SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS AMONG HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS PATIENTS ATTENDING ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT (ART) CENTRE, AGBOR, NIGERIA

Abstract

The prevalence of some infectious diseases (Hepatitis B) has changed with the incidence of HIV/AIDS pandemic. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients undergoing treatment in the Antiretroviral Treatment Centre Agbor, Delta State,Nigeria. A total of 538 HIV infected subjects were recruited for this study, comprising 156(29%) males and 382(71%) females aged between 1-70 years and were screened for Hepatitis B. Of the 538 samples , 12(7.7%) males and 8(2.0%) females were sero-positive for HBV. The highest seroprevalence (5.9%) was observed in the group aged 46-60 years, followed by the age group of 1-15 years (4.0%) and 31-45 years (3.5%). The lowest prevalence of (0%) was observed in the group aged 61-70 years. The difference in seroprevalence between the groups aged 1-15 years and 46-60 was statistically significant (P < 0.001) .Enlightenment campaigns should be intensified as well as immunization against Hepatitis B in order to achieve Hepatitis B free population.