Serum Levels of anti-BCG, Albumin and Packed Cell Volume and White Blood Cell Count in Subjects with HIV and Malaria Co-morbidity

The present study was designed to determine anti-BCG titres, serum albumin, packed cell volume, white blood cell count and malaria parasite density in HIV infected subjects in a malaria endemic area with stable transmission. For this study 75 participants aged between 17 and 70 years (females=45; males=30) were enlisted and grouped into: (I) HIV⁄AIDS subjects (n=21) on anti-retroviral therapy (ART), 12 of these subjects had malaria co-infection; (ii) HIV seropositive subjects (n=29) not on ART, 13 of whom had malaria co-infection, and (iii) HIV seronegative control subjects (n=25), 15 of whom had malaria parasiteamia. Serum albumin, anti-BCG and PCV, WBC and malaria parasite density were determined in all participants. The results showed that all participants had detectable anti-BCG, but the titre was lowest in HIV⁄AIDS on ART followed by HIV seropositives and control subjects (f=16.878; p 0.001). The results also showed that serum albumin (g⁄l) was significantly different among the HIV seropositives, HIV⁄AIDS and control subjects (f=8.043; p 0.001). This pattern was also true for the PCV (f=17.505; p 0.001). When the above parameters were considered for subjects with malaria co-infection, a similar pattern of results was observed. There was no within-group difference in those with or without malaria for the respective groups except for WBC count, which was significantly reduced in HIV⁄AIDS subjects with malaria, compared with those without malaria. The positive association between WBC count and malaria parasite density was consistent in all groups. The present study thus indicates that, although there is evidence of prior exposure to bacterial infection, serum anti-BCG, serum albumin and PCV are mostly impaired by HIV infection even in cases of malaria co-morbidity in endemic areas.