SLC11A1 Gene Polymorphism in Adults Co-Infected with Helminth and Latent Tuberculosis in Yewa, Ogun State

Mutations in the 3’UTR and D543N regions of the solute carrier 11a1 protein (SLC11A1) gene have been found to strongly increase the risk of several diseases caused by intracellular organisms such as M. tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to screen for polymorphisms in the 3’UTR and D543N regions of SLC11A1 gene with the goal of understanding the genetic dynamics of tuberculosis and schistosomiasis co-infection in a Nigerian adult population. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 185 participants who were screened for intestinal and urinary helminthiases using microscopic examination of stool and urine respectively; latent tuberculosis using skin tuberculin test; and active tuberculosis using sputum microscopy. PCR-RFLP analyses were carried out on extracted DNA for detection of SLC11A1 gene polymorphisms. Participants filled questionnaires from which information on awareness, clinical and family histories and lifestyles were obtained. There were no polymorphisms observed. 32% had urinary schistosomiasis and 0.1% had intestinal helminthiasis suggesting that both types of infections could occur independently in the same population. The prevalence of coinfection with schistosomiasis and tuberculosis was 6.5%. This observation suggests an immunomodulation during schistosomiasis and latent tuberculosis co-infection. The absence of polymorphisms did not support the hypothesis that co-infection with schistosomiasis and latent tuberculosis might play a role as a risk factor during the development of active tuberculosis

IL4, IL13, GSTM1 and T1 variants and susceptibility to Schistosomiasis and associated bladder pathologies in Eggua, Nigeria

Failure of the human host to elicit adequate immune responses to the adult Schistosoma haematobium worm and continuous strong inflammatory responses to the eggs have been the main causes of bladder pathology in chronic Schistosomiasis. Identification of susceptibility biomarkers for schistosomiasis- associated bladder pathology is necessary in order to detect genetic factors responsible for the infection and spread of the disease. The aim of this study was to identify candidate-biomarkers for susceptibility to schistosomiasis and its associated pathologies. A total of 371 adult participants, comprising 130 males and 241 females from Eggua community, Ogun State, Nigeria, were randomly recruited into a cross sectional study from August 2012 to May 2014. They were screened for S. haematobium ova and bladder pathologies by microscopy and ultrasonography, respectively. Human host susceptibility to schistosomiasis and its associated bladder pathologies were determined by PCR genotyping of Interleukin (IL4 and IL13) genes, and glutathione-S-transferase (GSTT1 and GSTM1) genes. The overall prevalence of S. haematobium in the population was 29.3% (108/369). Bladder pathologies were observed in 32.3% (117/362) of the population. Polymorphisms in IL 4-590 and IL 13-1055 were observed in 24.1% and 9.3% schistosomiasis cases, respectively. The IL 13-1055 polymorphism did not indicate susceptibility to schistosomiasis in males (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-2.1) but a slight risk was found in females (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.7). Participants with GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms expressed elevated risks of bladder pathologies (OR = 4.3, 95% CI 2.0 - 9.2 and OR = 4.2, 95% CI 1.5 – 12.0, respectively), with the pathology and schistosomiasis group having more GST polymorphisms than bladder pathologies. Keywords: Polymorphisms, Cytokines, GST, schistosomiasis and pathologie

Co-infection of schistosomiasis, malaria, HBV and HIV among adults living in Eggua Community, Ogun State, Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by the blood fluke that continues to plague many developing countries in the tropics. The goal of this study was to determine the occurrence of schistosomiasis, malaria, HBV and HIV co-infection among adults in some villages of Eggua Community, Nigeria (Tata, Imoto, Orile and Ebute Igbooro). In cross-sectional surveys, 240 participants were recruited from Orile and Ebute Igbooro and 207 from Tata and Imoto. Urine samples were collected and tested for urinary schistosomiasis by conventional microscopy; blood samples were tested for HBV, HIV and malaria using standard RDTs and microscopy respectively. Prevalence and co-infection of the diseases was analyzed by chi-squared (x2) test. The prevalence of schistosomiasis and malaria was 21.3% and 11.1% in Tata and Imoto respectively; and 14.5% and 19.1% in Orile and Ebute Igbooro, respectively. The overall prevalence of co-infection of urinary schistosomiasis with malaria was 2.5% and 0.4% each with HIV and HBV in the study areas. Schistosoma haematobium and Plasmodium falciparum are prevalent in the study-area, and an integrated control approach directed against the two parasites should be carried out. Keywords: Schistosomiasis; malaria; co-infection; HBV and HIV