Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis b infection in HIV infected children seen at national hospital Abuja

Abstract

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus infection remains a global pandemic. Co infection with hepatitis B virus leads to rapid progression to AIDS if not diagnosed and promptly treated or better still prevented. The study aims at determining the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis B infection in HIV infected children being followed up at the Paediatric HIV clinic.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study of 261 HIV infected children aged eight months to fourteen years to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B infection and pattern of hepatitis B vaccination was carried out between July and October 2012 at the Paediatric HIV clinic of National Hospital Abuja. Ethical approval was obtained from Ethical Committee of the hospital. Vaccination and transfusion history were obtained from the parents and guardians of the subjects using a proforma after signed informed consent. Blood samples were collected for Hepatitis B surface antigen screening and Hepatitis B screening in those with HBsAg positive blood samples.

Results: Only 3 (1.15%) of the 261 HIV infected children had Hepatitis B infection. All the children less than 5 years old in this cohort received hepatitis B vaccination and none of them had Hepatitis B infection. The HIV/HBV co infected children were older than ten years (p = 0.047) and history of blood transfusion (p = 0.003) was also significant. However, scarification (p = 0.996), local circumcision (p = 0.928); uvulectomy (p = 0.898) were not significant risk factors in this cohort.

Conclusion: There is need to intensify routine hepatitis B vaccination and routine screening of blood before necessary transfusion. This would further lead to a low prevalence of Hepatitis B in HIV infected children and the general populace at large.