The role of triple infection with hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type-1 on CD4+ lymphocyte levels in the highly HIV infected population of North-Central Nigeria

we set out to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis b and c among human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (hiv-1) infected individuals in north-central nigeria to define the influence of these infections on cd4+ lymphocytes cells among our patients as access to antiretroviral therapy improves across the nigerian nation. the cd4+ values of 180 confirmed hiv-1 infected individuals were enumerated using a superior fluorescence-activated cell sorter system. these patients were tested for the presence of hepatitis b surface antigen and anti-hepatitis c virus (hcv) using third generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. fifty (27.8%) patients had active hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection while 33 (18.3%) tested positive for anti-hcv antibody. of these infections, 110 (61.1%), 37 (20.6%), and 20 (11.1%) had hiv only, hbv/hiv-only, and hcv/hiv-only respectively. a hbv/hcv/hiv coinfection prevalence of 7.2% (13 patients) was recorded. patients coinfected with hiv/hbv/hcv appeared to have lower cd4+ counts (mean = 107 cells/μl; aids defining) when compared to hbv/hiv-only (mean = 377 cells/μl), hcv/hiv-only (mean = 373 cells/μl) and patients with mono hiv infection (mean = 478 cells/μl). coinfection with hbv or hcv is relatively common among hiv-infected patients in nigeria and should be a big consideration in the initiation and choice of therapy.