Adeoti O.M^{1, 2,}, Awobode H.O³, Anumudu C.I²

Co-infection of malaria and HIV often result in a precarious switch of the immune reaction from T-helper 1 (Th-1) - type 1 to type 2 or vice versa. Immunological status are seriously threatened in the case of infection by HIV and Plasmodium falciparum or both in pregnant mother, hence the need to investigate the immunological responses at different status of infections. A total of 149 mothers were recruited in a longitudinal study in the endemic area of Saki. Rapid diagnostic tested kits were used for HIV diagnosis in mother; CD4⁺ counts were enumerated by using FACS count techniques. Four cytokines were profiled TNF-α, IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. The data generated were analyzed using appropriate method. The prevalence of malaria in mothers was 85/149 (57.1%); a higher mean parasite density of 340×10³ parasite/μL of blood was observed in multigravidae than in secundigravidae with 195×10³ parasite/μL of blood and 265×10³ parasite/ of blood in primigravidae, there was no significant relation between parity and parasite density in the participating mothers. The HIV and malaria was (22.8%) in mothers while the co infection of HIV and sero-prevalence was (30.2%). The CD4⁺ counts below WHO recommended were observed in 46.9, 33.4 and 47.1% HIV positive, malaria positive and co-infection mothers respectively. However, the concentration differentials of TNF-α, IL-10, IL-2 and IFN-γ in sero-positive mothers were-0.025, -0.0102, +0.0357 and 0.0255 pg/µL respectively. The CD4- T-lymphocytes counts, predominance of Th2 and proportion of co-infection mothers suggest significant health risk.

cytokine, co-infection, plasmodium falciparum, sero-prevalence, parity, profiled