HSV-1/2 Seronegativity and HCV Seropositivity in People Living with HIV Presenting at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
Oketah E. N.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Frank-Peterside N.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Elechi C. R.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Ugwu C. H.
Virology Unit, Department of Applied Microbiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
Onu E. N.
Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Medicine, Alex -Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Okonko B. J.
Virology and Immunology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Igwe M. U.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Cookey T. I. *
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Adim C. C.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Innocent-Adiele H. C.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Okerentugba P. O.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Okonko I. O.
Virus and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus has public health importance as a leading cause of genital ulcers, which also facilitate human immunodeficiency virus while co-infection with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus is common in certain populations. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the prevalence of Herpes simplex virus and hepatitis C virus in people living with HIV attending a teaching hospital in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Blood samples were randomly collected from 100 HIV-infected individuals of which 42 were males and 58 were females and analysed using ELISA. Results showed an overall prevalence of HCV to be 4.0% seropositivity and HSV to be 0.0% with 100.0% seronegativity. Higher prevalence of HCV occurred in ages groups 26-35 years (4.7%) than 16-25 years (4.4%) and 36 years & above (4.0%) with a significant difference of p <0.05. It showed that HCV antibody was only present among females (6.9%) and target not detected (TND) with 4.4%. Higher prevalence of HCV occurred among HIV-infected individuals having CD4 counts of >350 cells/mm3 than the <200 cells/mm3 and 200-249 cells/mm3 (0.0%). The study showed 4.4% seropositivity of HCV and 100.0% seronegativity of HSV in HIV- infected individuals with the highest prevalence of HCV recorded for age boundary 26-35 years. Thus, the increased number of HCV seropositivity among HIV-infected individuals indicates that there is a synergistic relationship between HIV and HCV infection. This study recommends that more attention should be given to the area of HIV/HCV coinfection in the management of infected patients.
Keywords: HCV, HSV, seronegativity, seropositivity, PLWHA