Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Treponema pallidum Infections in Mothers and their Babies at Delivery in Jos

Abstract

Two hundred serum samples were collected from mothers and babies at delivery and screened for both hwnan innnunodeficiency virus (lllV) and Treponema pallidum infections. The tests used are the Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (EllSA) and Western blot (WB) for HiV and'the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and the TreJxmema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA) test for T. pallidum. Of the 100 mothers screened 5 (5%) showed RPR positivity while 2 (2%) were TPHA positive. 2 (2%) of the babies were RPR seropositive but none w,as TPHA positive. Both of the RPR positive patients had no clinical signs and symptoms of the disease (syphilis). Five mothers were reacitve for Hlv while four of the babies belonging to such mothers were also reactive. Using the WB technique, 4 mothers had confirmed infection while 2 babies out of the 4 belonging to the WB positive mothers were also WB positive. However, one of the babies died before COlltiftnation was made. The results emphasise the need for medical workers to be cautious when handling patients in our hospitals and clinics. It also shows the need to screen all women attending antenatal clinics. Finally, the results show the need to step up the campaign against Hlv infection and other sexually transmitted diseases in Nigeria. There are at present no reliable statistics on the true prevalence of STDS in the developing countries of tropical Africa. In developed countries where reliable statistics are available, STDs Constitute a major social and medical problem. This was particularly so in the case of gonorrhoea, syphilis and now AIDS and mv infection. The same pattern can therefore be predicted for developing countries where facilities for correct diagnosis and treatment for these diseases are unfortunately inadequate. The general impression is that, the STDs have reached endemic proportions in urban areas of many countries of troprical Afn.ca Wlith imcreasm.g sprea d t0 rural areas' 3 4,5 mv and human papillomavirus infections and other newly identified STDs are already attracting much attention but there is also the added need to be vigilant to the serious sequelae of syphilis and other traditional venereal diseases especially in areas they have not been effectively policed. While a lot of research has been done on the prevalence of Hl V infection and syphilis wodd-wide, little has been done on mv and syphilis in mothers and their babies with a view to ascertaining the rate of vertical transmission especially in Africa and most especially Nigeria