Original Research
The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in HIV-positive and HIV-negative infants: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Submitted: 18 November 2014 | Published: 31 March 2016
About the author(s)
Nokukhanya Mdlalose, Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaRaveen Parboosing, Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Pravi Moodley, Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Abstract
Objectives: We describe the prevalence of HBV infection amongst HIV-positive and HIV-negative infants by molecular methods of diagnosis using dried blood spot samples.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2011 and December 2011 in an academic referral laboratory offering viral diagnostic services to the entire KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. A total of 322 study samples were collected from discarded residual dried blood spot samples following routine infant diagnosis of HIV. Equal proportions of HIV-positive and HIV-negative infant specimens were studied. Statistical differences in the prevalence of HBV between the HIV-positive and HIV-negative samples were calculated using the Pearson chi-square test, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Further testing for HBV DNA using a nested polymerase chain reaction method was performed.
Results: The overall prevalence of HBV was 10%. In the HIV-positive group, 21 of 161 infants tested positive for HBV compared with 12 of 161 HIV-negative infants who tested positive for HBV. The proportion of infants infected with HBV was marginally higher amongst HIV positiveinfants (13.0%; 95% CI 6.8–19.9) compared with HIV-negative infants (7.5%; 95% C I2.5–13.7; P = 0.098), though not statistically significant.
Conclusion: The finding of a 10% HBV prevalence in this infant cohort is clinically significant. The non-statistically significant difference in HBV prevalence between the HIV-positive and HIV-negative infants suggests that high prevalence of HBV infection in children may be a problem independent of HIV.
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BMJ Global Health vol: 4 issue: 3 first page: e001389 year: 2019
doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001389