Evaluation of the immune function in HIV/AIDS patients using migration inhibition factor (M/F) test

Abstract

Several mechanisms have been described regarding HIV/AIDS immunopathogenesis. Some are related to the humoral response and others to the cellular immune response. Migration inhibition factor (MIF) test is one of the in-vitro methods used in monitoring the cell-mediated immunity of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). This study monitored MIF level in symptomatic HIV seropositive AIDS patients (n=50) and asymptomatic HIV seropositive patients (n-40); HIV seronegetive (n=40) were included as control subjects. The various MIF percentage values for the HIV seropositive (symptomatic: 110.86 ± 14.97%; asymptomatic: 91.22±14.62%) groups were significantly higher (p‹0.05) than the control group (64.68±13.20%). This suggests that the cellular immune function in HIV seropositive and AIDS patient is highly compromised.


Global Journal of Mathematical Sciences Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 5-8