Incidences of Hepatitis B and Syphilis Co-Infection with HIV in Antiretroviral Treatment-Naïve Adult Patients Attending APIN Clinic at a University Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Hundred (37 males and 63 females) sera samples of HIV patients were screened for hepatitis B antigens and antibodies, and 80 (28 males and 52 females) of these samples were also screened for Treponema specific antibodies using ELISA. Seven percent (5% males and 2% females) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Four percent (3 males and 1 female) of the latter were also positive for the hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg). While 5% (1% male and 4% female) were positive for hepatitis B surface antibody, 7% (1% male and 6% female) were positive for hepatitis B envelope antibody (HBeAb). Twenty three percent (8% males and 15% females) were positive for hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb). Thirty seven percent of the patients have had previous exposure to hepatitis B virus as shown by positive results obtained for HBsAg, HBcAb and HBeAb. The mean CD4+ counts for positive samples were 228 for HBsAg, 3278.5 for HBeAg, 199.5 for HBsAb, 194 for HBeAb and 232.5 HBcAb. Twenty percent (10% males and 10% females) of the patients were positive for the syphilis antibodies. The mean CD4+ counts for the positive samples for syphilis were 290.5. The 7% prevalence of hepatitis B virus observed in this study is within the rates that had been previously reported, but the 20% prevalence of syphilis is high. This calls for a review of screening regimen that would assay for these bloodstream infections alongside HIV, in order to mitigate any influence they may have in the progression of HIV to AIDS.