title: HIV and HBsAg Seropositivity Amongst Patients Presenting for Ocular Surgery at a Tertiary Eye Care Hospital in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of HIV/AIDS and HBsAg sero-positivity is very high in sub-Saharan African. There is a risk of horizontal transmission of these diseases amongst ophthalmic patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion patients for eye surgery who are HIV/AIDS and HBsAg sero-positive at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients selected for eye surgery during a surgical camp at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna were counseled for Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and HBsAg to determine their viral status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 650 patients who were selected were screened. The distributions of the indications for selection were as follows: cataract 483 (74.3%); glaucoma 44 (6.8%) and pterygium 123 (18.9%). Two patients (0.2%) were found to be HIV seropositive while 11 (1.5%) were HbsAg positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-operative screening of all patients going for ophthalmic surgery for HIV and HbsAg may be desirable in our environment.
authors.affiliation: National Eye Centre, PMB 2267, Western ByePass, Kaduna, Nigeria.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Alhassan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Unung
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adejor
keywords: HBsAg; HIV; Nigeria.; ocular surgery; seroprevalence
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