Sero-epidemiology of human T-cell lymphotropic viruses-1 and -2 infection among pregnant women attending Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There is the paucity of HTLV-1/-2 studies on Nigerian pregnant women despite the medical and public health significance of maternal-to-child transmission of HTLV-1/-2. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of HTLV-1/-2 infections among pregnant women attending the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Abuja, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected from consented pregnant women and analysed for ant-HTLV-1/-2 total antibodies using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collate participants' socio-demographic variables and risk factors of HTLV infection. RESULTS: Out of the 156 pregnant women tested for HTLV-1/-2 antibodies, 16 (10.3%) were seropositive. There was no significant association between the socio-demographic variables collated and seroprevalence of HTLV-1/-2 infection among pregnant women (p> 0.05). Pregnant women with HIV infection had a lower prevalence of HLTV-1/-2 infection than those without HIV infections (7.5% versus 11.7%). Pregnant women with multiple sexual partners had a higher risk of HTLV-1/-2 infection than those who had single (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 0.53-8.18). Women with a history of needles injury had a higher risk of HTLV-1/-2 infection than those who do not (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.38-4.08). The history of blood transfusion was significantly associated with HTLV-1/-2 infection (p= 0.027). However, no significant association existed between other risk factors of HTLV-1/-2 infection among pregnant women (p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: Considering the 3% pooled national prevalence of HTLV-1/-2 infection in Nigeria, the seroprevalence reported in this study is relatively high. Thus, there is a need for more large cohort studies and routine screening of population at increased risk of infection.

Immunological and anti-oxidant profiles of malarial children in Abuja, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The clinical symptoms, cellular immune response, and serum cytokine homeostasis during falciparum malaria among children living in endemic regions depend on the parasite densities. This study aims to evaluate the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, leucocytes subpopulations, IL-6, IL-10 and biomarkers of oxidative stress among children infected with varying grades of malaria attending the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study involved blood samples collected from 165 children (between 5 and 12 years). This comprised 45 children with mild malaria, 40 each with moderate, severe malaria and apparently healthy (control). Serum cytokines, ferritin, malonaldehyde (MDA), ascorbate, α-tocopherol levels were determined by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). Leucocytes differentials and CD4+/CD8+ T cells counts were enumerated by automated hematology analyzer and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: All malarial children had only Plasmodium falciparum. The male to female ratio of children with mild malaria was 1.5:1 (mean ± SD age of 8.5 ± 1.9 years). However, other groups had 1:1 male to female ratio and mean ages of 9.2 ± 2.3, 9.8 ± 2.2, 8.5 ± 1.5 for children with moderate, severe malaria and control, respectively. There was a positive but not significant association of neutrophils and monocytes with the 3 grades of malaria parasitemia (p>0.05). There was a negative and significant correlation between severe malaria and lymphocyte count (p = 0.048; r = -0.647). However, there was positive and significant correlation between eosinophil with moderate (p = 0.03; r = 0.994) and severe malaria (p = 0.006; r = 0.825). There was a significant decline in serum ascorbate with increased malaria density (p<0.0001). However, there was no difference in the serum α-tocopherol concentration within the 4 groups of children (p = 0.182). Serum ferritin and MDA significantly elevated with an increase in malaria density (p<0.0001). There was a significant decline in CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells counts with an increase in malaria densities (p<0.0001). Serum IL-10 and IL-6 significantly elevated with increased malaria density (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, severe malaria was significantly associated with declined CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, upregulation of IL-6, and high serum levels of oxidative stress biomarkers.