PREVALENCE OF PLASMODIUM SPECIES AND CO-INFECTION WITH EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS AMONG SELECTED PATIENTS ATTENDING ABUTH, ZARIA-NIGERIA
PREVALENCE OF PLASMODIUM SPECIES AND CO-INFECTION WITH EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS AMONG SELECTED PATIENTS ATTENDING ABUTH, ZARIA-NIGERIA
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Date
2017-02
Authors
MOMOH, Sati Joseph
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Abstract
Coinfection between Plasmodium species and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been linked to many EBV-related cancers, especially in regions where malaria is endemic. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Plasmodiumspeciesand co-infection with EBV among selected patients attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria-Nigeria. While microscopy was used in the detection and quantification of Plasmodium species, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the detection of IgG antibodies to EBVNA-1 and quantification of the selected patients‘ immune status ratio (ISR) to EBVNA-1. A total of 279 patients were enrolled in this study, out of which 44.8% (125/279) were male and 55.2% (154/279) were female. Based on their clinical presentations, the selected patients, were separated into three study groups-Febrile (58.8%:164/279), Cancer(27.2%:76/279) and the Sickle-cell group(14.0%:39/279). The only Plasmodium species found among the study population was P. falciparum with a prevalence of 63.4%. The highest prevalence of falciparum malaria was found among the cancer group(89.5%: 68/76) while the least was found among the febrile group(48.2%: 79/164). The female patients had higher falciparum parasitaemia (67.5%: 104/154) compared to their male counterparts (58.4%: 73/125). Malaria infection was highest among the 61-70age-group (100%; 4/4) and least was among the 21-30 age-group (52.8%; 28/53) (P<0.05). Also, a higher parasitaemia was found among the divorced (83.3%: 5/6) compared to the married (54.6%: 89/163) (P>0.05). Those who had tertiary education had lowerfalciparum malaria (41.2%: 39/94) compared to those who have had only primary education (87.5%: 56/64)(P<0.05). All the patients had IgG antibodies to EBVNA-1. However, the highest ISRwas found among cancer patientswho also had malaria(1.34; 68/76) while the least ISR was found among malaria-negative febrile patients (0.59; 85/164) (P<0.05; OR=7.08). Sixty-three point four percent (63.4%) of the study population were co-infected with EBV and P. falciparum. Thefactorsfound in this study to predispose to EBV-related cancers wereexposure to X-rays (59.86%: 167/279)(P<0.05) and a family history of cancer (15.4%; 43/279)(P<0.05). There was no significant statistical association between genotype and blood group of study patientsand infection withP. falciparum malaria (P>0.05). Malaria is still endemic in Zariaand P. falciparumis the most prevalent species (63.4%). More research still needs to be done in the ongoing fight to roll back malaria, especially asfalciparummalaria in co-infection with EBV has been shown to increase ISR levels, a risk factor for EBV-related cancers.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER DEGREE IN MICROBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY, FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
Keywords
PREVALENCE OF PLASMODIUM, SPECIES AND CO-INFECTION, EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS, SELECTED PATIENTS ATTENDING ABUTH, PREVALENCE, PLASMODIUM SPECIES, CO-INFECTION, EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS