TITLE:
Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C among Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infected Patients at a District Hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Mariam M. Mirambo, Benson R. Kidenya, Vitus Silago, Emmanuel Mkumbo, Awadh Mujuni, Kennedy J. Mmanga, Japhet J. Mwihambi, Shimba Henerico, Carolyne A. Minja, Stephen E. Mshana
KEYWORDS:
Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Sengerema, Tanzania
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of AIDS,
Vol.9 No.1,
January
22,
2019
ABSTRACT: Human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus
(HCV) infections have been a major public health problem. HIV patients with HBV
and HCV infection are at high risk of liver diseases which is associated with
increased mortality. This study aims at determining the prevalence of hepatitis
B surface antigen (HBsAg), HCV antibodies and HBV antibodies (anti-HBsAg) among
HIV seropositive adults attending care and treatment clinic at Sengerema
district hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania. A cross-sectional hospital based study
was conducted between February and March 2017 among 243 HIV adult patients at
Sengerema designated district hospital, Mwanza, Tanzania. Socio-demographic and
other relevant information were collected using pre-tested questionnaires.
Detection of HBsAg and HCV antibodies was done by commercial rapid
immunochromatographic test while the detection of anti-HBsAg was done using
enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed by using STATA version 13. The
median age of the study participants was 43, interquartile range (IQR): 37 - 51
years. The majority 172 (70.8)
of study participants were female and the majority (88%) of participants had
CD4 count of greater than 200 counts/μl. The
prevalence of HBsAg, HCV antibodies and anti-HBsAg were 26/243 (10.7%, 95%
confidence interval [CI]: 7 - 14), 20/243 (8.2%, 95% CI: 4.7 - 11.6)
and (100/243) 41.2%, 95% CI: 35 - 47,
respectively. Co-infection with HCV (OR: 4.45, 95% CI: 1.51 - 13.21, P = 0.007) was independenlty found to predict HbsAg
positivity. History of blood transfusion (OR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.08 - 5.06, P = 0.028)
was significantly associated with anti-HBsAg among HIV infected individuals
while, the rate of anti-HBsAg was found to decrease by 2.02 IU/L in a year
increase in age. About one tenth of HIV infected individuals are co-infected
with HCV and HBV with more than one third being positive for anti-HBsAg. There
is a paramount need to emphasize the need for regular screening and proper
management of these patients to reduce associated complications in resource
limited countries where these infections are common.