ABSTRACT
Background: There is a dearth of studies on HHV8-HIV co-infections from Nigeria; even as both infections have been shown to be endemic in Africa. This study examined the seroprevalence and determinants of HHV8 infections in adult Nigerians with and without HIV-infection. Methods: In 2007; a cross sectional study undertaken in a tertiary hospital in Zaria; northern Nigeria enrolled 71 HIV-1 positive adults without Kaposi's sarcoma and 85 apparently healthy HIV-negative adult volunteers of the general population. Anti-lytic antibodies to HHV8 infection was determined by ELISA. A univariate analysis including age; sex; marital status; past sexually transmitted disease (STD); past blood transfusion; HIV/AIDS staging and CD4 count was used to determine variables associated with HHV8 seropositivity. Significant variables were adjusted in a logistic regression model expressed in odds ratio (OR) with 95confidence interval (CI). P0.05 was considered significant Results: The seroprevalence of HHV8 infection was 62in HIV-1 positive patients and 25.9in HIV negative adults (p0.001). A past history of STD [ORCI= 1.0 - 8.2] and advanced HIV/AIDS (WHO stage 3 and 4) [OR=3.5; 95CI= 1.21-10.1] were the only variables independently associated with HHV8 seropositivity in HIV-infected patients. In HIV-negative adults; none of the variables was significantly associated with HHV8 seropositivity. Conclusion: The study findings suggest an adverse interaction between HHV8 and HIV-1. The higher prevalence of HHV8 infection in HIV-infected patients and its association with STD support a predominant sexual route of HHV8 transmission among adult Nigerians
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
Food allergens have been described in studies in southern parts of Nigeria but rarely in northern parts of Nigeria. Furthermore; the role of specific antibody to such allergen moieties have not been determined. The aim of this study is to assess the role of two common food items in the aetiology of asthma in Zaria. RAST-specific IgE to milk and egg; which are two common foods in Nigeria; and skin prick tests were therefore studied in bronchial asthma patients and controls in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital; Zaria to determine their significance in the clinical manifestation of asthma patients. Total serum IgA; IgE and secretory IgA were also measured in patients and controls. RAST titres were poorly discriminating between controls and patients; although six patients had history of gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion of egg while three patients had history of such symptoms; some with positive skin prick tests and high RAST-specific IgE titres. Asthmatic patients had significantly higher mean serum secretory IgA and total IgA levels than controls while total serum IgE levels were similarly distributed among patients and controls. It is suggested that provocation tests are mandatory to confirm bronchial allergic reactions to egg and milk and perhaps other food allergens in Nigerians in view of the non-discriminant RAST titres obtained in this study