The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigenaemia in HIV positive patients in the Niger Delta Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Both hepatitis-B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are common in Nigeria and are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in HIV infected patients and to highlight the need to pay attention to the recognition of potentially severe concurrent illness that may increase morbidity and mortality of HIV infected patients.


METHODS
Three hundred and forty-two HIV positive patients recruited into the antiretroviral therapy pilot project at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital comprising 192 males and 150 females between June 1995 to February 2003 constituted subjects for this study. HIV status of subjects was confirmed using the WHO approved Immunocomb (Organics, Israel) and Recombigen HIV I and II kits (Cambridge diagnostics, Ireland). HBsAg was assayed using the commercially available Clinotech HBsAg kits based on the chromatographic immunoassay technique (Clinotech diagnostics, Canada).


RESULTS
HBsAg was detected in 33 (9.7%) of patients infected with HIV. Co-infection rate was highest in the 33-39 years age group. Single/unmarried patients constituted the highest proportion of those with HIV/HBV co-infection 21/195 (10.8%) followed by widowed/separated 4/47 (8.5%) and married (8.0%). Commercial sex workers had the highest prevalence among the occupational groups 4/30 (13.3%) followed by applicants 8/75 (10.7%) and drivers 4/40 (10.0%) while the lowest occupational prevalence occurred among farmers. Chi-square analysis indicated that age was an independent risk factor for HBV co-infection in HIV infected patients (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates a high prevalence (9.7%) of HBsAg in HIV infected patients. This calls for a more intensive prevention and surveillance measures to control the HIV/AIDS scourge and co-infection with HBV.
Department of Haematology and Immunology, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
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D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens