Abstract
AIM: To evaluate immunological indices in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) who are injecting drug users. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study examined 38 patients coinfected with HIV and CHC who were injecting drug users and 36 patients with HIV/CHC who were not injecting drug users. In the study of immune status, the relative and absolute numbers of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+, and CD20+ cells were determined by means of flow cytofluorometry of "FACSCount" using monoclonal antibodies of the company Becton Dickinson. The level of circulating immune complexes in blood serum was determined by means of precipitation in polyethylene glycol solution. RESULTS: It was found that T-cell immunodeficiency was developing in patients coinfected with HIV and CHC. T-cell immunodeficiency was characterized by a decrease in the number of T-helpers, mainly for injecting drug users. At the same time, patients coinfected with HIV and CHC experienced markedly elevated levels of circulating immune complexes, mainly among injecting drug users. The evaluation of immunogram indices in injecting drug users coinfected with HIV and CHC, depending on the stage of HIV infection, revealed a greater degree of immune-suppression of T-helper cells in clinical stage III. CONCLUSION: Our comprehensive immunological study of patients coinfected with HIV and CHC revealed a pronounced dysfunction of the immune system. The comparison of the immune system indices in patients with HIV/CHC showed a more pronounced T-cell suppression in injecting drug users than in patients with HIV/CHC but who were not injecting drug users.