Comparative gender analysis of the seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus among HIV-infected individuals receiving care at Offa, north-central Nigeria

Background: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections are common and contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected patients. This study was conducted to determine the level of exposure, compare the gender distribution pattern and correlate with CD4 count, history of chicken pox and demographics among HIV patients. Methodology: Blood samples were collected from 273 randomly selected HIV-positive patients (93 males and 180 females) receiving care and  management at the General Hospital Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria, between September 2019 and March 2020, after obtaining informed consent. Sera were  separated from the blood samples and tested for the presence of VZV-specific IgG antibodies using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results: The seroprevalence rate of VZV in the selected HIV patients was 76.9% (210/273), which was similar in both male (83.9%, 78/93) and female  (73.3%, 132/180) patients (χ2=3.265, p=0.071). The seroprevalence rates of VZV in both male and female patients were significantly associated with  marital status, occupational status, and CD4+ cell count (p<0.05), however, age group was not significantly associated with VZV seroprevalence in both  male (χ2=8.014, p=0.155) and female (χ2=4.689, p=0.455) patients. The seroprevalence of VZV in males (32%) who reported history of chicken pox was  about twice that of females (17.4%) (OR=2.235, 95% CI=1.162-4.302, p=0.023). Conclusion: The level of exposure of HIV-infected individuals to VZV in Offa, Nigeria is high and is similarly distributed in both male and female genders.  However, more males with VZV exposure reported history of chicken pox (acute infection) than their female counterparts.