Some Viral Sero-Markers of Patients with Abnormally Raised Total Bile Acid Receiving Treatments in Herbal/Traditional Homes of Some Rural Communities in Nigeria

Abstract

Background to the Study: Blind therapeutic management is a common feature of the traditional management of clinical cases that may obscure immunochemical and biochemical abnormalities such as viral infections and abnormally raised total bile acid () which may make treatments unsuccessful. Aim and Objective: This work was designed to determine some viral markers of patients with abnormally raised Total Bile Acid receiving treatments in herbal/traditional homes of some rural communities in Nigeria. Materials and Method: Fifty one (51(25.1%)) of 203 patients aged 21-52 years in Saki-East, Saki-West and ATISBO with abnormally raised total bile acid under going treatment in 15 herbal homes of Saki-East, Saki-West and ATISBO Local Government areas at the Northern part of Oyo state – Nigeria between January and June, 2014 were studied. Thirty two (32(21.3%)) out one hundred and fifty (150) age-matched patients with abnormally raised visiting five (5) orthodox hospitals were also studied within the same period. 139(92.7%) with normal out of 150 apparently healthy individuals aged 20-55 years initially selected were studied as normal control subjects. Immuno assays were carried out on the subjects by Immunoblotting and ELIZA while fasting plasma was estimated in the subjects biochemically. Results: There was a lower incidence of positive 6.3%(2)ant-HIV, 15.6%(5) anti-HCV antibodies and 25%(8) HBsAg in patients receiving treatment in orthodox hospitals with a mean plasma of 16±2.0 µmol/L than patients receiving treatment in Herbal homes 7.8%(4) positive anti-HIV, 17.6%(9) anti-HCV and 31.4%(16) HBsAg obtained in with a mean plasma of 18±3.2 µmol/L. There was also a lower prevalence of positive 3.6%(5) anti-HIV, 4.3%(6) anti-HCV and 7.2%(10) HBsAg with a plasma of 6.5±0.3 µmol/L in the normal control subjects than the results obtained from the patients receiving treatments from both orthodox and traditional/herbal homes.. The immunochemical status of the subjects also revealed evidence of viral co-infections as 2%(1) anti-HIV + anti-HCV in patients receiving treatments in herbal homes, 3.1%(1) anti-HIV + HBsAg in patients receiving treatments in orthodox hospitals with a mean plasma of 16±2.0 µmol/L and 5.9%(3) anti-HIV + HBsAg in patients receiving treatments in herbal homes with a mean plasma of 18±3.2 µmol/L. There was a significantly higher difference in the mean plasma value of TBA and the prevalence of the viral markers including coinfections in the patients receiving treatment in orthodox hospitals and in the patients receiving treatments in herbal homes than the results obtained from the normal control with p< 0.05. There was also a significantly higher prevalence of the viral markers including coinfections in the patients of herbal homes than the resulusts obtained in the patients of orthodox hospitals and the normal control subjects (p<0.05).The frequency of the abnormally raised TBA, of the patients visiting herbal homes, orthodox hospitals and that of the apparently healthy individuals was 51(25.1%)), 32(21.3%) and 11(7.3%) respectively. Conclusion: The incidence of positive HBsAg, anti-HIV, anti-HCV antibodies increases with increase in Total Bile Acids considering the mean concentration of the parameter and the pattern of the viral markers in the subjects and are more prevalent in patients receiving treatments from herbal homes than those attending orthodox hospitals and the control subjects. Evaluation of Viral markers of patients with abnormally raised Total Bile Acid is recommended for effective management of this biochemical abnormality in herbal homes.