Seroprevalence of Human Cytomegalovirus and Rubella Virus Antibodies among Anti-retroviral Naive HIV Patients in Lagos

Background/Aims: Opportunistic infections such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Rubella virus that pose no threat to healthy individuals can be life threatening in those with impaired immune systems. The aim of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Rubella Immunoglobulin M and G (IgM and IgG) antibodies among anti-retroviral naive patients in Lagos.
Study Design: This is a cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) clinic in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) between April 2011 and May 2012.
Methodology: The study was carried out among 80 (28 males and 52 females) HIV infected adults attending the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) clinic in Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the patients were aged between 18 and 60 years. IgG and IgM assay were performed using ELISA reagents (produced by Biotec laboratories, United Kingdom). Also, CD4+ cell counts were evaluated. Pearson’s Chi-squared test was used for the analytic assessment.
Results: From our findings, twenty (25%) patients were positive for CMV IgM and sixty (75%) patients were positive for CMV IgG. Also, 59 (73.75%) patients were positive for Rubella IgG and only one (1.25%) patient was positive for rubella IgM. There was no significant statistical difference in seroprevalences of CMV-IgM, CMV- IgG, and rubella IgG with respect to sex, age, and CD4+ cell counts.
Conclusion: This study showed that the sero-prevalence of CMV and Rubella virus is high among anti-retroviral naive HIV patients in Lagos, Nigeria.