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Background. To date the effect of pregnancy on the immune activation of CD8 T cells that may affect HIV disease progression has not been well studied and remains unclear. Objective. To determine the effect of pregnancy on CD8 T lymphocyte activation and its relationship with CD4 count in HIV infected pregnant women. Study Design. Case control. Study Site. AMPATH and MTRH in Eldoret, Kenya. Study Subjects. Newly diagnosed asymptomatic HIV positive pregnant and nonpregnant women with no prior receipt of antiretroviral medications. Study Methods. Blood samples were collected from the study participants and levels of activated CD8 T lymphocytes (CD38 and HLA-DR) were determined using flow cytometer and correlated with CD4 counts of the study participants. The descriptive data focusing on frequencies, correlation, and cross-tabulations was statistically determined. Significance of the results was set at P < 0.05. Results. HIV positive pregnant women had lower activated CD8 T lymphocyte counts than nonpregnant HIV positive women. Activated CD8 T lymphocyte counts were also noted to decrease in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Conclusion. Pregnancy has a significant suppression on CD8+ T lymphocyte immune activation during HIV infections. Follow-up studies with more control arms could confirm the present study results.

Background: E-coli, a gram-negative entero-bacteria has been associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs) and antimicrobial resistances in human and animals. This study aimed at establishing the prevalence of E. coli among other bacteria causing UTIs in pregnant women seeking Medicare at Kisii teaching and referral hospital (KTRH), Kenya and to establish the drug susceptibility patterns of the isolated E. coli. Setting-The project was done at Kisii teaching and referral hospital, Kenya.Methods: This hospital based experimental and cross-sectional study conducted in 3 months between March and June 2020 involved 119 pregnant women whose urine samples were cultured on Cysteine Leucine Electrolyte deficiency media (CLED) at 370C overnight and sub-cultured on Mueller Hinton media. Bacterial identification was done by Gram stain and biochemical characterization using indole, methyl-red, Voges-Proskaur and citrate tests while susceptibility tests were conducted by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique.Results: Out of the 119 urine samples, E. coli 28 (23.5%) was the second most prevalent after S. aureus 40 (33.6%). Others included S. epidermidis 27 (22.7%), and Proteus spp. 9 (7.6%). All E. coli isolates, 28 (100%) demonstrated resistance to sulfamethoxazole followed by amoxyclave 24 (85.75%), and ceftriaxone 20 (71.42%). They were least resistant to gentamycin 4 (14. 28%) and ofloxacin 6 (21.42%).Conclusions: E. coli which largely exists as a commensal can cause UTIs and could be possessing antimicrobial resistant genes responsible for treatment failure. This             demands for new effective therapeutic alternatives and more research on bacterial drug resistant.

Histoplasmosis is a serious community acquired fungal infection among immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Chicken droppings were evaluated for the presence of Histoplasma capsulatum, by culturing in Blood agar, SABHI and SDA agar at 25°C and 37°C. Exoantigen were used for confirmation. Two Histoplasma capsulatum were isolated in this study. The study found that Chicken droppings harbor Histoplasma species.