Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus among HIV Patients in Ikole Ekiti, Nigeria
Opaleye Oluyinka Oladele
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Oluremi Adeolu Sunday *
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Akeem Akindele
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Ojo Johnson
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Odewale Gbolabo
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Co-infection of HIV–positive patients with hepatitis C viruses worsens the long term diagnosis and causes of the liver related diseases in almost three –quarters of the HIV infected individuals.
Aim: This research was carried out to know the sero-epidemiology of HCV among HIV infected individuals in Ikole Ekiti South West Nigeria.
Place and Duration of the Study: The clinical data and samples were collected in Specialist Hospital, Ikole Ekiti, Nigeria between November, 2012 and April, 2013 and processed in Medical Microbiology Department, LAUTECH, Nigeria.
Methodology: A total of 158 HIV–infected patients comprising 40 males and 118 females with age range from 3-82 years participated in this study. The test was performed using anti HCV cassette (Clinotech) and later confirmed with Enzyme link immunosorbent Assay.
Results: Four (2.53%) out of 158 HIV infected patients had antibodies to HCV. Co-infection of hepatitis C is more in female 3(1.90%) than male 1(0.63%) subjects. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference (p>0.05).Age group 31-40 years had the highest prevalence of HCV (50%) followed by age group 21-30 years (25%), 41-50 years (25%). There was no HIV-HCV coinfection among age group>50 years and <20 years. No significant difference was observed in association between age and prevalence of HCV antibodies (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Routine screening of patients with HIV infection for HCV antibodies should be encouraged for early diagnosis since research had shown that HIV-HCV co- infection can result: in higher levels of HCV in the blood, quick progression to HCV-related liver such cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Keywords: Hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, prevalence, epidemiology, HIV–positive patients, HAART therapy.