TITLE:
Risk Factors, Clinical Features, Baseline Alanine Aminotransferase and CD4+ Count of Children with HIV Co-Infection with Hepatitis B and C at a Tertiary Hospital in Southwest Nigeria
AUTHORS:
M. O. Durowaye, S. K. Ernest, I. A. Ojuawo
KEYWORDS:
Co-Infection, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, HBV, HCV, Alanine Aminotransferase, ALT, Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, HAART, Monoinfection, CD4+, Risk Factors for Co-Infection, Transmission, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen, HBVsAg
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.7 No.4,
April
28,
2016
ABSTRACT: Background: Human immunodeficiency
virus and hepatitis B and C viruses are endemic in sub- Saharan African
countries including Nigeria. Researchers have studied the burden of
co-infection of HIV with hepatitis B and hepatitis C but the risk factors and
clinical presentation have not been much addressed especially in children. Methodology:
This was a prospective cross sectional study that determined the prevalence,
risk factors, clinical features, baseline CD4+ count, CD4+ percentage, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of newly diagnosed, HAART na?ve
HIV co-infection among children who were managed at a Tertiary Hospital in
Ilorin, Nigeria. Result: Of the 60 HIV- infected children recruited, 11.7% had
HIV co-infection with HBV or HCV. Children with co-infec- tions (mean age 8.43 ±
2.37 years) were significantly older than their HIV mono-infected counterparts
(mean age 5.25 ± 3.96 years) (p = 0.011).
There was no significant difference between HIV monoinfection and HIV
co-infection with respect to gender (p = 0.758), ethnicity (p = 0.707), religion
of parents (p = 0.436), family type (p = 0.184), social class (p = 0.535),
previous transfusion (p = 0.053),
scarification (p = 0.612), female
genital mutilation (p = 0.778), and
sharing of clippers (p = 0.806). The
mean BMI, immunological staging (p = 0.535),
baseline ALT (p = 0.940), and mean
baseline CD4+ count (p = 0.928)
were comparable. However, the body mass index of HIV co-infec- ted children
decreased with age up till age 10 years. Conclusion: There were no risk
factors, nor clinical features predictive of co-infection identified in this
study. Co-infection did not negatively impact baseline, CD4+ count
and ALT.