Paper Title
ENHANCED PEROXIDATION AND CYTOKINE DYSREGULATION IN HIV SEROPOSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN WITH MALARIA CO-INFECTION IN NAUTH NNEWI NIGERIA

Abstract
Abstract - Background: the burden of HIV and malaria co-infection has contributed to adverse health complications, especially in pregnant mothers residing in endemic regions. This study is a case-control study aimed at evaluating the impact of oxidative stress and some cytokine imbalance on HIV seropositive pregnant women with/without malaria infection attending antenatal clinic at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. The study involved 90 age-matched pregnant women grouped into HIV seropositive pregnant women (n=30), HIV seropositive pregnant women with malaria (n=30), HIV seronegative pregnant women with malaria (n=30), and 30 non-pregnant women without HIV or malaria as control. Methods: Blood sample was collected from each participant for determination of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Selenium (Sel), Zinc (Zn), Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-ṿ) using colorimetric, atomic absorption spectrophotometry and enzymatic method respectively. Results: IFN-γ and TNF-α were significantly increased in HIV seropositive with malaria compared with HIV seronegative pregnant women without malaria and control participants (p=0.000). IFN-γ was significantly increased in HIV seronegative pregnant women with malaria compared with HIV seropositive pregnant women (p=0.000 ). MDA was significantly increased in HIV seropositive pregnant women with and without malaria co-infection while serum levels of zinc, selenium, and SOD were decreased in HIV seropositive pregnant women with malaria compared with HIV seronegative pregnant women with malaria and control group (p≤0.05 respectively). Conclusions: The study showed increased oxidative stress with a significant degree of inflammation and reduced immunity in HIV seropositive women with malaria co-infection. This suggests evidence of disease progression and severity which may have been worsened by the co-infection.