Journal of Antivirals & Antiretrovirals
Open Access
ISSN: 1948-5964
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 1948-5964
+44 1300 500008
Ogbonnaya Ogbu, Eda O E, Onu N, Iroha C, Okolo M O and Ekuma U O
Ebonyi State University, Nigeria
Federal Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Kogi State University, Nigeria
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Antivir Antiretrovir
Immunological response of 140 HIV/AIDS patients who willingly after informed consent, accepted to participate in the study, included 100 HIV patients in Mile Four Hospital who were placed on HAART and 40 HIV patients who went for treatment at Herbal clinics at Izzi Local Government Area and were given herbal concoction. Blood specimens from the two groups were taken every four months (0 month (before medication started), then 4 months later, 8 months and 12 months. CD4+ cells and white blood cell counts (WBC) were determined with ABACUS 380 automated machine in accordance with manufacturer�s instructions. The findings from the investigations revealed that all the patients who religiously took HAART medication had steady CD4+ lymphocytes for 8 months before an increase of about 5 to 20 CD4+/mm3. It was also observed that patients with low CD4+ cell counts of 120 to 250 cells per mm3 had increase of 5 to 10 cells/mm3, whereas others with CD4+ cell counts of 300-500 cell/mm3 increased with 15- 20 CD4+ cells/mm3. For patients on herbal concoction, the decline of CD4+ cell count was noticed from the 4th month of medication. There was no significant difference in level of CD4+ cell counts decline of 10 to 15 cells per mm3 irrespective the level, before commencement of herbal medication. WBC increased with 0.3��109/l from unset till the end of the 12 months. The reverse was the case for patients who took herbal concoction. The decline was observed from the 4th month till the 12 month period. The findings are evidence that HAART with time can increase HIV/AIDS patients� CD4+ lymphocytes and white blood cells, thereby boosting immunity. Herbal concoction investigated in this study did increase patients� CD4+ lymphocytes and white blood cells.
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