www.catie.caEffects of HLA allele frequencies on HIV disease progression and viral load among newly diagnosed HIV infected individuals in Manitoba
About the study
The study’s aim is to explore the role of HLA alleles namely in disease progression and its contribution to the risk of viral transmission. Researchers will measure the frequencies of HLA allele — a group of different human genes that help the immune system distinguish the body’s own proteins from proteins made by foreign invaders such as viruses and bacteria — on HIV disease progression
About the disease/condition
Manitoba (MB) is experiencing a high increase in the number of newly diagnosed HIV infections and the fastest growing segment of those new infections is among women and those of Aboriginal heritage. Based on their clinical data, study researchers contribute this increased disease progression to HLA B-35, low rates of HLA B-57 and high rates of homozygocity for HLA B.
Although the role of these alleles in disease progression has been studied extensively, most of the information is derived from studies of Caucasian or African cohorts and little information is available regarding individuals of Aboriginal descent and in the unique Manitoba population. Moreover the role of these HLA’s in determining viral load and the likelihood of viral transmission remain to be elucidated in our province population.
Study Approach
Only HIV-positive individuals in Manitoba that receive care from the Manitoba HIV Program will be recruited. This is a non-interventional study; participants will not take any study drug.
Determining the role of these factors in HIV disease progression in this cohort will help to inform scientists on the factors associated with HIV disease progression and may serve to inform clinicians on which patient population are at greatest risk of disease progression and therefore need to be targeted for early diagnosis and that would benefit from closer follow up.
Researchers believe that investigating these immunogenetic factors may assist in understanding the HIV epidemic in the Canadian Prairies.