ABSTRACT
Objective: This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of Hepatitis B and associated risk factors such as CD4+ counts variation and liver enzymes among HIV co– infected patients and those with HIV mono-infections only. Design and Methods: Three hundred and fourteen (314) HIV patients took part in this cross sectional case control study. Socio-demographic information and history of exposure to risk factors such as scarification, blood transfusion, and unprotected sexual intercourse and alcohol consumption, were obtained through a well-structured questionnaire. Serological tests were done to determine the presence of Hepatitis B (HB) surface Antigen, liver enzymes’ activities were estimated and CD4+ cell counts evaluated using standard laboratory methods. Results: Out of the 314 HIV patients, 20 (6.4%) tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) while 294 (93.6%) were negative. Most HIV patients co–infected with HBV were in the age group 31 to 45 years. There was no significant variation when co-infection and mono-infection groups were compared based on age and sex (p=0.7405 and p=0.3361). More males, 7 (2.23%) against 2 (0.64%) females (P=0.02) co–infected with HBsAg had a CD4+ cell counts in the range 201-350cells/µL. No significant difference of liver transaminases (SGPT and SGOT) levels between mono and co-infection groups (P>0.05) was observed. No association of HBsAg with observed risk factors among HIV patients was noted. Conclusion: The study concluded that the prevalence of hepatitis B among HIV patients was 6.4% with majority of the patients having CD4+ cell counts within 201-350. The liver function parameters (transaminases) were not affected with HIV/HBV co-infection.