title: A study on the association between parvovirus B19 infection, serum tumour necrosis factor and C-reactive protein levels among Nigerian patients with sickle cell anaemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microbial burden involving parvovirus B19 infection has been recognised as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients. Given the recent reports of parvovirus B19 infection in Nigeria and the role of inflammation in sickle cell crisis, knowledge of the relationship between the two may be essential for deploying appropriate interventions in infected patients. This study determined the serum levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as inflammatory markers in Nigerian SCA patients with and without parvovirus B19 infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 64 SCA patients aged 5-25 years and 41 age-matched apparently healthy volunteers with haemoglobin genotypes AA or AS were enrolled with consent into the study. Parvovirus B19 infection and serum levels of TNF-α and CRP were determined by the ELISA method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence rate of parvovirus B19 infection in the study subjects was 13.3%. This rate further showed gender variation and negative correlation with age. Significant (p < 0.05) increases in serum CRP and TNF-α levels, with further elevation in unsteady state SCA patients, were observed in comparison with the control. Unlike the control, 29.6% and 21.9% of the SCA patients elicited TNF-α and CRP above threshold levels, respectively. Parvovirus B19 infection was found to elicit greater increases in these inflammatory markers than in infected non-SCA controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that parvovirus B19 infection is common in this environment, and that serum TNF-α and CRP are predictors of clinical inflammatory episodes in infected SCA patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria. bamwal@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Bamidele Abiodun
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Iwalokun
authors.forename: Senapon Olusola
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Iwalokun
authors.forename: Semande Olufunmilayo
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Hodonu
authors.forename: Olugbenga Ayoola
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Aina
authors.forename: Sunday
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omilabu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood*; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein