin H, Ehmer Jochen, Hobbins Michael A, Bolton-Moore Carolyn, Hoffmann Christopher J, Egger Matthias, Egger Matthias (2016), Hepatitis B Infection, Viral Load and Resistance in HIV-Infected Patients in Mozambique and Zambia., in
PloS one, 11(3), 0152043-0152043.
Azevedo Tiago Castro Lopes, Zwahlen Marcel, Rauch Andri, Egger Matthias, Wandeler Gilles (2016), Hepatitis C in HIV-infected individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of estimated prevalence in Africa., in
Journal of the International AIDS Society, 19(1), 20711-20711.
Jaquet Antoine, Wandeler Gilles, Tine Judicaël, Dagnra Claver A, Attia Alain, Patassi Akouda, Ndiaye Abdoulaye, de Ledinghen Victor, Ekouevi Didier K, Seydi Moussa, Dabis François (2016), HIV infection, viral hepatitis and liver fibrosis among prison inmates in West Africa., in
BMC infectious diseases, 16, 249-249.
Wandeler Gilles, Mulenga Lloyd, Vinikoor Michael J, Kovari Helen, Battegay Manuel, Calmy Alexandra, Cavassini Matthias, Bernasconi Enos, Schmid Patrick, Bolton-Moore Carolyn, Sinkala Edford, Chi Benjamin H, Egger Matthias, Rauch Andri, Rauch Andri (2016), Liver fibrosis in treatment-naïve HIV-infected and HIV/HBV co-infected patients: Zambia and Switzerland compared., in
International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Soci, 51, 97-102.
Vinikoor Michael J, Sinkala Edford, Mweemba Aggrey, Zanolini Arianna, Mulenga Lloyd, Sikazwe Izukanji, Fried Michael W, Eron Joseph J, Wandeler Gilles, Chi Benjamin H (2015), Elevated AST-to-platelet ratio index is associated with increased all-cause mortality among HIV-infected adults in Zambia., in
Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver, 35(7), 1886-92.
Vinikoor M J, Musukuma K, Munamunungu V, Masaninga M, Sikazwe I, Chi B H, Wandeler G (2015), Implementation of routine screening for chronic hepatitis B virus co-infection by HIV clinics in Lusaka, Zambia., in
Journal of viral hepatitis, 22(10), 858-60.
Wandeler Gilles, Schlauri Marion, Jaquier Marie-Eve, Rohrbach Janine, Metzner Karin J, Fehr Jan, Ambrosioni Juan, Cavassini Matthias, Stöckle Marcel, Schmid Patrick, Bernasconi Enos, Keiser Olivia, Salazar-Vizcaya Luisa, Furrer Hansjakob, Rauch Andri, Swiss HIV Cohort Study (2015), Incident Hepatitis C Virus Infections in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study: Changes in Treatment Uptake and Outcomes Between 1991 and 2013., in
Open forum infectious diseases, 2(1), 026-026.
Hirzel Cédric, Wandeler Gilles, Owczarek Marta, Gorgievski-Hrisoho Meri, Dufour Jean-Francois, Semmo Nasser, Zürcher Samuel (2015), Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in Switzerland: a retrospective cohort study., in
BMC infectious diseases, 15, 483-483.
Hirzel Cédric, Pfister Stefan, Gorgievski-Hrisoho Meri, Wandeler Gilles, Zuercher Samuel (2015), Performance of HBsAg point-of-care tests for detection of diagnostic escape-variants in clinical samples., in
Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Vir, 69, 33-5.
Vinikoor Michael J., Sinkala Edford, Wandeler Gilles, Chi Benjamin H. (2014), Response to 'Is AST-to-platelet ratio index a reliable tool in HIV patients in Africa?', in
Liver International, 35(8), 2060-2060.
Vinikoor Michael J, Mulenga Lloyd, Siyunda Alice, Musukuma Kalo, Chilengi Roma, Moore Carolyn Bolton, Chi Benjamin H, Davies Mary-Ann, Egger Matthias, Wandeler Gilles, Wandeler Gilles, Association between hepatitis B co-infection and elevated liver stiffness among HIV-infected adults in Lusaka, Zambia., in
Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH.
Vinikoor Michael, Zürcher Samuel, Musukuma Kalo, Kachuwaire Obert, Rauch Andri, Chi Benjamin, Gorgievski Meri, Zwahlen Marcel, Wandeler Gilles, Hepatitis B viral load in dried blood spots: A validation study in Zambia, in
Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Vir.
Salazar-Vizcaya Luisa, Kouyos Roger D, Zahnd Cindy, Wandeler Gilles, Battegay Manuel, Darling Katharine Elizabeth Ana, Bernasconi Enos, Calmy Alexandra, Vernazza Pietro, Furrer Hansjakob, Egger Matthias, Keiser Olivia, Rauch Andri, Rauch Andri, Hepatitis C virus transmission among HIV-infected men who have sex with men: Modeling the effect of behavioral and treatment interventions., in
Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.).
Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality in HIV infected patients in industrialized countries and resource-limited settings (RLS). Worldwide, 5-15% of HIV-infected individuals have chronic HBV infection and up to 30% in high-income countries and 10% in RLS have chronic HCV infection. HIV infection has a profound impact on the natural history of viral hepatitis including the acceleration of the progression to end-stage liver disease. Furthermore, hepatotoxicity of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is more likely and immunological recovery on ART seems to be impaired in HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals. Due to the short follow-up periods in most studies evaluating HBV-related treatment outcomes, the long-term virological efficacy of HBV treatments, and the time needed to fully suppress viral replication remains largely unknown. Similarly, little is known about the impact of HBV genotypes on virological outcomes. Furthermore, data on the prevalence of significant liver fibrosis in HIV/HBV-coinfected patients are scarce and the possibility of a reversal of fibrosis during ART needs to be explored. Whereas the HCV epidemic has been shown to rapidly evolve in high-income countries, epidemiological data on HIV/HCV-coinfection in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are limited and studies have often been based on serological testing with poor specificity. In light of the advent of interferon-free HCV treatment, it is of great importance to describe the clinical epidemiology of HCV infections in order to assess treatment eligibility and optimal antiviral therapy strategies. Objectives: The overarching aim of my Ambizione/PROSPER fellowship proposal is to define the epidemiological, clinical and virological characteristics of HBV and HCV infections in HIV-infected people, and to evaluate the impact of these coinfections on clinical outcomes with a focus on Southern and West Africa. My main objectives are:1.To determine the prevalence and incidence of HBV and HCV infections in West African and Southern African HIV cohorts and to assess the impact of viral hepatitis infections on the development of liver fibrosis and end-stage liver disease, as well as on HIV-related outcomes and mortality. 2.To describe the HBV genotype distribution and compare long-term virological outcomes of HBV therapy in HIV/HBV-coinfected patients between African countries and Switzerland, and between genotypes and treatment regimens, and to assess HBV resistance patterns and changes in liver fibrosis stage.3.To describe the HCV genotype distribution across the regions and assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals as well as potential HCV treatment eligibility criteria in these patients.Methods: The study will be based on data from the International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), and on the sub-cohorts and projects on viral hepatitis coinfections I established within these cohorts. In IeDEA, I will perform dedicated studies in HIV cohorts in Zambia, Mozambique, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso and Benin and use data from the SHCS where liver-related events and antiviral treatment are recorded systematically. Clinical and virological outcomes in HIV/hepatitis-coinfected patients from SSA will be compared with data from the SHCS. The virological analyses will be performed in dedicated laboratories in SSA. Liver fibrosis assessment will be based on non-invasive serological scores and transient elastography (Fibroscan®). Data from individual-based questionnaires will be used to assess risk factors for viral hepatitis coinfection in SSA. I will use standard methods for the analysis of longitudinal data, but also advanced methods, including causal modeling to control for time-dependent confounding, time to event analyses taking into account competing risks and linear missed-effect for the longitudinal assessment of biological markers of liver disease and CD4 recovery. Incidence rates of HBV and HCV infections will be assessed using Bayesian Poisson regression models.Significance: A better understanding of the burden and determinants of HBV and HCV coinfections in HIV-infected individuals will improve the detection, treatment and monitoring of these coinfections, as well as their complications. This project builds on existing, well established cohorts in Southern Africa, West Africa and Switzerland and will inform the optimization of treatment programs for viral hepatitis in SSA. The frameworks of the IeDEA collaboration and the SHCS provide optimal platforms to study and compare HBV and HCV epidemiology and treatment outcomes as these two study populations are complementary in many ways, including differences in transmission mode, treatment regimens and access to monitoring and treatment.