ABSTRACT
The study was done to determine the levels of interferon-gamma, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, iron status, hepcidin and haematologicalparameters of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus in Southeast, Nigeria. This study was carried out at the directly observed treatment-short course Tuberculosis (TB DOTS) centre of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, located in South-Eastern Nigeria. Therefore, sample size of 240 was used to give room for attrition. A total of two hundred and forty (240) subjects aged 18-60 years were enlisted for this study. Seven milliliters (7ml) of venous blood was collected from each subject and 2.5ml was dispensed into bottles containing di-potassium salt of ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (K2-EDTA) and was used for full blood count, CD4 count and HIV screening. Also, 4.5ml was dispensed into plain tubes. Serum was obtained after clotting by spinning at 3000 RPM for 10 minutes and was used for interferon gamma, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10, iron and hepcidin determination. Data was analysed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. Student t-test, ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), Pearson Product Moment and Chi-Square were the tools employed. Results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and are presented in table and significance level was set at P<0.05.The results showed difference that was statistically significant (P<0.05) in IFN-γ (P=0.000), IL-6 (P=0.000) IL-10 (P=0.000), CD4 (P=0.000), hepcidin (P=0.000), Iron (P=0.000), TIBC (P=0.000), %TSA (P=0.001) ,WBC (P=0.000), Neutrophils (P=0.000), Lymphocyes (P=0.000), Monocytes (P=0.000), Eosinophils (P=0.000), Basophils (P=0.018), RBC (P=0.000), haemoglobin (P=0.000), PCV (P=0.000), MCV (P=0.000), MCH (P=0.000), MCHC (P=0.000), Platelets (P=0.000), ESR (P=0.000) when compared among control, TB, HIV and TB-HIV subjects respectively. The co infection of HIV on pulmonary TB patients increases the levels of the cytokines. The cytokines and hepcidin can be used as adjunct to prognostic and diagnostic markers as their levels decreased with increased duration of treatment of the patients. The study hasshown wide variations in the haemtological indices studied
ABSTRACT
Aims: This study aimed to investigate fungal isolation in HIV infected patients and its relationship with CD4 count. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria (between March and July 2013). Methodology: A total of 100 positive Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients (28 males, 72 females; age range 1-70 years) were included in this study. The sputum specimens were tested for mycobacteria using Ziehl Neelson’s staining technique. Fungal sputum culture was carried out using standard conventional fungal culture method. Identification was done using chromogenic media and standard staining methods. Results: There were significant fungal associations with gender, age and antiretroviral therapy (P≤0.05). Out of 100 sputum samples cultured, 80 had fungal growths; 61 single and19 mixed isolates, while the remaining 20 samples were without fungal growth. Different fungi species were isolated from 5 out of the 9 patients positive for Mycobacterium spp. A total of 8 different fungal species were isolated with Candida albicans, 24(30%), as the predominant species which had a CD4 count range of 10-200 cells/μl, while Aspergillus niveus was the least, 1(1.2%) with CD4 count range of 300-400 cells/μl. Penicillium marneiffei was the second most prevalent fungi, 11(13.8%). Patients with CD4 T-cell count of less than 100 cells/μl had the highest frequency of fungal isolates from sputum 27(76.4 %) (P≤0.05), while those with CD4 counts >400 cells/μl showed no fungal infection. Patients with Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida glabrata and mixed infections had a total white blood cell (WBC) count of <4.0x109 cells /1. Neutropenia was also observed in patients with Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Pencillium marneiffei. Conclusion: HIV infection increases the susceptibility to fungal colonization and infection. The CD4 counts of the patients have a strong relationship with the frequency and type of fungal isolates. The lower the CD4 count the higher the frequency of fungal isolates. Since invasive fungal colonization of the lungs remain important causes of death in immunocompromised patients, early isolation and identification of the colonizing fungi can improve the prognosis of patients.
ABSTRACT
Aim: To determine the Red cell indices and Reticulocyte count values in HIV-positive patients under antiretroviral treatment and those not under antiretroviral treatments with varying durations of HIV infection and antiretroviral treatments. Study Design: Case-control study. Place and duration of Study: The study was carried out at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria from March to August 2013. Methodology: 181 subjects were recruited consisting; Sixty (30 males and 30 females) HIV subjects under antiretroviral therapy (ART) with an HIV infection and ART duration of <1–5 years, >5 –8 years and >8–17 years; Sixty (25 males and 35 females) HIV subjects not under ART (non-ART) with an infection duration of <1–3 years, >3–6 years and >6–11 years; and Sixty-one (31 male and 30 female) apparently healthy seronegative control subjects. The Reticulocytes count, Packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (HGB), Red blood cell count (RBC), Mean cell volume (MCV), Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of the study subjects were determined. Results: MCV and MCH for ART and non-ART subjects were significantly increased compared with control group (P<.05) and the differences with varying durations of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy were not significant (P>.05). Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the mean HGB, RBC, MCHC of ART and non-ART compared with control (F=8.51; 133.85; 33.32; P<.05 respectively) and their differences with varying durations of infection and antiretroviral therapy were not significant (P>.05). MCV were significantly higher in ART compared with non-ART (P<.05). Conclusion: There is no significant variation in Red cell indices and Reticulocyte count values in HIV patients with differences in duration of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy.