Evaluation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte counts and serum levels of immunoglobulins in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with or without HIV co-infection in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence and incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has risen throughout sub-Saharan Africa with increasing human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) prevalence. TB patients were recruited from some treatment centres in South Eastern Nigeria, and a total number of 133 subjects were recruited for the study. The following parameters, namely, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts, immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) serum levels were determined using the cytoflow method, Dynal T8 quantitative method as well as single radial immunodiffusion (SRI), respectively. The results showed that the mean CD4+ T-cell count (mm3) (338.34 ± 36.65) and CD8+ T-cell count (mm3) (278.70 ± 27.80) of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with HIV co-infection (PTB + HIV) patients were significantly lower than the mean, CD4+ T-cell count (mm3) (788.18 ± 58.17) and CD8+ T-cell count (mm3) (421.17 ± 30.68) of control subjects. The mean CD4+ T-cell count (mm3) (614.14 ± 58.24) and CD8+ T-cell count (mm3) (388.43 ± 32.07) of PTB patients were significantly lower than those of the control subjects. The mean CD4+ T-cell count (mm3) (388.77 ± 63.62) and CD8+ T-cell count (mm3) (564.18 ± 93.68) of HIV seropositive patients were significantly lower than CD4+ T-cell count of the control subjects, but higher than CD8+ T-cell count of the control subjects (P < 0.05). The mean IgA (mg/dl) level of in PTB patients (234.96 ± 48.00) was significantly higher than those of PTB patients with HIV seropositive (PTB + HIV) (164.01 ± 42.27). The mean IgG (mg/dl) level of PTB + HIV patients (1446.37 ± 277.32) was significantly higher than that of PTB patients (1092.18 ± 114.25). The mean IgM (mg/dl) level in HIV seropositive patients (212.08 ± 22.84) was significantly higher than that of PTB patients (156.69 ± 32.07), PTB + HIV (182.76 ± 46.77) patients and control subjects (93.58 ± 21.18) (P < 0.05). It is therefore evident that PTB infection with or without HIV co-infection significantly affects the immune system response. The immunological changes observed showed that PTB infection might have cause the moderate decrease in CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte counts, while the decrease is well marked in PTB infection with HIV co-infection. Key words: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), immunologic changes, immunoglobulins.