![]() ![]() However, HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV2 co-infections have also been documented outside West Africa. A unique Vpx gene characterises both viruses' gene structures. Its closest relative is a monkey, sooty mangabey (sm), Cercocebus atys, SIVsm. HIV-2 is the second in the same class and is largely confined to West Africa. Both HIV-1 and SIVcpz have a unique Vpu gene in their respective genomic structures. Its origin can be traced back to a Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) isolated from a Chimpanzee (cpz) sub-species, Pan troglodytes troglodytes (SIVcpz). HIV type 1 (HIV-1) is the first in the class of human retroviruses and accounts for more than 95% of the world's HIV infections. This distinction is essential for accurate surveillance and diagnosis as well as administration of appropriate antiretroviral therapies within a population. Studies have shown a cross-species transmission of HIV from a primate lentivirus to humans and the virus can be phylogenetically classified into two types 1 and 2. Globally, in 2007 alone, 33 million people were living with HIV/AIDS and 20 million had died. However, there is also need to factor in the role of host-parasite genetics and interactions in disease progression.Īcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is currently one of the most devastating diseases caused by HIV. Apart from its use in HIV disease diagnosis, WB test could also be used in conjunction with simpler tests like full blood counts and patient clinical assessment as a relatively cheaper disease monitoring tool required prior to accessing antiretroviral therapy for poor resource settings. ConclusionĪbsence of antibody reactivity to pol and gag p39 antigens was associated with acute infection and disease progression, respectively. Although not statistically significant, women with p39 band missing were 1.4 times more likely to transmit HIV-1 to their infants. Lack of antibody reactivity to gag p39 antigen was associated with disease progression as confirmed by the presence of lymphadenopathy, anemia, higher viral load, p = 0.010, 0.025 and 0.016, respectively. However, antibody reactivity to gag antigens varied among the women, being 100%, 90%, 70% and 63% for p24, p17, p39 and p55, respectively. All women with chronic HIV-1 infection had antibody reactivity to both the HIV-1 envelope and polymerase antigens. Absence of HIV pol antigen bands was associated with acute infection, p = 0.002. ResultsĪmong the 64 HIV infected pregnant women, 98.4% had pure HIV-1 infection and one woman (1.7%) had dual HIV-1/HIV-2 infections. Pearson Chi-square test was used to assess differences in lack of bands appearance with vertical transmission and lymphadenopathy. Student-t test was used to determine maternal differences in mean full blood counts and viral load of mothers with and those without HIV gag antigen bands. HIV type characterization was done in a cohort of infected pregnant women at 36 gestational weeks using WB test. Besides accurately predicting HIV infection, sequential appearance of specific bands of WB test offers a window of opportunity to develop a less subjective tool for monitoring disease progression. It is imperative to develop simple, affordable and non-subjective disease monitoring tools to complement clinical staging efforts of inexperienced health personnel currently manning most healthcare centres because of brain drain. Expensive CD4 count and viral load tests have failed the intended objective of enabling access to HIV therapy in poor resource settings. ![]()
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