Human immunodeficiency virus p24 antigen and antibody, herpes simplex virus-2 IgM and tumor necrosis factor alpha plasma levels in adult female children living in single-parent households: a case-control observational study

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) p24 antigen and antibody and herpes simplex virus 2 IgM are seromarkers indicating infection with HIV and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), respectively, whereas tumor necrosis factor a is an inflammatory biomarker that can be triggered by infections. Female children of single parents are faced with many socio-economic challenges that make them vulnerable to sexual influences and prone to sexually transmitted infections. The goal of this work was to determine HIV p24 antigen/antibody, HSV-2 IgM and tumor necrosis factor-a plasma levels in adult female children living in single-parent households.Methods: In this case-control observational study, 100 adult female children living with a single parent (50 living with a single mother and 50 living with a single father; age: 18-22 years) and 100 age-matched women living with both parents were recruited to serve as the test and control groups, respectively. All subjects were negative for acid-fast bacilli, plasmodium, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus. Human tumor necrosis factor a, HSV-2 IgM, antibody to hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B surface antigen and human immunodeficiency virus p24 antigen and antibody (HIV p24 Ag/Ab) levels were determined by ELISA, while the detection of acid-fast bacilli in sputum and Plasmodium in blood was carried out by optical microscopy.