A survey of opportunistic infections in HIV seropositive patients attending major hospitals of Kebbi state, Nigeria

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of HIV/AIDS related opportunistic infections from the patients attending the five major Hospitals in Kebbi State , which included Federal Medical Center (FMC), Birnin Kebbi, Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital (SYMH), Birnin Kebbi, General Hospital, Argungu (GHA), General Hospital , Yauri (GHY) and General Hospital , Zuru (GHZ). The screening for the HIV/AID was done using the Genic II HIV-1/HIV – 2 Test and the screening for opportunistic infections was done using thin and thick blood films, direct wet mount, formal ether concentration technique and modified Ziehl – Neelsen (ZN) technique. Microbial Pathogens were isolated through culture and identified through gram staining and biochemical tests. Out of the 1950 patients screened for HIV/AIDS infection, 606 (31.6%) were positive. Higher prevalence 195 (32.2%) was from FMC and the lowest from GHY 90 (15%). The result revealed that 374 (61.7%) of HIV/AIDS positive patients were also positive to one or more opportunistic infections. In this respect, higher prevalence of 32.3% was observed from FMC and the lowest was observed from SYMH with 13.9%. The result of the study also revealed the presence of malarial (Plasmodium) parasites with prevalence of (75.9%).The Federal Medical Centre (FMC) had the highest prevalence of 29.5%, SYMH, 21.7%, GHA, 17.2%, GHY, 16.1 and lastly GHZ with 15.4%. There is therefore the need for urgent positive control programme of HIV and HIV related opportunistic infections.

Keywords: Survey, opportunistic infections, HIV Sero positive, Kebbi State.