Abnormal hemoglobin genotypes and ABO and rhesus blood groups associated with HIV infection among HIV-exposed infants in North Western Nigeria

Fiekumo I Buseri,1 Charity N Okonkwo21Hematology and Blood Transfusion Science Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria; 2Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, NigeriaBackground: Hemoglobin genotypes and blood groups have been known to be associated with diseases, but the relationship with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among Nigerian infants is not well known.Objective: This study aims to determine the association between hemoglobin genotypes and blood groups with HIV infection among HIV-exposed Nigerian infants.Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 312 HIV-exposed infants (aged 8–16 months) in Sokoto State, Nigeria. HIV screening was performed using the HIV DNA polymerase chain reaction technique on dried blood spots. Hemoglobin electrophoresis and ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups were carried out using standard techniques.Results: This study found 20.5% HIV-1 seropositivity among the infants, with 20.9% of males and 20.1% of females positive for HIV-1. Babies' sex and HIV seropositivity was not significant (χ2=0.27, df=1, P=0.869). The blood group distribution was O (43.3%), A (36.8%), B (15.7%), AB (4.2%), RhD+ (95.6%), and RhD– (4.4%). The combined ABO and Rh blood groups among the study population were O+ (40.1%), A+ (36.2%), B+ (15.1%), AB+ (4.2%), O– (3.2%), A– (0.6%), and B– (0.6%). No AB– baby was found. The association between blood groups and HIV seropositivity was not significant (Fisher’s exact test =9.140; P=0.169); however, group AB+ showed the highest probable association with HIV seropositivity (46.2%), followed by A+ (23.9%). The prevalence of hemoglobin genotypes was AA (71.5%), AS (25.3%), AC (2.2%), and SC (1.0%). Hemoglobin SS and other hemoglobin variants were not found. A significant association (χ2=8.432, df=3, P=0.034) was observed between SC and HIV-1 infection, but not with ABO and Rh blood groups.Conclusion: Hemoglobin variant SC showed a significant association with HIV-1 infection, but not with ABO and Rh blood groups. Further studies are recommended to confirm this finding.Keywords: hemoglobin, blood groups, HIV, infants, Nigeri

Comparative Analysis of the ABO and Rh CDE Phenotype Frequencies Among Various Ethnic Groups in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Data presented in this report further evaluate the distribution and inter-ethnic phenotypic variability of the ABO and Rh blood groups among students of a tertiary institution in Port Harcourt. Standard haemagglutination procedures were used. ABO blood group frequencies were obtained as follows: 23.8% for blood group A, 15.5% forB, l.0% for AB and 59.8% for O. The distribution of the ABO blood groups among the four ethnic groups within the students’ population did not show any statistical significance. However, slight variations were observed with the B allele with Ijaws having a higher frequency (8.0%) than the other three ethnic groups, lkwerre, Ekpeye and Ogoni (3.3%, 2.0% and 2.3% respectively). Out of the nine phenotypes that were found to occur in the study population, Dccee, Dccee, DccEe, DccEe DccEE, dccee, dCcee and DCCee, two phenotypes DccEE (0.3%) and DCCee (0.3%) occurred only among the Ekpeyes and were completely absent in the other ethnic groups. The distribution of the Rh phenotypes was found to vary significantly among the four ethnic groups. (X2 = 30.127,

Defining iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy: the diagnostic role of serum iron indicators and C-reactive protein

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Surveying Infections among Pregnant Women in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Background: There is paucity of epidemiological data on infectious diseases among antenatal mothers in Bayelsa State of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of the serological markers Human immunodeficiency virus-antibody (HIV-Ab), Hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg), Hepatitis C virus antibody(HCV-A)and antibodies to T.pallidum among pregnant women in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria. Settings and Design: This is a cross-sectional study which was carried out in Yenagoa city, the heart of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies were detected by using "Determine" HIV-1/2 test strip (Abbott Laboratories, Japan); hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and antibodies to T. pallidum were carried out using ACON rapid test strips (ACON Laboratories, USA). All positive samples for HIV, HBV and HCV were confirmed using the Clinotech diagnostic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits (Clinotech Laboratories, USA), while all reactive samples to Treponema pallidum antibodies were confirmed by the Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) test (Lorne Laboratories Ltd., UK). All test procedures were carried out according to the manufacturers′ instructions. Statistical Analysis Used: The data generated were coded, entered, validated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 12.0, and Epi info. The seroprevalence of syphilis, HBsAg, HCV and HIV was expressed for the entire study group by age, sex and other demographic features using Pearson chi-square analysis. Values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 1,000 apparently healthy pregnant women aged between 15 and 44 years with a mean of 27.34΁5.43 years were screened. In terms of percentage, 89.4% of the subjects were married, and 10.6% were without formal husbands. The overall seroprevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV and syphilis was found to be 4.1%, 5.3%, 0.5% and 5.0%, respectively. Conclusions: High prevalence of some infectious diseases was observed in the present study, which may pose serious health risk to women of reproductive age in this region. It is important to point out that there is need to improve antenatal care of pregnant women by mandatory screening for these infectious diseases