Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) infection results in depletion of immune cells and micronutrients. Recently, HIV patients are treated with Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) with remarkable progress. This study was aimed at evaluating Cluster of Differentiation (CD4+ ) T-cells levels, viral load, serum Copper, Zinc and Selenium levels in HIV sero-positive subjects on ART and ART naïve subjects in Southern Nigeria with respect to age and gender.
Methods: 150 subjects aged 20 to 79 years were recruited after informed consent 70 subjects were HIV-positive on ART, 30 subjects were HIV-positive ART naïve, while 50 were apparently healthy subjects. Ten (10) milliliters of blood was collected from each subject for the analysis of CD4 T-cells using fluorescent activated cell sorter, serum Copper and Zinc were analyzed colorimetrically using semi auto-analyzer WP 21E, while selenium was analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Data generated were analyzed using Graph-Pad Prism version 8.0.2 and p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: CD4+ T-cells was significantly lower in HIV subjects, and administration of ART improved the count significantly (546.9 ± 277.7 cells/ml) when compared with HIV ART naïve (297.5±244.6 cells/ml) [p<0.001]. The viral load 2.93 ± 1.39 was significantly higher in the ART naïve when compared to the HIV positive on ART 0.33 ± 0.19 (p<0.0001.). Serum selenium levels in control subjects (0.47 ± 0.40 µmol/l) was significantly higher than in HIV positive subjects on ART (0.058 ± 0.07 µmol/l) which is also significantly higher than ART naïve subjects (0.006 ± 0.004 µmol/l).[p<0.001]. Serum copper was significantly higher (285.5 ± 85.70 µg/dl) in ART naïve subjects than the HIV positive subjects on ART (258.5 ± 65.68 µg/dl) and the control subjects (198.3 ±40.23 µg/dl) [p<0.001]. Female subjects on ART (577.5 ± 27.0cells/ml) has a significantly higher CD4 T-cell count than male subjects on ART (451.2 ± 28.4 cells/ml) (p,0.001) and age interval of ART medication did not significantly differ.
Conclusion: There is significant reduction in CD4+ T-cell count, with elevated viral load and alteration in serum trace elements levels in HIV infection, while ART treatment improves the condition.
