Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) infections are two human dilapidatory illnesses globally, but more worrisome is how to diagnose them and monitor disease progression in patients effectively. This study determines the reliability, sensitivity and affordability of the Flow cytometer in counting immune cells. It will enhance the effective diagnosis, monitoring of therapy and disease progression in HIV-infected patients with MTb co-infection in Port Harcourt. A total of 88 individuals (42 males and 46 females) were studied in three groups (healthy =13, HIV-infected =67 and HIV/MTb co-infected=8). The mean age of the patients is 33.5+10.2 (range is 18-52). CD4 cells were highest in healthy subjects (820 cells/ul) and lowest in HIV/MTb co-infected patients (220 cells/ul). CD8 cells count was highest in HIV-infected patients (1020 cells/ul) and lowest in healthy subjects (440 cells/ul). In the HIV-infected group, the CD4 cells count for the treatment-naive patients is the highest (490 cells/ul) and those on treatment lowest (280 cells/ul), while the CD8 cells count in the men-having-sex-with-men (MSM) subgroup is the highest (1260 cells/ul) and those undergoing treatment lowest (940 cells/ul). The CD4:CD8 is 4:1 for healthy, 1:4 for HIV/MTb co-infected and 1:2 for HIV only infected participants respectively. There is a general increase in CD4 cells count for every decrease in CD8 cells count and vice versa. The Flow cytometer, being a useful immunologic diagnostic tool with distinct features and use on direct current was employed to count the immune cells in this study, and was thus, recommended for this environment.