1Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore, India
2Professor, Department of Microbiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, India
3Professor, Department of Microbiology, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore, India
*Corresponding author: N. Girish, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore, India, E-mail: girishdasanur@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 13 January, 2015.
HIV is known to influence the natural history of infections with certain hepatitis viruses and such interactions may potentiate HIV replication. There is a high degree of epidemiological similarity between HIV and HBV as regard to high risk group and route of transmission. Present study deals with the study of co-infection of HBV in HIV infected patients.
A consecutive 106 HIV positive samples detected by ELISA, Rapid and Simple format were subjected for testing of HBsAg by ELISA. Patients’ history was taken regarding high risk behavior, blood transfusion and others. The HIV positive patients were classified into four stages according to the CDC clinical staging system for HIV infection. Healthy individuals included as controls were simultaneously screened for HIV and HBsAg by ELISA.
In the study of 106 HIV seropositive patients, 22 (20.75%) were positive for HBsAg. Among the 30 healthy controls, one individual (3.3%) was positive for HBsAg and none was positive for HIV. The difference of co-infection of HIV and HBV was statistically significant compared to controls (p < 0.05, chi-square value 3.94). Co-infection of HIV and HBV was found to be more in the symptomatic group (19.81%) compared to asymptomatic group (0.94%). History of heterosexual contact was given by all the HIV positive patients.
It is clear from the study that, HIV infected individuals have a high probability of geing co-infected with HBV and leads to symptomatic infection.
HIV, HBV, Co-infection
