PREVALENCE 0F HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN IN HIV –INFECTED AND NON- HIV INFECTED CHILDREN ATTENDING THE OUT –PATIENT CLINIC OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI

Abstract

Nigeria has the highest burden of paediatric HIV and a high burden of paediatric HBV infection
especially among HIV positive children. HIV/HBV co-infection remains an important public
health issue due to the risk of rapid progression to chronic liver disease and death. In spite of the
foregoing, there is paucity of data on Hepatitis among HIV infected children receiving treatment
in NAUTH Nnewi. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of HBsAg in HIV
infected and non-HIV infected children in NAUTH.
A cross sectional case control study was carried out among 120 HIV- infected and 120 non HIV-
infected children. The caregivers and/ or children were interviewed using a semi-structured
questionnaire to obtain their sociodemographic characteristics, possible risk factors for HBV
transmission and HBV vaccination history. All the participating children were screened for
Hepatitis B surface antigen.
Data analysis was done using SPSS software (version 20).
The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among HIV-infected and non HIV-infected were
5.8% and 0.8% respectively (p= 0.07). Most of the children with HBV were males and the mean
age of those infected with HBV was significantly higher than those without HBV infection.
Majority of the children with hepatitis B infection were predominantly of middle and low
socioeconomic class with most of their parents having secondary education as their highest
educational level. Of all the risk factors studied, history of unsafe parenteral injections (p=0.03)
and blood transfusion (p=0.02) were significantly associated with HBV surface antigen
seropositivity.
This study has demonstrated that the rate of HBV infection among HIV infected children is
higher than that of the non HIV-infected children with increased risk of HBV seropositivity from
parenteral injection and blood transfusion also amongst HIV infected. Thus, it is recommended
that routine screening of HBV infection among HIV infected children should be strengthened.
There is also need for screening of all blood before transfusion. Parenteral injections should be
restricted to qualified personnel.

PREVALENCE 0F HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN IN HIV –INFECTED AND NON- HIV INFECTED CHILDREN ATTENDING THE OUT –PATIENT CLINIC OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI