Co-infection of Toxoplasma gondii with HBV in HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women in Burkina Faso

Toxoplasma gondii infections can induce serious complications in HIV-infected pregnant women, leading to miscarriage; favour the mother-to-child transmission of HBV and HIV and birth defects. The purposes of this study were: (1) to quantify IgM and IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in HIV-seropositive and seronegative pregnant women, (2) to identify hepatitis B antigens (HBsAg) in pregnant women and (3) to determine T. gondii and HBV co-infections among these patients. The study was conducted at Centre Medical Saint Camille, in Burkina Faso from January to June 2009. A total of 276 HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women were included. All women had less than 32 weeks of amenorrhoea and were aged from 19 to 42 years. Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and HBsAg were detected using ELISA method. In addition, women freely agreed to answer a questionnaire. The results of our investigations revealed that, among these pregnant women, 38.8% were illiterates, 50.4% were housewives and only 5.4% were civil servants. Positive T. gondii-specific IgM (4.7%) and IgG (27.2%) were detected. In this study, we found that HIV-seropositive status seem to be associated with great prevalence rates of both T. gondii (31.9 vs. 22.5%) and HBV (13.0 vs. 5.8%). The elevated co-infection rate in HIV-positive women suggested that they are exposed to T. gondii and HBV infections prevalently because of their immune depression. Therefore, to reduce the prevalence of T. gondii and HBV among HIV-seropositive pregnant women, lamivudine could be included in their HEART and women should follow healthy lifestyle formation.

Mother-to-child HIV and HHV-8 transmission in neonates at Saint Camille Medical Centre in Burkina Faso

In Sub-Saharan Africa, many HIV infected people are co-infected with Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV-8). Therefore, the present study aimed to: (1) identify the pregnant women co-infected by HIV and HHV-8 at Saint Camille Medical Centre; (2) use three molecules (Zidovudine, Nevirapine and Lamivudine) to interrupt the vertical transmission of HIV and (3) use the PCR technique to diagnose children, who were infected by these viruses, in order to offer them an early medical assistance. A total of 107 pregnant women, aged from 19 to 42 years were diagnosed to be HIV positive at Saint Camille Centre; among them 13 were co-infected with HHV-8. All included women received the HAART. Two to six months after childbirth their babies underwent PCR diagnosis for HIV and HHV-8. The results revealed that, among these mothers, 68.2% were housewives, 34.6% were illiterates and 60.7% did not have university degree. The prevalence of HHV-8 among these pregnant women was 12.15% and the rate of vertical transmission of both HIV and HHV-8, was 0.0%. The issue of this study revealed that the antiretroviral therapy increased the mother CD4 T-cells, prevented the transcription of the mRNA of HHV-8 and blocked HIV vertical transmission.