Distribution of antibodies against Coxsackie B viruses, arboviruses and Toxoplasma gondii among patients with endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) compared with normal subjects from EMF endemic and non-endemic zones of Nigeria

Abstract

The sera of eight endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) subjects, 11 siblings of one of them and 16 normal children matched with the E MF patients for age , sex and socio-economic status from Ogunmakin and Shao/Oloru communities (eight each), situated in EMF-endemic and non-endemic areas of Nigeria respectively, were examined for the presence of antibodies against Coxsackie viruses B1-6 , 16 arboviruses and Toxoplasma gondii. Sera from 36 other randomly selected normal children from Ogunmakin and 26 other randomly selected children from Shao/Oloru were also tested for the presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and the 16 arboviruses. None of the eight E MF subjects nor the 11 siblings of one of them had antibodies against any of the Coxsackie viruses Bl- 6 in their sera. Two of the 16 matched control subjects, one from each community. had positive antibodies, at equivocal titres against Coxsackie B1 (Ogunmakin) and B4 (Shao/Oloru). There was no significant difference in the distribution of antibody titres to the arboviruses between the EMF patients and matched controls. Normal children from the Shao/Oloru community had higher percentage antibody reactions and higher titres to the arboviruses compared with the children from Ogunmakin.