COMPARATIVE SEROLOGIC PROFILES OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) BETWEEN HIV/HBV CO-INFECTED AND HBV MONO-INFECTED PATIENTS IN ILE-IFE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroductionHepatitis B virus(HBV) infects about 2 billion people globally and accounts for mortality of about 800,000 from liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) global burden. HIV/HBV co-infection results in early development of HBV complications, alterations of serological biomarkers of HBV.MethodsTwo hundred and fifty patients with HIV/AIDS were screened for HBV and 20 (8%) were identified. Same number of HBV mono-infected individuals were recruited into the study and subsequently, HBV serological profiles which includes HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb,HBcAbIgM and HBcAbIgG were assayed using HBV ELISA kits.ResultMean age of patients in the HBV/HIV cohort was 45.5 years while the HBV mono-infected infected cohort was 30.5 years. Majority of the HBV/HIV co-infected individuals were females (85%). Frequency of HBeAg among HIV/HBV co-infected cohort was 25% and 15% for HBV mono-infected, while the frequency of HBeAb was higher (60%) among cohort of HBV/HIV co-infected patients in comparison with the HBV mono-infected cohorts(50%). Two patients among the HIV/HBV co-infected cohort have the isolated anti-HBcAg serologic pattern.ConclusionThe study broadened the available evidence of comparative serologic profiles of Hepatitis B virus between cohorts of HBV/HIV co-infected individuals and HBV mono-infected patients in Nigeria.