Leucocyte phagocytic activity of treatment-naïve HIV positive patients in Umuahia, Nigeria.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine white cell phagocytic activity in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Methods: One hundred HIV-positive patients were enrolled in this study while fifty apparently healthy seronegative individuals served as controls. The haemoglobin estimation, haematocrit, total white blood cell count (TWBC count), platelet count were analysed using conventional manual methods, the TWBC was repeated after incubation with carbonyl iron powder at 37oC to determine the phagocyte count, while CD4 count was analysed using Partec Cyflow counter. Results: The TWBC count of the test group before incubation with carbonyl iron powder (CIP) was 4839 ± 1686 (/mm3) while after incubation with CIP was 4451 ± 1657 (/mm3). The TWBC count of the control group before incubation with carbonyl iron powder (CIP) was 6096 ± 2196 (/mm3) while after incubation with CIP was 4074 ± 1745 (/mm3). The phagocyte count of test and control groups were 388±29 and 2022±451, with later being significantly higher than the former (p=0.001). Significant differences were observed in neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit and platelet count of the control 45 ±7.2 (%), 3 ± 1.2 (%), 4 ± 1.4 (%), 41 ± 12 (%),12 (g/dl), 38 ± 4 (%), 211 ±14 (x 109/L); when compared with the test 20.7 ± 11.0 (%), 1 ± 1.4 (%), 2 ± 1.7 (%), 28 ± 10(%), 9.2 (g/dl), 27 ± 09 (%), 90± 17 (x 109/L) (p<0.05). There was equally a significant difference in the value of CD4 count of the controls 864 ± 266 cells/µL when compared with the test 420 ± 203 cells/ µL at p ‹ 0.05. Conclusion: The CD4 and phagocyte counts have a positive correlation with TWBC. All patients living with HIV should have their immune status monitored regularly to forestall inability of the system to perform phagocytosis.