Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and Annals of African Medicine Society
Abstract
Background: This study focused on evaluating the possible impact of
co-infections of tuberculosis and malaria on the CD4+ cell counts in
HIV infected subjects. Methods: This is a cross sectional study. The
subjects were drawn from three hospitals and a blood bank in
LagosState. After due consent, blood samples were obtained from 69
subjects with single infections (HIV, TB, and Malaria), 34 subjects
with multiple infections (HIV/Malaria, HIV/TB, Malaria/TB,
HIV/TB/Malaria) and 24 blood donors (controls). The CD4+ cell counts of
all the 127 blood samples were estimated using a FACS count. Results:
Data obtained were analysed and a comparison of the results showed that
the median CD4+ counts in all groups of subjects with HIV infections
(whether single or co-infection) were similar and significantly lower
than the median counts for the healthy control group as well as groups
without HIV infection (malaria, TB and malaria/TB). Conclusion: Overall
data further confirmed the progressive depletion of CD4+ cells in HIV
infection while co-infections with TB and malaria did not have any
impact on the CD4+ cells of HIV infected subjects. A larger prospective
study is needed