Malarial infection among HIV Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and those not on ART: A Case Study of Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Malarial infection among patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) attending Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State was investigated between April and August 2008 to determine the level of malaria infection in HIV/AIDS patients on ART and those not on ART with respect to CD4⁺ counts, age and gender. A total of 1,080 HIV patients were examined (800 on ART and 280 not on ART considered as control). Questionnaire was administered to each participant to collect socio-demographic data. The Cytoflow, and thin and thick blood films were used to count CD4⁺  and conduct parasitological examination, respectively. Of the 800 HIV/AIDS patients on ART examined for malaria parasites, 20.5% (164/800) were found positive for malaria infection, while those not on ART had an infection rate of 63.9% (179/280). There was an association between the severity of malarial infection between patients not on ART and those on ART (χ² 14.05, p = 0.001). The age groups < 22 years, 23-29 years and 44-50 years recorded high prevalences of malaria with 66.7% (14/21), 67.9% (36/53) and 73.7% (14/19), respectively. Malarial infection was higher in patients on ART with CD4⁺ count less than 200/μl and 201-500/μl with 21.1% (72/342) and 22.9% (64/279), respectively. Female patients on ART showed higher infection rate (23.1%) than their male counterparts (17.4%).

Keywords: Antiretroviral therapy, malaria parasites, CD4⁺, parasitological examination and socio-demographic data

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 33 [1] March 2012, pp. 59-62