Abstract
Background: Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and malaria co-infection poses a serious health threat in sub-Saharan Africa and other endemic countries. Highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is currently used to suppress viral loads. Methods: Blood samples collected from 400 participants comprising 200 HIV sero-positive and 200 sero-negative individuals was added to EDTA sample containers. Malaria parasitemia was evaluated using standard parasitological techniques followed by PCR techniques using the Quick Load One Taq One Step Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for characterization of species of Plasmodium and resistant studies using specific primers. HIV viral load estimation was done using COBAS® TaqMan® Analyzer. Results: Malaria has prevalent rate of 22.75% in the study population, while the prevalence of malaria infection among the HIV sero-positive and sero-negative is 77.0% and 23% respectively. Socio-demographic factors had no significant association with the development of resistant genes. HAART exposed individuals had prevalence of PfK13 (6.9%) and Pfmdr-1 (20.8%). Viral load was significantly related with the development of resistant genes (100%) and (86.1%) for PfK13 and Pfmdr-1 respectively. Conclusion: Unsuppressed viral load in HIV sero-positive individuals heightens the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and increases the chances of possible emergence and spread of PfK13 and Pfmdr-1 genes.
Highlights
Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and malaria parasitaemia are among the commonest causes of global health challenges in the developing nations, which is estimated to have caused approximately 4 million deaths per year, with HIV increasing the burdensome and severity of malaria [1, 2, 3]
Use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) such as hydroartemisinin-piperaquine has become a drug of choice for the treatment of malaria in the recent years [11]
The study population was divided into 2: Group A comprised of 200 HIV positive individuals on Highly Active AntiRetroviral Treatment (HAART) and Group B comprised of 200 HIV negative individuals
Summary
HIV infection and malaria parasitaemia are among the commonest causes of global health challenges in the developing nations, which is estimated to have caused approximately 4 million deaths per year, with HIV increasing the burdensome and severity of malaria [1, 2, 3]. Malaria parasites are known to trigger the activation of CD4 cells and proinflammatory cells alongside signalling molecules such as cytokines, which in-turn promote favourable scenario for rapid HIV-1 replication in the CD4 cells[2].HIV positive pregnant women have great chances of developing symptomatic malaria, placental malaria and malaria transmission to children [4] It is not clear if HIV infection can impact resistance. Use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) such as hydroartemisinin-piperaquine has become a drug of choice for the treatment of malaria in the recent years [11]. It was on the premise of the success achieved with ACT that the National Malaria Control Programme declared that malaria would be completely eliminated by 2025, and the declaration has received consummate political support [12]. Active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is currently used to suppress viral loads
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