African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-004, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring Biochemical Markers in HIV-Infected Individuals with Lipodystrophic Symptoms

AI Shugaba^1, CB Uzokwe^1, AM Rabiu^2, F Shinku^1, IM Gambo^2, MB Mohammed¹ and VO Onwuliri³

¹Department of anatomy, faculty of medical sciences Universty of    Jos, Nigeria.
²Department of physiology, faculty of medical sciences Universty of Jos, Nigeria.
³Ministry of foreign affairs, Abuja, Nigeria.

Accepted 03 September, 2024

Abstract

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which was first reported in the United States in 1981 has the potential to cause catastrophic medical and social effect because of its Immunosuppressive effect (Sabatier, 1987; Abimuku et al., 1995; Blattner, 1991; National STD, AIDS Control 1992). Lipodystrophy is a defective fat metabolism of Lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy experienced by HIV patients on Anti-Retroviral therapy (ARV) (Grunfeld, 2001). The aim of this study was to determine the Lipid profile, total protein and glucose concentration in 14 HIV patients on ARV with Lipodystrophy. 28 HIV patients were recruited randomly in the outpatient clinic of the infectious disease unit of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), their blood samples collected, centrifuged and analyzed. The lipid profile, albumin and bilirubin were increased while glucose and total protein concentration were decreased in patients with Lipodystrophy. 62.8% of females and 37.2% of males, and 59% of married victims and 41% of singles were affected. 47.8% attended tertiary institution, 31.2% of secondary schools and 21% primary school level. Patients with Lipodystrophy were on ARV treatment for a period of 17 – 24 months while those without Lipodystrophy were on ARV for a period of 8 – 12 months. This study showed increase in the mean concentrations of HDL-Cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin and bilirubin and decrease in the mean concentration of glucose and total protein in patients with Lipodystrophy.

Keywords: HIV patient, ARV, Lipodystrophy.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Economic Consequences of HIV/AIDS on Patients at a Southern Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Ofonime Effiong Johnson

Department of community health, university of Uyo teaching hospital, Uyo, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected]; Phone Number: 2348023062991

Accepted 13 November, 2024

Abstract

This study was carried out among clients attending clinic in a teaching hospital in Uyo, southern Nigeria in 2005. The objective was to determine some of the financial implications of living with HIV/AIDS. This was a descriptive study. Data was collected using a structured, interviewer- administered questionnaire and was subsequently analysed using Epi 6 software. A total of 331 respondents participated in the study, with a male: female ratio of 1:1.The age distribution was 15-69 years. Up to 46.6% of respondents were married, with about 11% having more than 4 children. Though the respondents cut across all income groups, 44.7% either had no income or earned less than 5, 000 naira monthly. This could not support their laboratory investigations and treatment. Financial support was available to only 37.8% of them and was higher among those who disclosed their status to many people. Most of the support (80.8%) was from family members. Up to 60.7% of respondents had either borrowed money or sold assets and 56.9% could not afford quality food as before. Further studies will help determine the current trend of the financial impact of living with HIV/AIDS among clients attending clinic in this part of Nigeria.

Keywords: Assets, financial support, household members, income, borrow.
 

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-010, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Awareness, knowledge and attitude of epidemiological spread of HIV/AIDS among senior secondary school students in Gombe State, Nigeria
    
Dauda, Rifkatu Samaila¹  Dr. Arul Jayanthi²  Dr. Pauline J. S.  Doka³   Japhet Y. Galaboyi⁴   Prof. Henrieta A. Okedo⁵  Dr. Ndikom, Chizoma Millecent⁶ Amina Abdulsalam⁷  Dauda Damaris Samaila⁸  Dr. Pauline Atser⁹  Maimunat Abubakar¹⁰  Lynda Dandaso¹¹  Zainab Usman Isa¹² Rahila S Madaki¹³  Eleanor Mustapha¹⁴   Maimuna Umar¹⁵  Jemuel Victoria Banas¹⁶  Musa Abubakar¹⁷  Mohammed Musa¹⁸

^{1,3, 4, 8, 11, 12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18}College of Nursing sciences Gombe State, ²Senior Lecturer Central University of Nicaragua, Central America, ⁵Department of Nursing, Tansian University, Umunya, Anambara state, ⁶Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, ⁷College of Nursing sciences, UITH Ilorin, ⁹Department of Nursing, Benue State University, ¹⁰Department of Nursing, ATBUTH Bauchi state.

Abstract

Received 1 June, 2024; Accepted 1 July, 2024; Published 13 August, 2024

Adolescence is a period of vulnerability characterized by the onset of multiple risky behaviors, which can lead to an increased risk of engaging in unprotected and multiple sexual experiences. Young people today have access to more sources of information that can improve their knowledge about HIV; however, youth need this information to make responsible choices concerning their sexual behavior. Furthermore, attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS are expected to influence individuals’ sexual behaviors. Thus, this study seeks to determine the knowledge and attitudes of students regarding the epidemiological spread of HIV. Data was collected from 100 students via questionnaires. Results from the hypotheses tested reveal: (i) It was analyzed that there was no significant relationship between students’ knowledge and their attitude towards HIV/AIDS (T-value = 0.446; df = 99, p > 0.05). Therefore, null hypothesis 1 is not rejected. (ii) It was analyzed that there is a significant relationship between misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and preventive methods (T-value = 0.346; df = 99, p < 0.05). Consequently, null hypothesis 2 is rejected. However, the study established that students’ level of misconception about HIV was high. Hence, there is a need for planning programs that focus on strengthening stakeholders to promote HIV counseling and campaigns, especially in schools. 

Key words: Awareness, knowledge, attitude, epidemiology, HIV, AIDS, secondary, student.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring the Landscape of HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention in Bangladesh: Analysis of Data from the 2007 Demographic and Health Survey

Prosannajid Sarkar

Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +880-721- 750041 - 49/4121, +880-1718154367. Fax: +880-721-750064.

Accepted 27 May, 2024

Abstract

There is no way to get rid of the unbearable sufferings from this killer disease, HIV/AIDS: prevention is the only solution to get rid of it. Increasing knowledge of respondents about the long term effects of this disease is the principal objectives of reproductive health programs recently being carried out in the world. This study gives an idea about this type of health problem. This study is mainly based on secondary data. The study reveals that currently married women (71%) have heard more of HIV/AIDS than formerly married women (about 57%), and that TV is the most dominant source for getting information about HIV/AIDS. In this study, it is also proved that avoiding unsafe blood transfusion is one of the best possible ways of preventing HIV/AIDS. Almost all the variables of contingency analysis are significantly associated (highest significant) with HIV/AIDS. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that currently married women are more likely to use knowledge about HIV/AIDS than formerly married women.

Key words: HIV/AIDS, currently married, formerly married, logistic regression analysis, Bangladesh.
 

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Predicting Drug Targets in Mycobacterium leprae Using Genomic In-silico Analysis

Asad Amir¹, Asif Siddiqui¹, Anjali Malik1, Neeraj²*, Garima Dua¹, Garima Rastogi¹, Gayatri Sharma¹, Richa Goel¹ and Singhal Gauvav².

¹Department of Biotechnology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Indian.
²Scientific and Applied Research Center, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Indian.

Accepted 19 April, 2024

Abstract

Mycobacterium leprae is the causative agent of the disease, leprosy. In-silico analysis can be performed on M. leprae genome to find out the potential drug targets. This was done first by database search to find the recorded complete genes with complete sequences of M. leprae and then their comparative study with human by using homology searching using human BLAST. From a total of 1605 genes, potential drug targets have been identified.

Key words: Mycobacterium leprae Genome, BLAST, NCBI, drug target.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 12 (8), pp. 001-010, August, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Patient Selection Criteria for Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda: Insights from a Qualitative Study

Lydia Kapiriri¹*, Neema Sofaer², Lynn M. Atuyambe³, Erasmus Otolok-Tanga³ and Ole Frithjof Norheim⁴

¹Department of Health Aging and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L8.
²Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.
³Makerere University School of Public Health, Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Uganda.

⁴Division for Medical Ethics, Institute of Public Health and the Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Norway.

Accepted 16 March, 2024

Abstract

Limited resources in low income countries still prevent HIV patients from accessing treatment and necessitate the rationing of anti retroviral therapy. This paper aims to describe the criteria used in actual patient selection so as to develop evidence based recommendations for improving fairness in patient selection in Uganda and similar contexts. Qualitative interviews (n = 37) from six AIDS treatment units in Uganda; review of policy and clinic documents; and group discussions (n = 47) people living with AIDS. Practitioners identified both medical criteria (need, CD4 count, WHO staging, Absence of severe co-infections, patient readiness, and ART naivety) and social criteria (economic status, social support, treatment buddy, disclosure, duration with organization, distance, alcohol consumption, relatives of clients on ART, first-in- first- out, vulnerability and activism). There was congruence around the medical criteria across institutions and the national guidelines; and variations around the social criteria. The variations around the social criteria necessitate more explicit debate. Commonly used and accepted criteria could be considered for explicit inclusion in the national guidelines. Disputed criteria should be debated to identify an acceptable set of criteria for ART rationing. These criteria should be publicized to facilitate on-going revisions, ensure consistency, and contribute to fair patient selection.

Key words: HIV/AIDS, anti-retroviral treatment, Uganda, rationing, criteria.