Current Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Measurement of Anthropometric / Biophysical Parameters among Apparently Healthy Long-Distant Truck Drivers in Various Terminals in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Authors: Ndeh Forwah Jacques , Etenikang Abeshi Sylvester , Akpan Idongesit Samuel , Johnson Ochie , Joel Otti Chidiebere , Ojong Ebot Walter , Ofor Joshua Obase-Otumoyi , Chiazam EZEA Prosper , Ekeagba Immaculate Ihuoma 
Published: September 2024

The current study investigated human immunodeficiency virus I and II infections and measurement of selected anthropometric and biophysical parameters among apparently healthy male long-distant truck driver rivers (LDTDs) of commercialized private and public vehicle’s terminals in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. A semi close-ended structured and self-administered questionnaire was designed, validated institutional and administrative ethical approvals were sought from appropriate authorities in accordance with existing laws in force. About five milliliters of blood samples were collected from voluntary pre-counseled, recruited and consented 600 apparently healthy participants comprising of 276 (46%) married and 324 (54%) unmarried males and aged 20 years old and above. The samples were allowed to clot and serum samples were then gotten from the supernatant after centrifugation of the blood samples at 4000 revolution per minute for 10 minutes. The sera were screened for HIV 1 and 2 antibodies using three panels algorithm of the HIV 1 and 2 Antibody Point of care testing kit tools comprising of Determine™ HIV-1 and 2 (Inverness Medical Japan company limited), Stat-Pak HIV-1 and 2 (Chembio Diagnostic System International Inco-operation, United State of America) and HIV Uni-gold rapid test kit (Trinity Biotech, United State of American) respectively. The levels of selected anthropometric and biophysical parameters were measured using standard clinical instruments recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). After data collation and analysis using IBM-SPSS version 26, the current prevalence rate of HIV 1 and 2 in the 600 participants who turned out for the study that reacted positive was 27 (4.5%), while a total of 573 (95.5%) participants tested non- to the three HIV I &2 antibodies screening test kits. Using HIV 1 and 2 Determine screening test kit alone there were 10 (1.7%) participants reacted positive while 590 (98.3%) participants reacted negative, using Stat-Pak test kits alone 9 (1.5%) participants reacted positive and 591(98.5%) participants reacted negative. Finally, while using Unigold test panels alone 8 (1.33%) participants reacted positive and 592 (98.67%) reactive negative. There was no statistically significant difference between the positive and negative results of the three screening HIV antibody test kits according to marital status (p=0.7065) and age range. Mean age range was =32.99 ± 1.014 years for married group and 28.95±7.845 years for unmarried group respectively with statistically significant differences between groups (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant differences (P<0.05) between the Mean value of Body Mass Index, Mean value of Diastolic Blood Pressure and mean value of pulse rate (PR) for the married and unmarried group respectively (P<0.05). Conclusively, the overall current prevalence rate of HIV 1 and 2 infection determined by the use of the three panels of the HIV 1 and 2 antibody screening test kit tools according to World Health Organization ’s algorithm for detection of HIV infection in the index population had been demonstrated to be 0.045% . The discrepancies associated with individual prevalence rate of the HIV 1 and 2 infection assayed by the HIV 1 and 2 antibody screening test kit tools shown no statistically significant. The levels of anthropometric and biophysical parameters appear to be a very importance screening pre-assessment indicator of nutritional status as well as obesity status and lifestyle risk assessment of the participants of the index study.