ISSN: 2642-6250
Authors: Atting IA*, Amadi CP and Ekuma AE
In this study, the prevalence rate of falciparum malaria, the risk factors associated with HIV and CD4 count level in association with malaria parasite were determined while the Pfmdr mutant resistant gene of falciparum species was detected in HIV patients attending Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in South-south Nigeria. Subjects were purposively selected as they came for treatment and screened for falciparum malaria. Of the 67 subjects enrolled in the study, 35% were HIV positive adults, while 32% were HIV negative adults (Controls). They were in the age range of 20-56 years with a mean age of 34.84±9.86 standard deviation (SD). Out of 35 HIV adult patients, 25%t of the HIV patients were on treatment for HIV and other opportunistic infections. Twenty-one percent admitted that they took anti-malaria drugs every three months, 31% attested to the use of long lasting insecticide treated nets while 4% did not use treated nets. Microscopic examination revealed 5.7% of falciparum malaria, while Nested PCR detected 8.7% falciparum malaria in the DNA extract sample of these patients. A total of five HIV positive patients were infected with falciparum malaria, giving a prevalence rate of 14.2% of co-infected patients with malaria parasite. None of the HIV negative subjects had falciparum malaria. This is probably due to their regularly sleeping under long lasting insecticide treated nets. There was no significant difference between malaria parasite infection by gender (P = 0.88), age group (P=0.17), and CD4+ count (O.R:1.0, P=0.81). Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistant gene (Pfmdr) analysis did not undergo mutation. Based on the result it is recommended that HIV patients regularly sleep under long lasting insecticide treated nets. There is need to improve the quality of health care, especially as regards malaria prevention and treatment offered to HIV patients.
Keywords: Malaria; Falciparum; Pfmdr; HIV; South-South Nigeria
