Chronic high-level parasitemia in HIV-infected individuals with or without visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic area in Northwest Ethiopia: Potential superspreaders?

Background

People with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) with recurrent visceral leishmaniasis (VL) could potentially drive Leishmania transmission in areas with anthroponotic transmission such as East Africa, but studies are lacking. Leishmania parasitemia has been used as proxy for infectiousness.

Methods

This study is nested within the Predicting Visceral Leishmaniasis in HIV-InfectedPatients (PreLeisH) prospective cohort study, following 490 PWH free of VL at enrollment for up to 24–37 months in northwest Ethiopia. Blood Leishmania polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done systematically. This case series reports on 10 PWH with chronic VL (≥3 VL episodes during follow-up) for up to 37 months, and 3 individuals with asymptomatic Leishmania infection for up to 24 months.

Results

All 10 chronic VL cases were male, on antiretroviral treatment, with 0–11 relapses before enrollment. Median baseline CD4 count was 82 cells/µL. They displayed 3–6 VL treatment episodes over a period up to 37 months. Leishmania blood PCR levels were strongly positive for almost the entire follow-up (median cycle threshold value, 26 [interquartile range, 23–30]), including during periods between VL treatment. Additionally, we describe 3 PWH with asymptomatic Leishmania infection and without VL history, with equally strong Leishmania parasitemia over a period of up to 24 months without developing VL. All were on antiretroviral treatment at enrollment, with baseline CD4 counts ranging from 78 to 350 cells/µL.

Conclusions

These are the first data on chronic parasitemia in PWH from Leishmania donovani–endemic areas. PWH with asymptomatic and symptomatic Leishmania infection could potentially be highly infectious and constitute Leishmania superspreaders. Xenodiagnosis studies are required to confirm infectiousness.