evaluation of interleukin 2, interleukin 10, and interferon gamma among pregnant women co-infected with hiv and <i>plasmodium falciparum</i>

Background: in pregnancy, the body undergoes modulation of pro-inflammation responses to ensure fetal survival, and these adjustments may decrease maternal immune defenses and promote infections. objectives: this study was conducted to determine interleukin 2 (il-2), il-10, and interferon gamma (ifn-γ) among pregnant women co-infected with hiv and plasmodium falciparumin edo state, nigeria. methods: this study was conducted at the central hospital, benin city, edo state. a total of 200 participants were enrolled, consisting of 150 pregnant women co-infected with hiv and p. falciparumand 50 non-pregnant women (as controls) who were neither infected with hiv nor p. falciparum. venous blood specimen was collected for p. falciparumdetection, cd4 t-lymphocyte estimation, and il-2, il-10, and ifn-γ assays using standard methods. results: among hiv-infected pregnant women, il-2 (p = 0.0070), il-10 (p = 0.0179) and ifn-γ (p = 0.1564) values were lower in primiparous women compared with multiparous women. hiv-infected pregnant women who were married had significantly higher il-2 (p = 0.0085) and ifn-γ levels (p = 0.0332) compared with single women, while marital status did not affect the il-10 level of pregnant women infected with hiv. only the il-2 levels of the hiv-infected pregnant women increased significantly (p = 0.0012) with increasing trimester. the tested cytokine levels were lower in those with malaria compared with those without malaria among hiv-infected pregnant women. conclusions: the hiv status and not malaria infection affects the cytokine levels of pregnant women co-infected with hiv and malaria.