Immunochemical evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii parasitic infections in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome subjects in relationship with the CD4+ count

Abstract

Study Background: Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii parasitic infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients could accelerate the progression of HIV infection, which may result into immunosuppression due to immune responses involving cytokines and CD4 + cells. Aim and Objective: This work was designed to determine the immunochemical evidence of T. cruzi and T. gondii parasitic infections in HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome subjects in relationship with the CD4+ count. Materials and Methods: Fifty HIV-positive subjects (25 females and 25 males) aged 14–57 years were recruited as test subjects while 100 HIV-seronegative age-matched individuals were recruited as control. T. cruzi and T. gondii parasitic infections were determined in the subjects by ELISA, while CD4+ cells enumeration was carried out in the subjects by cyflowmetry, and HIV test was carried out by immunochromatography and western blotting. Results: The results obtained showed a significantly lower CD4+ cells in T. cruzi- and T. gondii-infected HIV-positive patients than the HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects who were not infected with any of the parasites ( Conclusion: There parasitic infection caused a significant decrease in CD4+ cells in HIV subjects. There was also a gender difference in the parasitic infection of T. cruzi and T. gondii while the frequency of T. cruzi was 18% (9) and T. gondii was 14% (7).