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Biomedical subjects

A Tsegaye

Publications and source records attributed to A Tsegaye.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Determinants of CD4 counts among HIV-negative Ethiopians: role of body mass index, gender, cigarette smoking, khat (Catha Edulis) chewing, and possibly altitude?

To study the determinants of CD4% and CD4 counts among HIV-negative Ethiopians, and to identify factors susceptible to explain the low CD4 counts observed among Ethiopian subjects. Cohort studies among factory workers in Akaki and Wonji, Ethiopia. Clinical and laboratory examinations, including determination of HIV serological status and T-cell subsets, were performed during follow-up visits every six months. In addition, micronutrients (retinol, carotenoids, tocopherol, transferrin receptor, and selenium) plasma concentrations were determined in a subset of 38 HIV-positive and 121 HIV-negative participants. HIV-negative participants with at least one CD4 count measurement were 157 females in Akaki, 203 males in Akaki, and 712 males in Wonji. CD4 counts were independently and positively associated with body mass index (through an increase in lymphocyte counts), female gender (through an increase in CD4%), cigarette smoking (through an increase in CD4%), khat chewing (through an increase in both lymphocyte counts and CD4%), and Akaki study site (through a large increase in lymphocyte counts compensating a decrease in CD4%). Intestinal parasitic infections were not associated with CD4% or CD4 counts. Retinol, carotenoids, and alpha-tocopherol plasma concentrations decreased with HIV infection and advancing immunosuppression, but were not associated with CD4 counts among HIV-negative subjects. Low body mass index among Ethiopians may have contributed to their overall low CD4 counts. Other factors remain to be elucidated.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Role of incidental and/or cured intestinal parasitic infections on profile of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets and activation status in HIV-1 infected and uninfected adult Ethiopians.

Intestinal parasitic infections have been suggested to cause persistent immune activation leading to an unbalanced immune state. Such a state has been proposed to be a major factor in the pathogenesis of AIDS in an African context. The present study investigated the effect of incidental parasitic infection and treatment on the profile of T cell differentiation and activation markers on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from HIV-1 infected and uninfected adult Ethiopians. Cryopreserved PBMCs from 64 subjects (41 HIV-negative and 23 HIV-positive) with follow-up visits at 6-monthly intervals were used to compare the effect of incidental intestinal parasites and their treatment upon T cell subset profiles and activation status. The samples were stained with antibodies to various T cell differentiation and activation markers allowing naive, memory, effector, memory/effector, activated and resting CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets to be quantified by triple-colour FACScan. Incidental intestinal parasitic infections resulted in a significant increase in memory CD4+ T cell numbers both in HIV-negative and HIV-positive subjects (P < 0.05). There was also a significant increase in the percentage of CD8+ HLA-DR+ T cells (P < 0.05) in HIV-positive subjects co-infected with parasites. In HIV-negative subjects, a significant decline in activated cells and a significant increase in resting CD8+ T cells (P < 0.05) was observed after treatment for parasites. These data suggest that intestinal parasitic infections could result in the alteration of T cell subset counts and also in the up-regulation of T cell activation markers in peripheral blood. Treatment of parasitic infections showed a tendency to reduce the activation suggesting that, together with other community based intervention strategies, such treatment could be used to down-regulate immune activation and hence protect the host from being easily attacked by HIV.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Low incidence of syphilis among factory workers in Ethiopia: effect of an intervention based on education and counselling.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and incidence of syphilis infection were examined in a cohort study of factory workers in Ethiopia. METHOD: Between February 1997 and March 1999, 409 men and 348 women were enrolled and followed in the cohort study. RESULTS: The prevalence (95% CI) of past/current syphilis (positive TPPA serology) was 28.9% (25.7% to 32.3%), and factors associated with past/current syphilis were markers of risky sexual behaviours including HIV infection. In this cohort of factory workers subject to public information/education meetings, testing for HIV antibodies, and individual counselling, the incidence (97.5% one sided CI) of new syphilis infections was 0/691 = 0 (0 to 0.5) per 100 person years. CONCLUSION: This study has documented a reduction in risky sexual behaviours and a low syphilis incidence among factory workers participating in a cohort study on HIV infection progression in Addis Ababa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Factors associated with HIV-1 infection among sex workers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence and risk factors for HIV infection among sex workers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cross-sectional survey on socio-demographic characteristics, behaviours, and HIV serological status of sex workers attending two health centres of Addis Ababa. RESULTS: HIV prevalence among sex workers was 274 of 372 (73.7%). Several factors were significantly associated with an increased risk of being HIV-infected [among others, working in 'shared rooms', high number of clients, use of injectable hormones, and positive Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) serology], and others with a decreased risk (being born in Addis Ababa, high level of education, peer education on sex work, condom use, use of oral pill, and use of condoms for contraception). Of interest, sex workers who were using condoms for contraception were, compared with others, more likely to use condoms consistently (65 versus 24%, respectively; P < 0.001), and less likely to be HIV-infected (55 versus 86%, respectively; P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis [log-binomial model, giving estimates of the prevalence ratio (PR)], being born in Addis Ababa (PR = 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.61-0.91), using condoms for contraception (PR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.64-0.85), and a positive TPPA serology (PR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.09-1.36), remained significantly associated with HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: HIV prevalence was remarkably high among sex workers of Addis Ababa. Condom use was higher, and HIV prevalence lower, in sex workers using condoms not only for prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, but also for contraceptive purpose. This finding is of particular interest for its implications for prevention strategies among sex workers in the developing world.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Distribution of lymphocyte subsets in healthy human immunodeficiency virus-negative adult Ethiopians from two geographic locales.

Immunological values for 562 factory workers from Wonji, Ethiopia, a sugar estate 114 km southeast of the capital city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were compared to values for 218 subjects from Akaki, Ethiopia, a suburb of Addis Ababa, for whom partial data were previously published. The following markers were measured: lymphocytes, T cells, B cells, NK cells, CD4(+) T cells, and CD8(+) T cells. A more in depth comparison was also made between Akaki and Wonji subjects. For this purpose, various differentiation and activation marker (CD45RA, CD27, HLA-DR, and CD38) expressions on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were studied in 60 male, human immunodeficiency virus-negative subjects (30 from each site). Data were also compared with Dutch blood donor control values. The results confirmed that Ethiopians have significantly decreased CD4(+) T-cell counts and highly activated immune status, independent of the geographic locale studied. They also showed that male subjects from Akaki have significantly higher CD8(+) T-cell counts, resulting in a proportional increase in each of the CD8(+) T-cell compartments studied: naïve (CD45RA(+)CD27(+)), memory (CD45RA(-)CD27(+)), cytotoxic effector (CD45RA(+)CD27(-)), memory/effector (CD45RA(-)CD27(-)), activated (HLA-DR(+)CD38(+)), and resting (HLA-DR(-)CD38(-)). No expansion of a specific functional subset was observed. Endemic infection or higher immune activation is thus not a likely cause of the higher CD8 counts in the Akaki subjects. The data confirm and extend earlier observations and suggest that, although most lymphocyte subsets are comparable between the two geographical locales, there are also differences. Thus, care should be taken in extrapolating immunological reference values from one population group to another.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Increased cell division but not thymic dysfunction rapidly affects the T-cell receptor excision circle content of the naive T cell population in HIV-1 infection.

Recent thymic emigrants can be identified by T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) formed during T-cell receptor rearrangement. Decreasing numbers of TRECs have been observed with aging and in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infected individuals, suggesting thymic impairment. Here, we show that in healthy individuals, declining thymic output will affect the TREC content only when accompanied by naive T-cell division. The rapid decline in TRECs observed during HIV-1 infection and the increase following HAART are better explained not by thymic impairment, but by changes in peripheral T-cell division rates. Our data indicate that TREC content in healthy individuals is only indirectly related to thymic output, and in HIV-1 infection is mainly affected by immune activation.

Anti-HIV Agents↗
PubMed1999

Sexual behaviours, perception of risk of HIV infection, and factors associated with attending HIV post-test counselling in Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: To describe sexual behaviours, perception of risk of HIV infection, and factors associated with attending HIV post-test counselling (PTC) among Ethiopian adults. METHODS: Data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of HIV infection, sexual history, medical examination, and HIV and syphilis serological status were compared, through uni- and multivariate analysis, in relation to attending PTC within 60 days of HIV testing. RESULTS: Between February 1997 and June 1998, 751 factory workers were enrolled in a cohort study of HIV infection progression. Despite reporting high-risk sexual behaviours, mainly for males (64% of males and 6% of females had more than five sexual partners in their lifetime, 16% of males and 2% of females reported having had recent casual partners), and knowing that HIV is commonly transmitted heterosexually in Ethiopia (97% of answers being correct, both genders combined), only 17% of males and 2% of females acknowledged having had activities which had put them at risk of HIV infection. HIV prevalence was 12%, and did not differ by gender. Of all study participants, 327 (43.5%) returned for PTC within 60 days of HIV testing. PTC attendance did not differ by age, gender, or HIV serological status. Factors independently associated with PTC attendance in males were: good knowledge of HIV infection, [odds ratio (OR) = 1.661, belief that medical follow-up improves the course of HIV infection (OR = 2.02), history of genital symptoms (OR = 2.83), positive syphilis serology (OR = 2.62), recent weight loss (OR = 1.89), and, with a negative association, being a manual worker (OR = 0.40), and history of recent casual sexual relationships (OR = 0.35). In women, belief that HIV/AIDS can be cured (OR = 3.16), never having been married (OR = 5.02), having five or less children (OR = 2.16), having been raped (OR = 3.42), and having used health facilities in the past year (OR = 1.73) were all positively and independently associated with PTC attendance. CONCLUSION: Study participants reported high-risk sexual behaviours, yet had a low perception of individual risk. Men attended for PTC because of their knowledge of HIV infection, their past sexual history or their current health status. Women attended for PTC because of their plans for the future, marriage and/or children, rather than their past sexual exposure. Only in cases of rape were they willing to learn of their HIV status.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1999

Immunohematological reference ranges for adult Ethiopians.

A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 485 healthy working adult Ethiopians who are participating in a cohort study on the progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection to establish hematological reference ranges for adult HIV-negative Ethiopians. In addition, enumeration of absolute numbers and percentages of leukocyte subsets was performed for 142 randomly selected HIV-negative individuals. Immunological results were compared to those of 1,356 healthy HIV-negative Dutch blood donor controls. Immunohematological mean values, medians, and 95th percentile reference ranges were established. Mean values were as follows: leukocyte (WBC) counts, 6.1 x 10(9)/liter (both genders); erythrocyte counts, 5.1 x 10(12)/liter (males) and 4.5 x 10(12)/liter (females); hemoglobin, 16.1 (male) and 14.3 (female) g/dl; hematocrit, 48.3% (male) and 42.0% (female); platelets, 205 x 10(9)/liter (both genders); monocytes, 343/microl; granulocytes, 3, 057/microl; lymphocytes, 1,857/microl; CD4 T cells, 775/microl; CD8 T cells, 747/microl; CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio, 1.2; T cells, 1, 555/microl; B cells, 191/microl; and NK cells, 250/microl. The major conclusions follow. (i) The WBC and platelet values of healthy HIV-negative Ethiopians are lower than the adopted reference values of Ethiopia. (ii) The absolute CD4 T-cell counts of healthy HIV-negative Ethiopians are considerably lower than those of the Dutch controls, while the opposite is true for the absolute CD8 T-cell counts. This results in a significantly reduced CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio for healthy Ethiopians, compared to the ratio for Dutch controls.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Effectiveness of milk products in dietary management of lactose malabsorption.

Eleven lactose malabsorbers were studied to compare the effectiveness of commercially available products recommended for dietary treatment of lactose malabsorption. One product, a commercial lactase preparation, is added to milk for lactose hydrolysis before consumption. The other is a commercial milk product containing lactose-hydrolyzing, nonpathogenic bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus. Both of these products are presently recommended for management of lactose malabsorption, although such recommendations have not been validated by controlled studies. Lactose malabsorption was determined by breath H2 analyses after subjects drank four different test doses on 4 different days. The first test dose was 480 ml of low fat milk; the second was 480 ml of milk treated with a commercial lactase preparation; the third was 480 ml of a commercial L. acidophilus-containing milk; and the fourth was 480 ml of the L. acidophilus-containing milk after 1 wk of gastrointestinal exposure to this commercial bacteria-containing milk. The mean breath H2 response to the lactase-treated milk was significantly lower (p less than 0.001) than the mean response to regular milk. However, the mean breath H2 response to either of the test doses of the L. acidophilus-containing milk were not significantly different than responses to regular milk. It is concluded that the lactase-treated milk reduces breath H2 responses and symptomatic discomfort from malabsorption while the L. acidophilus-containing milk does not.

Adult↗