Plasmodium and HIV infections among pregnant women in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria
Keyword : Keywords: Malaria, HIV, Pregnancy.
Author(s) : Nweke1, B.U., Ekwunife2, A.C., Nweke3, R.N And Elomba4, C Chidozie
Abstract : ABSTRACT Plasmodium and Human Immunodeficiency virus infections were studied among pregnant women in Awka South Local Government of Anambra State. Venous blood samples for the study were routinely collected from 300 hundred pregnant women randomly selected from Awka, Mbaukwu and Isiagu communities between March and August, 2015. Blood films prepared from each sample on glass slides was stained with Giemsa for Plasmodium detection with microscopy and for HIV screening. Forty-four (14.7%) of the women were positive for Plasmodium, 9 (3%) for HIV while 3 (1%) had Plasmodium-HIV co-infection. Age group 35-39 years had the highest prevalence of both HIV and Plasmodium infections. Primigravidae had the highest prevalence of Plasmodium infection (17.2%) while multigravidae had the highest prevalence of HIV infection (4.8%). Those in first trimester had the most prevalence of both Plasmodium (29.0%) and HIV (4.0%) infections. Plasmodium parasitaemia was most prevalent at the rural sites (19.5%) while HIV prevalence was more at the urban sites (7.0%). Malaria and HIV infection in pregnancy as demonstrated in this study could contribute to the burden of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the study area. Government should not relent her efforts towards reduction and control of malaria and HIV infections during pregnancy.