Association between ABO, Rhesus blood group systems and haemoglobin genotype among confirmed HIV/AIDS-TB co-infected patients in Enugu Urban, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

The distribution of ABO, Rhesus blood group and haemoglobin (Hb) genotypes was investigated among 320 confirmed human immunodeficiency virus I & II (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with tuberculosis (TB) co-infected patients. One Hundred and Sixty (160) healthy HIV I & II negative age and sex-matched population were used as controls for this study.

STUDY

DESIGN

Patients and controls were from the same environment and their blood groups and Hb genotypes were determined by the standard tube and electrophoresis methods respectively.

RESULTS

The statistical analysis of the results revealed statistically significant association (P<0.01) between Hb-genotype among female patients and female controls chi-squared = 6.099, P<0.01, and also between patient and control groups of both sexes chi-squared = 7.4561, p<0.01 only.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that HIV I & II/AIDs with TB co-infection among Nigerians so far studied appear to show no association in the distribution of ABO, Rhesus blood group and Hb-genotype prevalence. Hence they cannot be said to have either protective nor predisposing characteristics.