Interleukin 3 as an Erythropoietic Marker in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Positive Patients in South East Nigeria

Aim: To evaluate the interleukin 3 levels in some Hepatitis B virus and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive subjects.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Haematology Department, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria, between June and September, 2019.

Methodology: A total of 86 subjects were recruited for this study; 40 were positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, 30 were Hepatitis B positive and 16 healthy subjects that served as controls. The controls had tested negative to Hepatitis B Virus, Human immunodeficiency Virus and hepatitis C virus infections. Whole blood samples were collected from the Human immunodeficiency Virus positive and control samples. Haemoglobin concentration was analysed using the Orphěe Mythic 22 automated analyzer. Serum samples collected from all 86 subjects were used to assay Interleukin 3 using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent assay based Finetest human interleukin 3 kit.

Results: A highly significant decrease in interleukin 3 levels was observed in Hepatitis B Virus and Human immunodeficiency virus positive subjects when compared with the apparently healthy control subjects, (P = 0.000 < 0.05). Average hemoglobin levels were also lower in the Human immunodeficiency virus subjects compared with the controls.

Conclusion: A reduction of the interleukin 3 may be part of the synergistic factors responsible for the anaemia usually seen in the viral infections.