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HIV , HCMV and mycobacterial antibody levels: a cross‐sectional study in a rural Ugandan cohort
Author(s) -
Stockdale Lisa,
Nash Stephen,
Nalwoga Angela,
Gibson Lorna,
Painter Hannah,
Raynes John,
Asiki Gershim,
Newton Robert,
Fletcher Helen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.13188
Subject(s) - immunology , antibody , medicine , human cytomegalovirus , virology , population , virus , environmental health
Objectives A growing evidence base implicates human cytomegalovirus ( HCMV ) as a risk factor for TB disease. We investigated total IgG and mycobacteria‐specific antibodies in a cross‐sectional study nested within a rural Ugandan General Population Cohort ( GPC ), in relation to HIV infection and the magnitude of HCMV IgG response. Methods Sera from 2189 individuals (including 27 sputum‐positive TB cases) were analysed for antibodies against mycobacteria (Ag85A, PPD , LAM , ESAT 6/ CFP 10) and HCMV , tetanus toxoid ( TT ) and total IgG. Results Anti‐mycobacterial antibodies increased with age until approximately 20 years, when they plateaued. Higher HCMV exposure (measured by IgG) was associated with lower levels of some anti‐mycobacterial antibodies, but no increase in total IgG. HIV infection was associated with a decrease in all anti‐mycobacterial antibodies measured and with an increase in total IgG. Conclusions The increase in anti‐mycobacterial antibodies with age suggests increasing exposure to non‐tuberculous mycobacteria ( NTM ), and to M.tb itself. HIV infection is associated with decreased levels of all mycobacterial antibodies studied here, and high levels of HCMV IgG are associated with decreased levels of some mycobacterial antibodies. These findings point towards the importance of humoral immune responses in HIV / TB co‐infection and highlight a possible role of HCMV as a risk factor for TB disease.