title: Hepatitis B and C Co-Infections in Some HIV-Positive Populations in Cameroon, West Central Africa: Analysis of Samples Collected Over More Than a Decade.
abstract: As people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Sub-Saharan Africa live longer due to availability of antiretroviral treatment (ART), so is the rise of associated infections with their burdens on patients. But reliable data on the prevalence of co-infection with hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) still remains sparse and many individuals with HIV do not know their co-infection status. This study attempted to estimate the seroprevalence and identify risk factors associated with hepatitis B and/or C co-infections in HIV-infected individuals from five Regions of Cameroon by screening 531 HIV infected subjects for the presence of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to HCV (HCV-Ab). A Screening and a confirmatory Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect presence of markers of infection. CD4 count levels were also examined. The results indicate that of the 531 participants, 68% were females and 32% males. Mean CD4 count was ~400 cells/μl. Seroprevalence rates for HBsAg and HCV-Ab were 23.7%, and 7.2%, respectively. Associations assessed using logistic regression revealed that HBsAg but not HCV-Ab positivity was linked to age, lower CD4 count and residing in an urban rather than in a rural setting. This high prevalence of co-infection with HBV raises the urgent need to systematically screen all newly diagnosed HIV cases for co-infection in Cameroon and other regions of sub-Saharan Africa where HIV accounts for the majority of the global infection, so as to improve management strategies for HBV infection and ART implementation.
authors.affiliation: Serology Unit, Medical Diagnostic Center, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jean Jacques N
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Noubiap
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Peter V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Aka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America; Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Immunology and Applied Biotechnology, University of Rome Tor Vergatta, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Aubin J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nanfack
authors.affiliation: Serology Unit, Medical Diagnostic Center, Yaounde, Cameroon; Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Lucy A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Agyingi
authors.affiliation: Serology Unit, Medical Diagnostic Center, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Johnson N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America; Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare Systems, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Phillipe N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Nyambi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013048:Specimen Handling; D055815:Young Adult