Evaluation of tetanus antibody protection among HIV-infected patients in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Introduction: Development of vaccine-mediated immunity in general population remains crucial in the fight against epidemics.This concept enabled successful eradication of diseases, such as smallpox and other infections of public health importance.The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of immunity against tetanus in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals, and explore the relationship between antibody levels and CD4+ T cell counts. Material and methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.Sixty people living with HIV (PLHIV) participated in the study.Clinical and laboratory data, including CD4+ count and tetanus antibodies, were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results:The average age of PLHIV enrolled in the study was 40.63 6.15 years, and 88.3% were females.Tetanus antibodies were high among the participants, with 55.5% of them exhibiting high levels.Onehalf of the study cohort with CD4+ greater than 200 cells/ml had moderate (range, 0.1-1.0IU/ml) levels of tetanus antibodies, while the other half had high (range, 1.0-5.0IU/ml) levels.With CD4+ counts below 200 cells/ml, 75% of PLHIV showed high level of tetanus antibodies. Conclusions:The course of HIV adversely affects humoral immunity, and may impede the progress made in eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases.The study suggests that increasing access to antiretroviral therapy improves PLHIV protection and prevents disruption of host immunity.Intensive case HIV finding, integration of vaccination, and HIV supporting programs will consolidate vaccinemediated immunity.