Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and HTLV among Pregnant Women in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are major public health challenge especially in developing countries. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Human T-cell lymphotropic Virus type I (HTLV-I) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic, in Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, and South-Western Nigeria. One hundred and eighty two randomly selected pregnant women were screened for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and HTLV-1 IgM antibodies using commercially available ELISA kit. Of the 182 blood samples of pregnant women screened whose age ranged from 15-49 years, 13 (7.1%), 5 (2.7%), 9 (4.9%), and 44 (24.2%) were positive for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and HTLV-1 IgM antibodies, respectively. The co-infection rate of 0.5% was obtained for HBV/HCV, HBV/HIV, HIV/HTLV-1, and HCV/HTLV-1 while 1.1% and 0% was recorded for HBV/HTLV-1 and HCV/HIV co-infections, respectively. Expected risk factors such as history of surgery, circumcision, tattooing and incision showed no significant association with any of the viral STIs (P > 0.05). This study shows that there is the need for a comprehensive screening of all pregnant women for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and HTLV-1 to prevent mother to child transmission of these viral infections and its attending consequences.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and associated risk factors among pregnant women

“…In the present study, the highest seroprevalance of HBsAg was among the age group 36-45 years. Similar results were obtainedin Southwestern Nigeria [28] and Northwest Ethiopia [32]. Opayele et al [28] and Molla et al [32] found the highest age range as the age group 40-44 in Nigeria and Bahir Dar (Ethiopia) respectively.…”

“…Similar results were obtainedin Southwestern Nigeria [28] and Northwest Ethiopia [32]. Opayele et al [28] and Molla et al [32] found the highest age range as the age group 40-44 in Nigeria and Bahir Dar (Ethiopia) respectively. Desalegn et al [35] found 30-35 years as the highest age range in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).…”

“…However, the prevalence of HBsAg in the present study is higher than the studies reported in Lorestan West of Iran (0.7%) [22], in India (0.9%) [23], in Punjab (Northern India) (1.1%) [24], and in Peshawar, Pakistan (1.16%) [25]. On the other hand, higher prevalance rates were reported in Bahir Dar (Northwest of Ethiopia) (3.8%) [26], in Mayotte Indian Ocean (France) (3.4%) [27], in Southwestern Nigeria (7.1%) [28], in Cameroon (9.7%) [29], in Eastern Ethiopia (6.9%) [30], in Southern Ethiopia (7.8%) [31], in Bahir Dar (Northwest Ethiopia) once again (4.4%) [32], and in Sana'a Yemen (10.8%) [33]. These discrepancies in ratio of prevalance may be attributed to geographical variations, varieties in socio-cultural practices, sexual behaviorals, medical exposure, differences in the diagnostic test methods.…”

HTLV-1, the Other Pathogenic Yet Neglected Human Retrovirus: From Transmission to Therapeutic Treatment

“…During the second half of the 1980s, several HIV-1/HTLV-1 co-infection events were reported in Europe, America, and Africa, especially in hemophiliacs, intravenous drug users, homosexuals and sexual workers [ 134 ]. Nowadays, HTLV-1 and HIV-1 co-infection is mainly investigated in South America and Africa [ 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 ], with prevalence ranging from 0.5 to 10.9% depending on the studies. Differences in regional endemicity, ethnic origin of the population, risk behaviors and study designs could account for such variability.…”

Prevalence, Seroconversion and Mother-To-Child Transmission of Dual and Triplex Infections of HIV, Hepatitis B and C Viruses Among Pregnant Women in Nigeria: Study Protocol

“…[5] In Nigeria, the estimated prevalence of HCV infection varies widely (0.4-14.7%) depending on the region and subpopulation being considered. [6,7] A common denominator among all the reported prevalence in Nigeria is the lack of generalizability as their data is not nationally representative.…”