Neutrophil Ingestion Rate Of Nitroblue Tetrazolium In Subjects With Malaria-Hiv Co-Morbidity

Abstract

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the WBC count, absolute neutrophil count, CD4 +T cell count and neutrophil ingestion rate of nitroblue tetrazolium in subjects with Malaria and HIV Co-morbidity. Method and materials: 134 participants were recruited and group as follow: Symptomatic HIV infected participants (n=63), 32 of these participants had malaria co-infection; Asymptomatic HIV infected participants (n=42), 17 of these participants had malaria co-infection; and HIV seronegative Control subjects (n=27), 15 of these subjects had malaria parasitaemia. Blood samples collected from the participants were used to determine the WBC count, absolute neutrophil count, CD4 + T cell count and the rate of reduction of NBT to formazan by the neutrophils in vitro. Result: The result showed that the rate of reduction of NBT to formazan (fmol/phagocyte) was significantly reduced in both Symptomatic and asymptomatic HIV participants with or without malaria parasitaemia compared with the corresponding values in the HIV seronegative control participants with or without malaria respectively. There was no significant difference in WBC and absolute neutrophil counts. This was also true for the CD4 = T cell count amongst participants with malaria but not with those without malaria. Conclusion: This study suggests that inhibition of phagocytic function may be an early sign in HIV infection. This has grave consequences in malaria endemic area where phagocytosis is important in the clearance of malaria parasites. Keywords: HIV, Malaria, NBT, phagocytes and participants.Tropical Journal of Medical Research Vol. 12 (1) 2008: pp. 1-5