Seroprevalence of Viral Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C Infection in HIV-infected Pregnant Women on Antiretroviral Therapy (ARV) in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)

Abstract

Liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH). Diagnosis of these co-infections should be a priority in HIV-infected pregnant women so that they can receive appropriate and effective treatment. However, the prevalence of these infections in this vulnerable population remains poorly documented in Cote d'Ivoire. The objective of this study is to assess the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infections in HIV-infected pregnant women undergoing ARV treatment in Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire). A cross-sectional study among HIV-infected pregnant women was conducted from September 2017 to May 2018 in Abidjan. HBV and HCV serological tests were performed with the electrochemiluminescence method "ECLIA" on Cobas E 411. A total of one hundred (n = 100) HIV-infected pregnant women were included. The results showed that 6% (n=6/100) of the HIV-infected pregnant women had positive HBV serology and no HIV-HCV co-infection was detected. Of the 100 HIV-infected pregnant women included in this study, 23% had undergone surgery. In this population, HBsAg was positive in 9% of patients and HCV antibodies were negative in all patients. The data from this study support the implementation of large-scale sentinel surveillance in Cote d'Ivoire in order to refine data on the prevalence and circulation of viral hepatitis B and C in high-risk populations such as pregnant women.