A study of Toxoplasma and Cytomegalovirus serology in tuberculosis and in HIV-infected patients in Burkina Faso

Seroreactivity to Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) and to Cytomegalovirus (Cmv) was compared between symptomatic HIV-infected patients (40 with pulmonary tuberculosis and 38 with AIDS) and HIV-seronegative patients (40 tuberculosis patients and 30 healthy patients), in an urban area of Burkina Faso. Prevalence of IgG antibodies to Tg antigens (>50.0%) did not differ amongst the four groups, but tuberculosis HIV + patients and AIDS patients showed more higher titers of Tg antibodies more often than healthy patients ( p < 0.05 and p < 0.005, respectively). Prevalence of specific IgG to Cmv was higher in tuberculosis HIV-seronegative patients (97,5%) and in AIDS patients (100%) than in healthy patients (82%; p < 0.03 and p < 0.001, respectively). Higher Cmv antibodies titers were found in relation to AIDS but also to tuberculosis. Tuberculosis HIV + as tuberculosis HIV-patients showed higher Cmv antibodies titers than healthy patients ( p < 0.002 and < 0.02 respectively). These data emphasize the need for taking into account the risk of Tg reactivation during the follow-up of HIV infected patients in Burkina Faso and suggest possible relationships between Cmv and tuberculosis reactivations.