Журнал бактериологии и паразитологии

Абстрактный

Malaria in HIV/AIDS patients at different CD4+ T cell levels in Limbe, Cameroon

Helen K. Kimby, Doris T. Njo, Kenneth J. N. Ndamukong, and Leopold J. Lehman

HIV infection has been associated with an increased risk of severe malaria and death, as the likelihood of parasitemia and the risk of malarial fever increase with decreasing CD4+ T-cell counts and increasing viral load. A cross-sectional study of 203 HIV/AIDS patients was conducted to determine the pattern of malaria infection, anemic status, and outcome of ART compared with malaria treatment at different patient CD4+ T-cell levels. Participants were HIV-infected patients aged ≥ 20 years attending the HIV treatment center of Limbe Regional Hospital, Cameroon. Clinical manifestations of malaria in patients were determined using a structured questionnaire. CD4+ T-cell counts and haemoglobin levels were determined using the FACS counting method. Malaria prevalence and density were determined using Giemsa-stained blood films. Clinical manifestations of malaria increased with decreasing CD4+ T-cell counts. There was a negative correlation between malaria severity and CD4+ T cell count decline. A significantly higher proportion (p<0.01) of patients had moderate anaemia. The incidence of anaemia increased significantly (p<0.001) with decreasing CD4+ T cell count. Reduced immunity increases vulnerability to malaria infection and highly active combination ARV therapy has great potential to reduce HIV-associated malaria.