ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of the Capcellia assay and the Dynabeads technique against the FACScount technique in the estimation of CD4 T-lymphocytes within a Nigerian setting. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Urban area in Nigeria. SUBJECTS: Ninety seven subjects (51 HIV seronegative and 46 HIV seropositive adults) seen in the blood banks and two out patient clinics in Lagos within the study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dynadeads technique with a higher correlation coefficient is a feasible alternative to the FACScount method. RESULTS: There was an overall correlation coefficient of r = 0.75 for CD4 cell counts as determined by the Dynabeads technique in comparison with the FACScount method. Also, an overall correlation coefficient of r = 0.17 for CD4 cell counts as determined by the Capcellia technique against the FACScount method. CONCLUSION: Dynabeads technique is simple to carry out and cheaper in terms of demand for human expertise and infrastructural requirements than the FACScounts. Therefore, it was recommended for use in the laboratory for monitoring of ARV therapy in Nigeria and any other resource poor
Subject(s)
CD4 Lymphocyte Count , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/cytology , HIV Seropositivity/immunology , Adolescent , Adult , CD4 Lymphocyte Count/methods , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Costs and Cost Analysis , Female , Flow Cytometry/methods , Humans , Immunomagnetic Separation/methods , Male , Nigeria/epidemiology , Pilot Projects , Prospective Studies , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Definitive diagnosis of HIV infection in infants < 18 months of age who were born to HIV-infected mothers is still posing some difficulty in Nigeria and other developing countries. Within this age definitive diagnosis can only be carried out by antigen based techniques which are indeed not available in these developing countries. This has resulted in the absence of authoritative data on the rate of mother-to-child transmission in these countries. Nigeria inclusive. The present pilot study was therefore carried out to generate some information on the rate of mother to child transmission in Nigeria using the PCR technique. Plasma samples were obtained from 68 children of both sexes less than 18 months of age and who were born to HIV infected mothers. The samples were collected from two pediatric departments. in Lagos and in Benin. The presence of HIV 1 RNA in each of the samples. was determined using the Amplicor Monitor V 1.5 technique (Roche Diagnostics). Data showed that HIV-1 RNA was detected in 15 of the 68 samples tested. This gave an HIV-1 RNA detection rate of 22%. Among women who had some intervention, the rate of transmission of infection was 11% while the rate among those without intervention was 30%. The 22% transmission rate recorded in this study is close to the range of 25 to 35% that has been reported in several developed and a few developing countries. A multicenter nationwide study will still be needed to determine the national mother to child transmission rate in Nigeria.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/transmission , Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical , Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use , Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV Infections/drug therapy , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV-1/genetics , HIV-1/isolation & purification , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/prevention & control , Male , Nevirapine/therapeutic use , Nigeria/epidemiology , Pilot Projects , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Pregnancy , RNA/chemistry , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Immune response of infants vaccinated under Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was evaluated for measles, poliomyelitis, and tuberculosis in Ifo/Otta area of Ogun State and Badagry area of Lagos State, Nigeria. In the prevaccination evaluation of measles antibody, 59 per cent were protected and 41 per cent were at risk in Ifo/Otta area, while 49 per cent were protected and 51 per cent were at risk in the Badagry area. After measles vaccination, 89 per cent of those evaluated seroconverted and 11 per cent did not in Ifo/Otta area, while in Badagry area, 86 per cent of those evaluated seroconverted and 14 per cent did not. For polio neutralizing antibody evaluated at post-immunization, 91 per cent seroconverted, while 9 per cent did not in Ifo/Otta area, while in Badagry area 66 per cent seroconverted and 34 per cent did not. Tuberculin test was used to evaluate the cellular response to BCG vaccination against tuberculosis. 64 per cent were found protected, while 18 per cent were at risk in both areas examined and 18 per cent dropped out. Using Gomez method to evaluate the nutritional status of the infants, 34 per cent were malnourished in Ifo/Otta area and are mostly immigrants. In Badagry area, 53 per cent were normal while 47 per cent were malnourished and most of the malnourished infants were plagued with diarrhoea, severe cough, high fever or malaria infection. Most of the malnourished in the two areas screened were between 9 and 18 months of age, which is the crucial period in the growing stage of the children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
