LEVELS OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND TOTAL PROTEIN IN MALARIA AND HIV CO INFECTED PREGNANT WOMEN, ATTENDING THE ANTENATAL CLINIC OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI, SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA.

Abstract

 The goal of the study was to quantify the levels of C reactive protein and protein in pregnant HIV-positive malaria-infected women. Pregnant women in HIV stages 1 and 2 who were 18 to 40 (36.98 + 5.49) years old participated in the study. The participant groups consisted of 80 HIV-positive pregnant women with 40 co-infected with malaria and 80 HIV-negative pregnant women with 40 co-infected with malaria. Blood samples were obtained from participants for the thick and thin film methods of counting and identifying malaria parasites and the immunochromatographic method of determining HIV status. The total protein content of the serum was determined using the Biuret method, and the violetcoloured solution that was produced was measured spectrophotometrically at 540 nm. The Enzyme linked Immunosorbent assay using the Human CRP kit method was employed to measure the level of CRP in the participants’ blood sample and the developed yellow coloured solution read at 450 nm using a spectrophotometer. In all cases, there was a statistically significant difference in protein and CRP levels between the HIV seropositive group with malaria infection (p<0.05) and HIV seropositive group without malaria infection. The mean protein and CRP level of HIV-positive pregnant women who have malaria infection was statistically lower than that of HIV-positive pregnant women who do not have malaria but statistically higher than those of HIV-negative pregnant women with and without malaria infection. The study suggests that pregnant HIV-positive women do experience a heightened increase in protein and CRP levels majorly due to HIV. However, malaria infection also contributes to the level of increase seen in these parameters in pregnant women with the coinfection.