Abstract

Introduction: Overcrowding promotes poor hygiene which may possibly create a medium for the growth and fast spread of infections and diseases, this can further compromise the immune system of the affected individuals. Wherever there is overcrowding, oxygen in circulation reduces while carbon dioxide increases, when carbon dioxide attaches to hemoglobin, it produces carbaminohemoglobin, which reduces hemoglobin’s oxygen affinity through the Bohr effect. This study carried out laboratory analysis on HbO2 -oxyhemoglobin, CO2 Hb-carbaminohemoglobin and CD4-clusters of differentiation 4, of male inmates living in congested and non-congested cells of maximum-security custodial center Port Harcourt. Examining the biomarkers above, may provide an understanding of the health challenges faced by inmates living in congested correctional centers. It may also assist in the development of targeted strategies for addressing overcrowding in the Nigerian Correctional Centres. Methods: A total of two hundred and forty (240) subjects aged between of 18 to 65 were recruited and categorized into three groups which includes; 80 male inmates from congested cells, 80 male inmates from non-congested cells and 80 male non-inmates as control living in Port Harcourt. Five milliliters (5ml) of venous blood was withdrawn from each participants aseptically and dispensed into Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) anticoagulant bottle for the assay of CD4, oxyhemoglobin and carbaminohemoglobin. Automated flowcytometry and spectrophotometric methods were used for the assay respectively. Data generated were analyzed using Graph-pad Prison 11.0 The mean values of HbO2 for control, non-congested and congested subjects were (15.0±1.3, 13.8±1.0and 10.9±2.4) respectively, CO2 Hb for the three groups were (0.3±0.1, 0.3±0.1 and 0.7±0.2) respectively while mean values of CD4 cells for control, non-congested and congested subjects were (1042±148.5, 776.4±159.2 and 718.2±336.0) respectively. Conclusion: Mean values of congested subjects in some of the parameters were statistically significantly lower than normal, this explains that congestion had a great effect on some of these parameters thereby exposing the inmates to reduced immune system activation in case of any infection. This could possibly lead to a health risk capable of susceptibility to diseases conditions.

Keywords

overcrowding, immune system, oxyhemoglobin, carbaminohemoglobin and custers of differentiation 4