Seroprevalence of HBV and HIV co-infection in children and outcomes following highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Uyo, South-South Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Hepatitis B Virus (HIV/HBV) co-infection in Nigerian children has emerged as a major concern with the advent of HAART. Its impact on the immune system and liver has not been extensively studied in children. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of HBV seropositivity among HIV positive children on HAART and its effect on immune response and liver enzymes. Methods: All consecutive HIV positive children aged two months to seventeen years on HAART constituted the study population. Age and gender; CD4+ count, ALT, creatinine and HBsAg were tested and documented at enrolment and 12months. Results: One hundred and seventy one patients were seen over this period. Seventy-two (43.4%) were males while 94 (56.6%) were females giving a male: female ratio of 1:1.3. The mean age of the patients was 63±43.4 months. Prevalence of HIV/HBV co-infection was 6.02% (95% CI 2.4-9.7). There was no significant effect of HBV status on elevation of ALT levels with 12 months of HAART. Co-infected patients had an odds ratio of achieving immune response of 0.14 (95% CI 0.02-0.79). Conclusion: HIV/HBV co-infection rates in our children are comparable to other localities. ALT levels do not worsen with HAART and immune response of the co-infected children on HAART is lower. African Health Sciences 2013; 13(4): 955 -961 http://dx

Triple positivity of HBsAg, anti-HCV antibody, and HIV and their influence on CD4+ lymphocyte levels in the highly HIV infected population of Abeokuta, Nigeria

“…Dual or triple infections with HBV or HCV upsurges the menace for hepatotoxicity of HAART and possibility of inception of an AIDS-defining illness, likened with infection with HIV only 8,34,35,39 . Studies previously have proposed that dual positivity of HIV/HBV or HIV/HCV and triple positivity HIV/HBV/HCV have dampened immune reaction to HAART likened with those with only HIV [40][41][42] .…”

“…Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has distorted HIV and AIDS from a consistently deadly ailment into a controllable long-lasting infection and has been presented to reinstate CD4+ cells in HIV positive persons 8,33,34 . The achievements of HAART might be conceded by dual or triple infections with hepatitis viruses as they are recognized to have antagonistic consequences on the scenario of HIV and hepatitis infections 8,34,35 .…”

“…The achievements of HAART might be conceded by dual or triple infections with hepatitis viruses as they are recognized to have antagonistic consequences on the scenario of HIV and hepatitis infections 8,34,35 . Subsequently, improved attention has to be paid on dual or triple infections of hepatitis viruses and HIV particularly in the emerging countries such as Nigeria where these sets of viruses are prevalent8.…”

Implementation of Occult Hepatitis Screening in the Spanish Cohort of HIV-infected Pediatric Patients

“…Recent data from Nigeria, an endemic country for both viruses, show a seroprevalence rate of 6% among HBV/HIV coinfected children. In an extensive review of HBV/HIV coinfected children, one African study showed that in the long term, anti-HBe seroconversion did not result in virological control, contrary to patients with HBV monoinfection, and, as expected, that those with lower CD4+T-lymphocyte counts were unable to sustain a virological response for HBV and showed higher VHB DNA levels (67)(68)(69)(70)(71).…”

Information Use and Knowledge of HIV/Hepatitis B Co-Infection in Lagos, Nigeria

“…Studies have revealed that Africa, especially the Western and Southern regions, have the highest prevalence rate of HIV/HBV co-infection in the world [3] [31]. The HIV/HBV co-infection rate in Africa is attributed to the 60 million prevalence rate of hepatitis B [9] [32]. A study conducted among 115 HIV infected pregnant women in Borkina Faso by Ilboudo, et al [33] shows a 12.17% prevalence rate.…”