Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Vaccinia scars associated with improved survival among adults in rural Guinea-Bissau

Jensen, Mette Lundsby ; Dave, Sangeeta ; Schimvan der Loeff, Maarten ; da Costa, Carlos ; Vincent, Tim ; Leligdowicz, Aleksandra ; Benn, Christine Stabell ; Roth, Adam LU ; Ravn, Henrik and Lisse, Ida Maria , et al. (2006) In PLoS ONE
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In urban Guinea-Bissau, adults with a vaccinia scar had better survival but also a higher prevalence of HIV-2 infection. We therefore investigated the association between vaccinia scar and survival and HIV infection in a rural area of Guinea-Bissau. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In connection with a study of HIV in rural Guinea-Bissau, we assessed vaccinia and BCG scars in 193 HIV-1 or HIV-2 infected and 174 uninfected participants. Mortality was assessed after 2(1/2)-3 years of follow-up. The analyses were adjusted for age, sex, village, and HIV status. The prevalence of vaccinia scar was associated with age, village, and HIV-2 status but not with sex and schooling. Compared with individuals without any scar, individuals... (More)
BACKGROUND: In urban Guinea-Bissau, adults with a vaccinia scar had better survival but also a higher prevalence of HIV-2 infection. We therefore investigated the association between vaccinia scar and survival and HIV infection in a rural area of Guinea-Bissau. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In connection with a study of HIV in rural Guinea-Bissau, we assessed vaccinia and BCG scars in 193 HIV-1 or HIV-2 infected and 174 uninfected participants. Mortality was assessed after 2(1/2)-3 years of follow-up. The analyses were adjusted for age, sex, village, and HIV status. The prevalence of vaccinia scar was associated with age, village, and HIV-2 status but not with sex and schooling. Compared with individuals without any scar, individuals with a vaccinia scar had better survival (mortality rate ratio (MR) = 0.22 (95% CI 0.08-0.61)), the MR being 0.19 (95% CI 0.06-0.57) for women and 0.40 (95% CI 0.04-3.74) for men. Estimates were similar for HIV-2 infected and HIV-1 and HIV-2 uninfected individuals. The HIV-2 prevalence was higher among individuals with a vaccinia scar compared to individuals without a vaccinia scar (RR = 1.57 (95% CI 1.02-2.36)). CONCLUSION: The present study supports the hypothesis that vaccinia vaccination may have a non-specific beneficial effect on adult survival. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
issue
1
article number
101
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:17183634
  • scopus:34249901990
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0000101
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
7d1c5dc7-700b-4920-9ff1-f341dd9e7d13 (old id 1136057)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:41:15
date last changed
2022-03-22 20:25:24
@article{7d1c5dc7-700b-4920-9ff1-f341dd9e7d13,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: In urban Guinea-Bissau, adults with a vaccinia scar had better survival but also a higher prevalence of HIV-2 infection. We therefore investigated the association between vaccinia scar and survival and HIV infection in a rural area of Guinea-Bissau. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In connection with a study of HIV in rural Guinea-Bissau, we assessed vaccinia and BCG scars in 193 HIV-1 or HIV-2 infected and 174 uninfected participants. Mortality was assessed after 2(1/2)-3 years of follow-up. The analyses were adjusted for age, sex, village, and HIV status. The prevalence of vaccinia scar was associated with age, village, and HIV-2 status but not with sex and schooling. Compared with individuals without any scar, individuals with a vaccinia scar had better survival (mortality rate ratio (MR) = 0.22 (95% CI 0.08-0.61)), the MR being 0.19 (95% CI 0.06-0.57) for women and 0.40 (95% CI 0.04-3.74) for men. Estimates were similar for HIV-2 infected and HIV-1 and HIV-2 uninfected individuals. The HIV-2 prevalence was higher among individuals with a vaccinia scar compared to individuals without a vaccinia scar (RR = 1.57 (95% CI 1.02-2.36)). CONCLUSION: The present study supports the hypothesis that vaccinia vaccination may have a non-specific beneficial effect on adult survival.}},
  author       = {{Jensen, Mette Lundsby and Dave, Sangeeta and Schimvan der Loeff, Maarten and da Costa, Carlos and Vincent, Tim and Leligdowicz, Aleksandra and Benn, Christine Stabell and Roth, Adam and Ravn, Henrik and Lisse, Ida Maria and Whittle, Hilton and Aaby, Peter}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Vaccinia scars associated with improved survival among adults in rural Guinea-Bissau}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0000101}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0000101}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}