Medicine & Health

Editor’s Picks: Co-Infection in Tropical Medicine

Published October 26, 2018 Curated Collections

Co-infection with more than one pathogen is a continuing challenge in global health, particularly in regions with multiple endemic infectious diseases. Direct and indirect interactions between pathogens can influence the host immune system in complex ways, leading to changes in disease susceptibility, treatment efficacy, and other clinical outcomes. In this Editor’s Picks collection, PLOS ONE Senior Editor Jenna Quinto highlights recent research using epidemiological, molecular, and computational approaches to explore co-infection in tropical diseases, including the “big three” (malaria, tuberculosis, HIV) and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). We welcome further submissions in these areas.

Image Credit: NIAID, Flickr

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Risk factors for infection
Treatment approaches and clinical outcomes
Molecular and seroepidemiology
Investigating biological mechanisms
Modeling and prediction

Risk factors for infection

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10.1371/journal.pone.0160917

PLOS ONE Asymptomatic Vivax and Falciparum Parasitaemia with Helminth Co-Infection: Major Risk Factors for Anaemia in Early Life
August 9, 2016 Faustina Helena Burdam, Mohammad Hakimi, Franciscus Thio, Enny Kenangalem, Ratni Indrawanti, Rintis Noviyanti, Leily Trianty, Jutta Marfurt, Irene Handayuni, Yati Soenarto, Nicholas M. Douglas, Nicholas M. Anstey, Ric N. Price, Jeanne Rini Poespoprodjo
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006663

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Schistosoma haematobium effects on Plasmodium falciparum infection modified by soil-transmitted helminths in school-age children living in rural areas of Gabon
August 6, 2018 Jean Claude Dejon-Agobé, Jeannot Fréjus Zinsou, Yabo Josiane Honkpehedji, Ulysse Ateba-Ngoa, Jean-Ronald Edoa, Bayodé Roméo Adegbite, Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma, Selidji Todagbe Agnandji, Michael Ramharter, Peter Gottfried Kremsner, Bertrand Lell, Martin Peter Grobusch, Ayôla Akim Adegnika
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0005342

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Prevalence and clinical relevance of helminth co-infections among tuberculosis patients in urban Tanzania
February 8, 2017 Francis Mhimbira, Jerry Hella, Khadija Said, Lujeko Kamwela, Mohamed Sasamalo, Thomas Maroa, Magreth Chiryamkubi, Grace Mhalu, Christian Schindler, Klaus Reither, Stefanie Knopp, Jürg Utzinger, Sébastien Gagneux, Lukas Fenner
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10.1371/journal.pone.0173976

PLOS ONE Risk factors associated with Tuberculosis (TB) among people living with HIV/AIDS: A pair-matched case-control study in Guangxi, China
March 30, 2017 Zhezhe Cui, Shaofa Nie, Rushu Lan, Mei Lin
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10.1371/journal.pone.0195409

PLOS ONE Factors associated with tuberculosis treatment delay in patients co-infected with HIV in a high prevalence area in Brazil
April 6, 2018 Betânia M. F. Nogueira, Valéria C. Rolla, Kevan M. Akrami, Susan M. Kiene

Treatment approaches and clinical outcomes

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10.1371/journal.pone.0193491

PLOS ONE Outcomes of HIV-infected versus HIV-non-infected patients treated for drug-resistance tuberculosis: Multicenter cohort study
March 8, 2018 Mathieu Bastard, Elisabeth Sanchez-Padilla, Philipp du Cros, Atadjan Karimovich Khamraev, Nargiza Parpieva, Mirzagaleg Tillyashaykov, Armen Hayrapetyan, Kamene Kimenye, Shazina Khurkhumal, Themba Dlamini, Santiago Fadul Perez, Alex Telnov, Cathy Hewison, Francis Varaine, Maryline Bonnet
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10.1371/journal.pone.0187624

PLOS ONE Pyrazinamide clearance is impaired among HIV/tuberculosis patients with high levels of systemic immune activation
November 2, 2017 Christopher Vinnard, Shruthi Ravimohan, Neo Tamuhla, Jotam Pasipanodya, Shashikant Srivastava, Chawangwa Modongo, Nicola M. Zetola, Drew Weissman, Tawanda Gumbo, Gregory P. Bisson
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006527

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases The initial effectiveness of liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) and miltefosine combination for treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV co-infected patients in Ethiopia: A retrospective cohort study
May 25, 2018 Charles Abongomera, Ermias Diro, Alan de Lima Pereira, Jozefien Buyze, Kolja Stille, Fareed Ahmed, Johan van Griensven, Koert Ritmeijer
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0004618

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Prevalence of Lymphatic Filariasis and Treatment Effectiveness of Albendazole/ Ivermectin in Individuals with HIV Co-infection in Southwest-Tanzania
April 12, 2016 Inge Kroidl, Elmar Saathof, Lucas Maganga, Petra Clowes, Leonard Maboko, Achim Hoerauf, Williams H. Makunde, Antelmo Haule, Prisca Mviombo, Bettina Pitter, Neema Mgeni, Joseph Mabuye, Dickens Kowuor, Upendo Mwingira, Mwelecele N. Malecela, Thomas Löscher, Michael Hoelscher
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0005867

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Increased hepatotoxicity among HIV-infected adults co-infected with Schistosoma mansoni in Tanzania: A cross-sectional study
August 17, 2017 Amon I. Marti, Peter J. Masikini, Samuel E. Kalluvya, Luke R. Smart, Bahati M. Wajanga, Hyasinta Jaka, Robert N. Peck, Jennifer A. Downs, Soledad Colombe
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10.1371/journal.pone.0173509

PLOS ONE Development of an evidence evaluation and synthesis system for drug-drug interactions, and its application to a systematic review of HIV and malaria co-infection
March 23, 2017 Kay Seden, Sara Gibbons, Catia Marzolini, Jonathan M. Schapiro, David M. Burger, David J. Back, Saye H. Khoo
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006711

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Coinfections and comorbidities in African health systems: At the interface of infectious and noninfectious diseases
September 20, 2018 Derick Nii Mensah Osakunor, David Moinina Sengeh, Francisca Mutapi

Molecular and seroepidemiology

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10.1371/journal.pone.0174233

PLOS ONE Effect of HIV and malaria parasites co-infection on immune-hematological profiles among patients attending anti-retroviral treatment (ART) clinic in Infectious Disease Hospital Kano, Nigeria
March 27, 2017 Feyisayo Ebenezer Jegede, Tinuade Ibijoke Oyeyi, Surajudeen Abiola Abdulrahman, Henry Akwen. Mbah, Titilope Badru, Chinedu Agbakwuru, Oluwasanmi Adedokun
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0004499

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Longitudinal Analysis of Natural Killer Cells in Dengue Virus-Infected Patients in Comparison to Chikungunya and Chikungunya/Dengue Virus-Infected Patients
March 3, 2016 Caroline Petitdemange, Nadia Wauquier, Hervé Devilliers, Hans Yssel, Illich Mombo, Mélanie Caron, Dieudonné Nkoghé, Patrice Debré, Eric Leroy, Vincent Vieillard
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10.1371/journal.pone.0189958

PLOS ONE Enteroparasite and vivax malaria co-infection on the Brazil-French Guiana border: Epidemiological, haematological and immunological aspects
January 2, 2018 Rubens Alex de Oliveira Menezes, Margarete do Socorro Mendonça Gomes, Anapaula Martins Mendes, Álvaro Augusto Ribeiro D’ Almeida Couto, Mathieu Nacher, Tamirys Simão Pimenta, Aline Collares Pinheiro de Sousa, Andrea Regina de Souza Baptista, Maria Izabel de Jesus, Martin Johannes Enk, Maristela Gomes Cunha, Ricardo Luiz Dantas Machado
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10.1371/journal.pone.0146905

PLOS ONE PD-1 Expression and Cytokine Secretion Profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific CD4+ T-Cell Subsets; Potential Correlates of Containment in HIV-TB Co-Infection
January 12, 2016 Katrina M. Pollock, Damien J. Montamat-Sicotte, Lisa Grass, Graham S. Cooke, Moses S. Kapembwa, Onn M. Kon, Robert D. Sampson, Graham P. Taylor, Ajit Lalvani
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0004646

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Symptoms and Immune Markers in Plasmodium/Dengue Virus Co-infection Compared with Mono-infection with Either in Peru
April 29, 2016 Eric S. Halsey, G. Christian Baldeviano, Kimberly A. Edgel, Stalin Vilcarromero, Moises Sihuincha, Andres G. Lescano
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10.1371/journal.pone.0166954

PLOS ONE Immune Activation at Sites of HIV/TB Co-Infection Contributes to the Pathogenesis of HIV-1 Disease
November 21, 2016 Qinglai Meng, Ismail Sayin, David H. Canaday, Harriet Mayanja-Kizza, Joy Baseke, Zahra Toossi
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0005569

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Modulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific humoral immune responses is associated with Strongyloides stercoralis co-infection
May 1, 2017 Rajamanickam Anuradha, Saravanan Munisankar, Yukti Bhootra, Chandrakumar Dolla, Paul Kumaran, Thomas B. Nutman, Subash Babu
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10.1371/journal.pone.0167512

PLOS ONE Immune Activation and Bacterial Translocation: A Link between Impaired Immune Recovery and Frequent Visceral Leishmaniasis Relapses in HIV-Infected Patients
December 1, 2016 Maria Luciana Silva-Freitas, Glaucia Fernandes Cota, Talia S. Machado-de-Assis, Carmem Giacoia-Gripp, Ana Rabello, Alda M. Da-Cruz, Joanna R. Santos-Oliveira
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006345

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Seroepidemiology of helminths and the association with severe malaria among infants and young children in Tanzania
March 26, 2018 Jennifer L. Kwan, Amy E. Seitz, Michal Fried, Kun-Lin Lee, Simon Metenou, Robert Morrison, Edward Kabyemela, Thomas B. Nutman, D. Rebecca Prevots, Patrick E. Duffy
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10.1371/journal.pone.0200168

PLOS ONE Pregnant women co-infected with HIV and Zika: Outcomes and birth defects in infants according to maternal symptomatology
July 6, 2018 Esaú C. João, Orlando da C. Ferreira Jr, Maria Isabel Gouvêa, Maria de Lourdes B. Teixeira, Amilcar Tanuri, Luiza M. Higa, Deise A. Costa, Ronaldo Mohana-Borges, Mônica B. Arruda, Haroldo J. Matos, Maria Leticia Cruz, Wallace Mendes-Silva, Jennifer S. Read
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10.1371/journal.pone.0204143

PLOS ONE Detection and serotyping of dengue viruses in febrile patients consulting at the New-Bell District Hospital in Douala, Cameroon
October 3, 2018 Francine Berlange Sado Yousseu, Fredy Brice Simo Nemg, Sandra Ateutchia Ngouanet, Franck Martin Obam Mekanda, Maurice Demanou

Investigating biological mechanisms

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10.1371/journal.pntd.0005654

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mosquito co-infection with Zika and chikungunya virus allows simultaneous transmission without affecting vector competence of Aedes aegypti
June 1, 2017 Giel P. Göertz, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Corinne Geertsema, Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt, Gorben P. Pijlman
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10.1371/journal.pone.0185162

PLOS ONE Mycobacterium tuberculosis reactivates latent HIV-1 in T cells in vitro
September 26, 2017 Erica C. Larson, Camille L. Novis, Laura J. Martins, Amanda B. Macedo, Kadyn E. Kimball, Alberto Bosque, Vicente Planelles, Louis R. Barrows
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10.1371/journal.ppat.1006233

PLOS Pathogens Macrophage origin limits functional plasticity in helminth-bacterial co-infection
March 23, 2017 Dominik Rückerl, Sharon M. Campbell, Sheelagh Duncan, Tara E. Sutherland, Stephen J. Jenkins, James P. Hewitson, Tom A. Barr, Lucy H. Jackson-Jones, Rick M. Maizels, Judith E. Allen
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0005712

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Suppression of chikungunya virus replication and differential innate responses of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells during co-infection with dengue virus
June 23, 2017 Mariana Ruiz Silva, José A. Aguilar Briseño, Vinit Upasani, Heidi van der Ende-Metselaar, Jolanda M. Smit, Izabela A. Rodenhuis-Zybert

Modeling and prediction

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10.1371/journal.pone.0171102

PLOS ONE Optimal control and cost-effective analysis of malaria/visceral leishmaniasis co-infection
February 6, 2017 Folashade B. Agusto, Ibrahim M. ELmojtaba
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0004319

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Ecological Drivers of Mansonella perstans Infection in Uganda and Patterns of Co-endemicity with Lymphatic Filariasis and Malaria
January 21, 2016 Anna-Sofie Stensgaard, Penelope Vounatsou, Ambrose W. Onapa, Jürg Utzinger, Erling M. Pedersen, Thomas K. Kristensen, Paul E. Simonsen
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10.1371/journal.pone.0178996

PLOS ONE Development and external validation of a clinical prognostic score for death in visceral leishmaniasis patients in a high HIV co-infection burden area in Ethiopia
June 5, 2017 Charles Abongomera, Koert Ritmeijer, Florian Vogt, Jozefien Buyze, Zelalem Mekonnen, Henok Admassu, Robert Colebunders, Rezika Mohammed, Lutgarde Lynen, Ermias Diro, Johan van Griensven
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006483

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Disentangling complex parasite interactions: Protection against cerebral malaria by one helminth species is jeopardized by co-infection with another
May 10, 2018 Jessica L. Abbate, Vanessa O. Ezenwa, Jean-François Guégan, Marc Choisy, Mathieu Nacher, Benjamin Roche
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10.1371/journal.pone.0204982

PLOS ONE Developing a model to predict unfavourable treatment outcomes in patients with tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in Delhi, India
October 3, 2018 Chandravali Madan, Kamal Kishore Chopra, Srinath Satyanarayana, Diya Surie, Vineet Chadha, Kuldeep Singh Sachdeva, Ashwani Khanna, Rajesh Deshmukh, Lopamudra Dutta, Amit Namdeo, Ajay Shukla, Karuna Sagili, Lakhbir Singh Chauhan

Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV Co-Infection

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases has dedicated this special collection to VL-HIV co-infection in collaboration with Johan van Griensven, Ed Zijlstra and Asrat Hailu.

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Bridging Communities: Co- and Polymicrobial Infections

PLOS Pathogens presents Research Articles that directly tackle how overlapping infections, and the immune responses they stimulate, might interact in novel ways.

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