title: Immunological and virological response to haart in HIV-1 patients co-infected with hepatitis B and C viruses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among the countries highly endemic for viral hepatitis, Nigeria is found. Information on how triple infected persons (HIV, HBV, and HCV) fare on HAART in the country is lacking.  Laboratory based investigation was carried out to assess the virological and immunological parameters of HIV-1 infected patients co-infected with Hepatitis B and C, accessing care at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. It was a case controlled study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to compare the laboratory data of HIV-HBV-HCV patients seen between 2006 and 2009 with HIV-1 monoinfected patients in the same period, on HAART according to the national guideline and followed up for 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Detection of Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C Virus Antibody (HCVAb) were assayed using ELISA techniques (Bio Rad and DIA PRO respectively). The CD4 and HIV viral load were determined using the Cyflow Counter/Kits (Partec) and the Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor Test V1.5 (Roche) techniques respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one (0.4%) of the 10,214 HIV-1 patients seen during the period were co-infected with both HBV and HCV. Over the 12 month-period, median HIV-1 viral load and CD4 count reduced and increased respectively (12,205-200 RNA copies/mL; 210-430 cells/mL from baseline - 12th month), and for the HIV-1 monoinfected patients (36,794-200 RNA copies/mL [p=0.5485] and 206-347 cells/mL [p=0.7703] from baseline - 12th month).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There seems to be no significant influence of hepatitis B and C in HIV infection on HAART judging by the CD4 and viral load profiles which were similar in the two groups.
authors.affiliation: Human Virology Unit, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Okwuraiwe
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Audu
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Salu
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Onwuamah
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Amoo
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ige
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Meshack
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Jamda
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Odunukwe
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Onwujekwe
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Ezechi
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Idigbe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060085:Coinfection; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015166:Monitoring, Immunologic; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies