title: CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts in patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and healthy population in Jos, Nigeria.
abstract: This study was undertaken to establish local CD4+LC standards, which could be used as indicators of immune deficiency or monitor progress of HIV therapy, instead of relying on Caucasian standards, which may not exactly reflect Nigerian CD4+LC sub-populations. CD4+LC from 1232 Nigerian adults were studied. They included 852 apparently healthy individuals, 172 HIV-positive persons with no major AIDS defining illnesses (AIDSDIL) and 208 HIV infected individuals with AIDSDIL. The mean CD4+LC of healthy Nigerians (821 +/- 12) was more than two times higher than the mean CD4+LC of HIV-positive individuals without AIDSDIL (369 +/- 14) and almost five times higher than the mean of HIV-positive individuals with AIDSDIL (163 +/- 13) (p < 0.05). In addition, a CD4+LC of < 200 cells/uL can be considered as an AIDS defining laboratory criterion in Nigerians as the 208 individuals with AIDSDIL had a mean CD4+LC of 163 cells/uL. This study therefore establishes a local standard range for CD4+LC in healthy and HIV infected Nigerians which can serve as reliable indices for HIV induced immune impairment and for monitoring effectiveness of HIV therapy.
authors.affiliation: AIDS and Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Jos, P.M.B. 2084, Jos, Plateau State.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Njoku
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Sirisena
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Idoko
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jelpe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count / Q000592:standards*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria