Genetics of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and related pain in Africans.

Huguette Gaelle Ngassa Mbenda, Antonia Wadley, Zane Lombard, Catherine Cherry, Patricia Price, Peter Kamerman

Journal: Journal of neurovirology 2018;23(4):511-519

PMID: 28560631

Abstract

Despite the use of safer antiretroviral medications, the rate of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN), the most common neurological complication of HIV, remains high. This condition is often painful and has a negative effect on quality of life. Up to 90% of those with HIV-SN experience pain for which there is no effective analgesic treatment. Genetic factors are implicated, but there is a lack of a comprehensive body of research for African populations. This knowledge gap is even more pertinent as Africans are most affected by HIV. However, recent studies performed in Southern African populations have identified genes displaying potential as genetic markers for HIV-SN and HIV-SN-associated pain in Africans. Here, we review the published studies to describe current knowledge of genetic risk factors for this disease in Africa.

Address: School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa. [email protected].; School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa.; Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Center for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute; Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.; Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

DOI: 10.1007/s13365-017-0532-1