Cytokine profiles in highly active antiretroviral treatment non-adherent, adherent and naive HIV-1 infected patients in Western Kenya.

Background: Cytokines play an important role in signaling the immune system to build an adequate immune response against HIV. HIV distorts the balance between pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines causing viral replication. Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) acts by trying to restore pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance. It is not clear how HAART non-adherence influences circulating cytokine levels. This study therefore determined cytokine levels in HAART non-adherent individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 163 participants (51 controls, 23 HIV-1+ HAART naive, 28 HAART-adherent 6 months, 19 HAART-adherent 12 months and 42 HAART non-adherent). Cytokines were analyzed by ELISA while CD4 T cells determined in 3.0 µl of whole blood using BD FACSCaliburTM and viral load in 0.2ml plasma sample using Abbott Molecular m2000sp sample preparation and m2000rt real-time amplification and detection systems (Abbott Molecular Inc., Illinois, USA) according to the manufacturer's methods. Results: IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and TGF-ß were significantly elevated in HIV-1 HAART non-adherent compared with HIV-1 HAART adherent and healthy controls P<0.01. IFN- γ was significantly decreased in HIV-1 HAART non-adherent compared with HIV-1 HAART adherent and healthy controls P<0.01. TNF-α and TGF-ß were significantly reduced in HIV-1 HAART adherent patients at 12 months compared to those at 6 months P<0.01. IL-4 and IL-10 correlated positively with viral load. IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and TGF- ß associated inversely with CD4 T cell counts and body mass index (BMI). Conclusion: This study established that HAART adherence is immunologically beneficial to the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance milieu while non-adherence appears to cause alterations in pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines warping the balance in this dichotomy.

Anemia Burden, Types and Associated Risk Factors among Kenyan Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 and Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Co-infected Injection Substance Users.

BACKGROUND: Although injection substance users and individuals co-infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis suffer marked hematologic derangements, the rates, levels, morphologic types and associated risk factors of anemia among Human immunodeficiency virus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfected injection substance users has not been reported in Kenya. METHODS: This cross-sectional study determined anemia rates, levels and morphologic types. Anemia was associated with clinical markers of disease- underweight, immunosuppression and viral load. Complete blood count, CD4 T-cell enumeration and viral load were determined via standard laboratory methods. RESULTS: All injection substance users had higher rates of anaemia (HIV+TB+ ISUs, 79.3%; HIV-TB+ISUs, 70.0%; HIV+TB- ISUs, 56.6% and HIV-TB- ISUs, 56.2%) relative to non-ISUs (16.6%; P<0.05). A significant proportion of HIV+TB+ISUs (47.8%) developed severe anemia than other clinical groups. The commonest morphologic type of anemia in HIV+TB+ISUs was microcytic hypochromic (43.5%) followed by normocytic hypochromic (17.4%) relative to the other clinical groups. HIV+TB+ ISUs with CD4 T-cells <200/uL (OR: 2.94, 95% CI: 1.41-6.13, P=0.004) and CD4 Tcells of 200-349/uL (OR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.66-6.31, P=0.001) associated with higher odds of developing anemia. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that severe anemia and microcytic hypochromic anemia are the most common erythrocytic sequelae among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis co-infected ISUs. Those with CD4 T-cells < 350/uL are utmost expected to develop anemia.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Antibiotic Resistant diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes isolated from Children with Diarrhea in Nairobi City, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The marked genome plasticity of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli promotes emergence of pathotypes displaying unique phenotypic and genotypic resistance. This study examined phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistant diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes among children in Nairobi City, Kenya. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes were isolated from stool samples and their phenotypic and genotypic resistance against eight antimicrobial agents assayed. RESULTS: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli was detected in 136(36.4%) children. Most of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli that were resistant to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, streptomycin, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline, harbored citm, bla CMY, aadA1, aac(3)-IV, qnr, catA, ere(A) and tet(A) corresponding resistant genes. CONCLUSION: Antimicrobial-resistant genes are highly prevalent among phenotypic resistant ETEC pathotypes indicating a possibility of horizontal gene transfer in spreading antibiotic resistant genes among E. coli pathotypes.