Naseri Amin, Anvari Enayat, Mirnurollahi SeyyedehMasumeh, Fateh Abolfazl
Department of Biology, CTC, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, , Iran.
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Science, Ilam, Iran.
Virus Res. 2025 Jun;356:199582. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2025.199582. Epub 2025 May 7.
This study investigates the molecular prevalence and genotypic distribution of Human Pegivirus-1 (HPgV-1) in Iranian hemodialysis (HD) patients. A case-control study was conducted from May 2017 to December 2024, including 1576 HD patients and 1000 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. Serum samples were analyzed using nested PCR and sequencing of the 5'-UTR region to detect HPgV-1 RNA and determine genotypes. The prevalence of HPgV-1 was significantly higher in HD patients (13.6 %) compared to healthy controls (0.6 %). Among HPgV-1-positive HD patients, only genotype 2a was identified. Co-infections were notable, with 11.8 % of HPgV-1-positive patients also infected with HCV (predominantly genotype 3a), 3.0 % with HBV, and 11.7 % with HIV. Interestingly, HCV co-infected patients exhibited lower liver enzyme levels, while those co-infected with HIV had significantly higher CD4+ T cell counts (605.2 ± 198.7 vs. 412.3 ± 156.8 cells/mm³, P < 0.001), suggesting potential immunomodulatory effects of HPgV-1. Additionally, factors such as prolonged dialysis duration, elevated urea levels, and older age were significantly associated with HPgV-1 positivity. These findings underscore HD as a major risk factor for HPgV-1 transmission, likely exacerbated by hospital-acquired practices in dialysis units. The observed associations between HPgV-1 and improved clinical parameters in co-infected individuals highlight its complex role in viral pathogenesis, warranting further investigation into its underlying mechanisms. This study emphasizes the urgent need for stringent infection control measures in dialysis settings to mitigate viral transmission.
本研究调查了伊朗血液透析（HD）患者中人类pegivirus - 1（HPgV - 1）的分子流行率和基因型分布。2017年5月至2024年12月进行了一项病例对照研究，纳入了1576例HD患者和1000例年龄及性别匹配的健康个体。使用巢式PCR和5'-UTR区域测序分析血清样本，以检测HPgV - 1 RNA并确定基因型。HD患者中HPgV - 1的流行率（13.6%）显著高于健康对照（0.6%）。在HPgV - 1阳性的HD患者中，仅鉴定出2a基因型。合并感染较为显著，11.8%的HPgV - 1阳性患者同时感染了HCV（主要为3a基因型），3.0%感染了HBV，11.7%感染了HIV。有趣的是，HCV合并感染患者的肝酶水平较低，而合并感染HIV的患者CD4 + T细胞计数显著更高（605.2 ± 198.7对412.3 ± 156.8个细胞/mm³，P < 0.001），提示HPgV - 1可能具有免疫调节作用。此外，透析时间延长、尿素水平升高和年龄较大等因素与HPgV - 1阳性显著相关。这些发现强调HD是HPgV - 1传播的主要危险因素，透析单位的医院获得性操作可能会加剧这种情况。在合并感染个体中观察到的HPgV - 1与改善临床参数之间的关联突出了其在病毒发病机制中的复杂作用，有必要进一步研究其潜在机制。本研究强调了在透析环境中迫切需要采取严格的感染控制措施以减轻病毒传播。
