Hepatitis B and C virus co-infections and genetic diversity among HIV-1 infected individuals in Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

Objectives: The present study determined the prevalence of HBV/HCV coinfections; genetic diversity and drug resistance of HBV among HIV infected patients visiting Siaya County Referral Hospital, Kenya.
Design: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study.
Setting: This study was conducted at Siaya County Referral Hospital Laboratory and KEMRI HBV laboratory, Nairobi, Kenya.
Subjects: A total of two hundred and twenty-five (225) HIV patients randomized from HIV comprehensive clinic of Siaya County Referral Hospital between August and December, 2018.
Results: From the 225 samples that were analyzed, 6.2% (14/225) were HBV/HIV coinfected while that of HCV/HIV was 4.0% (9/225). However, no participant was coinfected with three viruses. Of the 11 samples that were successfully sequenced, the phylogenetic analysis revealed the sequences belonged to HBV genotype A1. Mutation rt169F was detected in one of the patient.
Conclusion: From this study, HBV/HCV and HIV co-infections could be higher than reported here. HBV genotype A1 is the most  predominant circulating genotype in Siaya County. All the detected HBV were susceptible viral strains with only one harboring HBV strain with rt169F mutation. There is therefore a need for a continuous surveillance of HBV/HCV/HIV co-infections, circulating HBV
genotypes and drug resistant variants in this region in order to guide vaccine and optimization of treatment.