Prevalence of Toxoplasma, Cytomegalovirus(IgM), Rubella(IgM), Hepatitis C Coinfection and Bactermia in newly diagnosed and treatment naive HIV- infected patients attending Apin clinic at Lagos university teaching hospita

Adeleye I.A, Adeoye G.O, Bamiro S.O, Akanmu S, Adepoju A and Opara

: J Antivir Antiretrovir

Abstract :

T his study determined the prevalence of Toxoplasma,Cytomegalovirus(IgM),Rubella(IgM), Hepatitis C co-infection and bacteremia among newly diagnosed HIV positive patients attending APIN clinic at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Random peripheral blood samples were collected from 80(28 males and 52 females) patients who were newly confirmed to be HIV positive and were enrolled in the antiretroviral therapy clinic. The patients have not commenced their antiretroviral treatment although most have been treated for febrile symptoms and weakness. Sera samples were screened for anti Toxoplasma antibodies,Cytomegalovirus(IgM),Rubella(IgM) and Hepatitis C surface antigen using fourth generation ELISA kits. Seventy of the blood samples collected from 24(34.4%) males and 46(65.7%) females were cultured by standard methods for the isolation of blood steam pathogens. All the sera samples(100%) tested positive for Toxoplasma immunoglobulin G while 74(92.5%) were positive for Cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin M. Only one serum sample was positive for IgM against Rubella virus. Seven sera(8.75%) comprising of 3 males and 4 females were positive for Hepatitis C(HCV) antibodies. Five staphylococci comprising of 2 Staphylococcus warneri,1 Staphylococcus epidermidis , Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus cohnii cohni as well as 2 Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from the blood cultures of the patients. Although this is a pilot study, the extremely high prevalent rate of Toxoplasma and Cytomegalovirus IgM antibodies suggests a strong association between HIV, Toxoplasma and Cytomegalovirus infections in this environment and should be a major consideration in the initiation and choice of antiretroviral therphy. HCV co-infection rate is consistent with earlier studies conducted in this environment. Presence of bacteremia suggest depressed immune state of some of the patience

Biography :

Professor Adeleye completed his Ph.D some 21 years ago and has lectured in the Polytechnic and Universties in Nigeria for about three decades. He has up to 40 published articles and his current research is on Blood stream infections of retroviral naïve HIV patents