Human parvovirus B19-induced anaemia in pre-school children in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Sera collected from 57 anaemic and 115 non-anaemic age-matched pre-school children in Ilorin, Nigeria, between November 2014 and December 2015 were assayed for human parvovirus B19-specific IgM antibodies by using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technique. A total of 17 (29.8%) anaemic children and 18 (15.7%) non-anaemic children were positive for parvovirus B19 infection. Infection with parvovirus B19 is common in this population, and screening for the virus during differential diagnosis is recommended.

A multi-template multiplex PCR assay for hepatitis B virus and human ß-globin.

The Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is the hallmark of HBV infection. Detection of antibodies to HBs and the core (ie, HBsAg and HBcAb) are primary serological algorithms in the laboratory diagnosis of HBV. Detection of HBsAg DNA is an important supplement to serological diagnosis especially in clinical cases. Simultaneous amplification of internal cellular controls is a good indicator of sample quality. Human ß-globin is a well characterized housekeeping gene (HKG) that is often applied as internal controls (IC) in molecular diagnosis. In this study, individual plasmid clones of the human ß-globin and HBs genes were constructed. These plasmid constructs have been applied to characterize a multiplex PCR assays for HBs and ß-globin genes. The findings suggest detection limits of less than 10 genome copies of either template In vitro using conventional and multiplex PCR conditions. Under the multiplex conditions, co-amplification of ß-globin and HBsAg DNA had a resultant effect on assay sensitivity. This study further highlights the importance of molecular diagnosis in HBV infectious individuals. If fully optimized, this assay could provide a possible diagnostic complement to serological detection in developing countries.

Prevalence, intensity and complications of Microsporidium spores amongst HIV-positive hospital patients in Ilorin, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Microsporidiasis, which is of great concern for immunocompromised patients, is poorly studied in developing countries. OBJECTIVES: A study was carried out amongst HIV-positive hospital patients and HIV-negative hospital controls in Ilorin, Nigeria, between January 2009 and July 2010 to determine the prevalence and intensity of Microsporidium spores and the complications associated with their presence. METHOD: Stool samples from 750 HIV-positive patients and 375 HIV-negative patients were studied using the Chromotrope-2R staining technique. Determination of CD4+ count was performed on the Partec Cyflow SL-3 CD4/8 instrument. Intensity of spores was determined by counting the total number of the spores in a 10 µl stained smear of stool. Images were captured with Phenix Microimage Analysis Software and data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. RESULTS: The prevalence of Microsporidium isolates amongst the HIV-positive hospital patients was significantly higher (42.4%) than amongst the HIV-negative controls (19.2%) (p < 0.05). The intensity of microsporidial spores amongst HIV-positive hospital patients was also significantly higher than amongst the controls (p < 0.05). However, the difference in the intensity of spores amongst HIV-positive patients who were on antiretroviral therapy (n = 411) and those who were not (n = 339) was not significant (p = 0.236). Microsporidiasis in HIV infection infection was common amongst patients with with low CD4+ counts, diarrhoea, body rashes and cough. CONCLUSION: Both the prevalence and intensity of Microsporidiasis are high amongst HIV-positive hospital patients; campaigns to promote awareness, prevention and control are required. Laboratory testing for microsporidia in HIV patients should be performed routinely so as to identify the organism for prompt medical attention.

Evaluation of CD4+ T cells in HIV patients presenting with malaria at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Nigeria.

CD4 count is an important immunological marker of disease progression in HIV seropositive patients. This study was carried out to determine the effect of malaria or fever of unknown origin on the population of CD4+ T lymphocytes of HIV seropositive patients attending the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. 36 subjects were selected for this study. Ongoing history of fever was used as a case definition for malaria and malaria was confirmed from microscopic examination of thick and thin film of blood sample obtained from the patients during presentation with fever. The CD4 count was evaluated during presentation of fever and post-fever using flow cytometry. There was significant decrease in CD4 count of the patients. However, upon classifying the patients into 2 groups - those that returned to the clinic after a week and those that returned after a month; a significant increase in CD4 count was noticed in the group that returned after a week, while a significant decrease was noticed in the group that returned after a month (at p value of 95 %). Further classification of the patients based on presence of malaria parasite, and body temperature resulted in varying effects on CD4 count post-fever (in the general group, 27 were positive for malaria parasites). Of these 27, there was an increase in CD4 count in 9 (33.3 %). However in the group that returned after a week, all 6 (100 %) that were positive for malaria parasites showed increase in CD4 count. Five (26.3 %) of the 19 patients that had body temperature within the range of 35.5-37.4 °C showed an increase in CD4 count, while 7 (41.2 %) of the 17 patients that had body temperature of 37.5 °C and above showed an increase in CD4 count. The results led to the conclusion that while some components of the immune response to malaria could strengthen the immune system of HIV seropositive patients by increasing their CD4 count, other components will suppress their immunity by decreasing their CD4 count, accelerating the progression to AIDS.