Objective: To determine immunoglobulin levels in HIV-1 seronegative and HIV-1 seropositive children at different clinical stages of HIV infection.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Lugalo and Mwanayamala mother and child clinics in Dar es Salaam.
Subjects: Two hundred and ninety-nine children aged 18 months to five years.
Main outcome measures: Estimation of immunoglobulin classes (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE).
Results: Mean serum levels of all immunoglobulin classes were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) among the HIV-1 seropositive children (IgG = 22.9 g/l, IgA = 2.2 g/l, IgM 2.7 g/l, IgD 101.5 IU/ml and IgE 887.7 IU/ml) than among the HIV-1 seronegative children (IgG = 11.3 g/l, IgA = 1.0 g/l, IgM = 1.5 g/l, IgD = 27.8 UI/ml and IgE 341.3 UI/ml). The percentages of HIV-infected children with immunoglobulin concentrations above mean level were 83% for IgG, 77% for IgA, 78% for IgM, 73% for IgD and 78% for IgE.
Conclusion: HIV seropositive children have higher levels of immunoglobulin than seronegative children. There was no correlation between the levels of immunoglobulin classes and CDC clinical staging.
PIP: This cross-sectional analysis examined serum levels of the 5 immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes in HIV-1 seronegative and HIV-1 seropositive children at different clinical stages of HIV infection in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The study employed 299 children between 18 months and 5 years of age attending the mother and child health clinics at Lugalo and Mwanayamala. Blood samples from 150 HIV-1 seropositive (75 males and 75 females) and 149 HIV-1 seronegative (82 males and 67 females) were collected and examined via Ig assay and HIV serology. Results revealed that the mean serum Ig levels were higher (p 0.0001) among HIV-1 seropositive children (IgG = 22.9 g/l, IgA = 2.2 g/l, IgM = 2.7 g/l, IgD = 101.5 IU/ml, IgE = 887.7 IU/ml) than among HIV-1 seronegative children (IgG = 11.3 g/l, IgA = 1.0 g/l, IgM = 1.5 g/l, IgD = 27.8 IU/ml, IgE = 341.3 IU/ml). The percentage of Ig concentrations were significantly higher in the HIV-1 seropositive than in the HIV-1 seronegative children (83% for IgG, 77% for IgA, 78% for IgM, 73% for IgD, and 78% for IgE). In conclusion, this study confirms the increase in serum Ig levels in HIV-1 seropositive children and the insignificant correlation between high Ig levels and US Centers for Disease Control clinical staging.