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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
The Impact of Asymptomatic Helminth Co-Infection in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Tuberculosis in North-West Ethiopia
PLoS ONE, Volume 7, No. 8, Article e42901, Year 2012
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Description
Background: Areas endemic of helminth infection, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are to a large extent overlapping. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of asymptomatic helminth infection on the immunological response among TB patients with and without HIV, their house hold contacts and community controls. Methodology: Consecutive smear positive TB patients (n = 112), their household contacts (n = 71) and community controls (n = 112) were recruited in Gondar town, Ethiopia. Stool microscopy, HIV serology, serum IgE level, eosinophil and CD4 counts were performed and tuberculosis patients were followed up for 3 months after initiation of anti-TB treatment. Results: Helminth co-infection rate was 29% in TB patients and 21% in both community control and household contacts (p = 0.3) where Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent parasite. In TB patients the seroprevalence of HIV was 47% (53/112). Eosinophilia and elevated IgE level were significantly associated with asymptomatic helminth infection. During TB treatment, the worm infection rate of HIV+/TB patients declined from 31% (10/32) at week 0 to 9% (3/32) at week 2 of TB treatment, whereas HIV-/TB patients showed no change from baseline to week 2, 29% (13/45) vs. 22.2% (10/45). This trend was stable at week 8 and 12 as well. Conclusion: One third of smear positive TB patients were infected with helminths. Eosinophilia and elevated IgE level correlated with asymptomatic worm infection, indicating an effect on host immunity. The rate of worm infection declined during TB treatment in HIV+/TB co-infected patients whereas no decline was seen in HIV-/TB group. © 2012 Abate et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Abate, Ebba
Ethiopia, Gondar
University of Gondar
Sweden, Linkoping
Linköpings Universitet
Belayneh, Meseret
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
School of Medicine
Gelaw, Aschalew
Ethiopia, Gondar
University of Gondar
Idh, Jonna
Sweden, Linkoping
Linköpings Universitet
Getachew, Assefa
Ethiopia, Gondar
University of Gondar
Alemu, Shitaye
Ethiopia, Gondar
University of Gondar
Diro, Ermias
Ethiopia, Gondar
University of Gondar
Fikre, Nigussu
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
School of Medicine
Britton, Sven F.F.
Sweden, Stockholm
Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset
Elias, Daniel
Denmark, Odense
Syddansk Universitet
Aseffa, Abraham
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
Armauer Hansen Research Institute
Stendahl, Olle I.
Sweden, Linkoping
Linköpings Universitet
Schön, Thomas
Sweden, Linkoping
Linköpings Universitet
Sweden, Kalmar
Kalmar County Hospital
Statistics
Citations: 60
Authors: 13
Affiliations: 7
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0042901
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Study Locations
Ethiopia