RP-Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences

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Browsing RP-Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences by Author "Gicheru, M. M."

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    HIV Type 1 Gag genetic Diversity among Antenatal Clinic Attendees in North Rift Valley, Kenya
    (PubMed, 2012) Gicheru, M. M.; Nyagaka, B.; Kiptoo, M. K.; Lihana, R. W.; Khamadi, S. A.; Makokha, E. P.; Kinyua, J. G.; Mwangi, J.; Osman, S.; Lagat, N. J.; Muriuki, J.; Okoth, V.; Ng'ang'a, Z.; Songok, E. M.
    HIV genetic recombination and high mutation rate increase diversity allowing it to escape from host immune response or antiretroviral drugs. This diversity has enabled specific viral subtypes to be predominant in specific regions. To determine HIV-1 subtypes among seropositive antenatal clinic attendees in Kenya's North Rift Valley, a cross-sectional study was carried out on 116 HIV-1-positive blood samples. Proviral DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by DNAzol lysis and ethanol precipitation. Polymerase chain reactions using specific primers for HIV-1 gag and population sequencing on resulting amplicons were carried out. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 81 (70%) were subtype A1, 13 (11%) subtype D, 8 (7%) subtype C, 3 (3%) subtype A2, 1 (1%) subtype G, and 10 showed possible recombinants: 5 (4%) subtype A1D, 4 (3%) subtype A1C, and 1 (1%) subtype A2C. These data support the need to establish circulating subtypes for better evaluation of effective HIV diagnostic and treatment options in Kenya.
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    Short Report: Childhood Coinfections with Plasmodium Falciparum and Schistosoma Mansoni Result in Lower Percentages of Activated T cells and T Regulatory Memory Cells than Schistosomiasis Only.
    (PubMed, 2009) Gicheru, M. M.; Muok, E. M.; Mwinzi, P. N.; Black, C. L.; Carter, J. M.; Ng'ang'a, Z. W.; Secor, W. E.; Karanja, D. M.; Colley, D. G.
    Flow cytometric analyses were performed to evaluate HLA-DR (+) activated T lymphocytes (Tact; CD3 (+)/CD4 (+)/CD25(medium)) and T regulatory cells (Treg; CD3 (+)/CD4(+)/CD25(high)) in the circulation of children 8-10 years of age living in an area endemic for both Plasmodium falciparum and Schistosoma mansoni in western Kenya. Those children with only S. mansoni had a higher mean percentage of HLA-DR (+) Tact than those who were co-infected with these two intravascular parasites. The proportion of circulating Treg was comparable in children with only schistosomiasis and both schistosomiasis and malaria. However, the mean level of memory Treg (Treg expressing CD45RO (+)) in those with dual infections was lower than in children with schistosomiasis alone. These imbalances in Tact and Treg memory subsets in children infected with both schistosomiasis and malaria may be related to the differential morbidity or course of infection attributed to coinfections with these parasites.