Low prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus co-infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus in Northern India.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the prevalence of HBV and HCV co-infection in patients with HIV attending a referral hospital in Northern India. METHODS AND MATERIAL: The study cohort included six hundred and twenty consecutive HIV infected patients who were studied for co-infection with HBV/HCV or both. It included four hundred and seventy two male and one hundred and forty eight female patients between the age group 25-50 years. HBV and HCV infection was diagnosed by ELISA. Other routine investigations were also done. RESULTS: Out of a total of 620 consecutive HIV infected patients studied, HBV co-infection was detected in 14/ 620 (2.25%) patients and HCV co-infection in 10/620 (1.61%) patients and dual co-infection (HBV/HCV) in 1/620(0.16%). The mode of transmission of HBV was sexual contact in all (100%), while for HCV it was sexual contact in 5 patients (50%), blood transfusion in 4 patients (40%) and intravenous drug use (IDU) in 1 patient (10%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of co-infection with HBV/HCV is much lower in our study population as compared to that reported in Western literature.