Cellular Immune Status and Inflammatory Markers in Herpes Simplex Virus Type-2 Sero-positive Pregnant Women

¹Department of Laboratory services, Lily hospitals Limited, Warri, Nigeria.

²Department of Microbiology, University of Benin. Benin City, PMB 1154, Nigeria.

^*Corresponding Author

Favour Osazuwa

Laboratory Services

Lily Hospitals Limited

Warri, Nigeria

Email: favour.newlife@gmail.com

Abstract

Objective: Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) causes genital ulcer disease and has been hypothesized to cause increase in inflammatory markers that contribute to atherogenic process. This study aimed to determine the cellular immune status and levels of systemic inflammatory markers in HSV-2 sero-positive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of Central Hospital, Warri, Nigeria. Method: This study included three hundred and sixteen (316) pregnant women. The sero-prevalence of Herpes simplex virus type-2 was determined using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay while levels of cellular immune status (CD₄⁺) and inflammation markers (C-reactive protein, total leukocyte count, total lymphocyte count, plasma viscosity) were determined using standard procedures. Result: The prevalence of HSV-2 was 192 (60.8%). Mean C-reactive protein and lymphocyte concentration were significantly higher in HSV-2 sero-positive subjects than in sero-negative counterpart (15.63 vs. 11.02, p< 0.001) and (41.90 vs. 33.71, p< 0.001) respectively, but CD₄⁺ count did not differ in both subject group ((1114.39 vs. 988.21, 95% C.I 55.493, 196.86, P=0.076). Also the levels of total white cell count and plasma viscosity were not significantly different in HSV-2 sero-positive and sero-negative subjects. Conclusion: Increased levels of C- reactive protein and total lymphocyte count were significantly associated with HSV-2 infection. Increased CRP levels are known to contribute to atherogenic process; its routine quantification in patients managed for herpes infection is however advised.

Keywords: HSV-2, Cellular immune status, CD₄⁺, C-reactive protein, Genital ulcer.

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