Hepatitis B seroprevalence in HIV-infected patients consulting in a public day care unit in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Objective: The authors had for aim to assess the prevalence of hepatitis B co-infection in a cohort of HIV-infected patients, routinely followed-up at the Day Care Unit of the Bobo Dioulasso Sanou Souro University Hospital, Burkina Faso.

Patients And Methods: The Elisa technique was used to dose HBs antigen (AgHBs), antibodies anti-HBs and anti-HBc in all the patients followed by the biological laboratory, from October to December 2008.

Results: The AgHBs prevalence was 12.7% [CI at 95%: 10.7-15.0%] and men were slightly more likely to be positive for AgHBs than women (16.5% [12.0-21.9%] versus 11.6% [9.4-14.1%]; P=0.047); 83.3% of the patients [80.8-85.6%] were positive for hepatitis B core antibody, and 32.6% [29.7-35.6%] for hepatitis B surface antibody; 29.9% of the patients [27.1-32.8%] had a complete profile of former hepatitis B infection, 41.3% [38.2-44.4%] expressed core antibodies only; 13.8% [11.7-16.0%] had a negative serological test, and 2.3% [1.5-3.4%] presented a vaccinal immunity.

Conclusion: These results stress the usefulness of screening for hepatitis B in all HIV-infected patients, along with the initial biological tests. This would help adapt HIV treatment to co-infected patients and to build an expanded program of vaccination for non-immune patients.