HIV Seroprevalence Among Surgical Specialty Outpatients at a Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: HIV infection rate is higher in densely populated and heavily industrialized communities like Kano. The risk of transmission of the infection from patients to health workers, and from mother to child is very high among antenatal women and surgical patients if their HIV status is not known, because of the higher probability of breaching the universal precautions. Objective: To determine the sero-prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among Surgical Specialty outpatients Clinic attendees (Antenatal and Surgical Outpatient Clinics) Methodology: A prospective observational study of all the clinic attendees who consented to be included in this study between January and December 2004 was carried out at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. The clinic attendees had pre-test counseling, followed by voluntary testing and post test counseling for those who were sero-positive and negative. The data obtained were analyzed using chi-square test, and analysis for linear trend in proportions was done using chi-square test for linear trend. Odds ratio and 95% Confidence Interval were determined where appropriate. Results: The sero-prevalence of HIV infection among the clinic attendees that were screened was 37.5%. There was higher prevalence of the infection among the low socio-economic class (X²_trend= 53.028, P= 0.0000). The prevalence of the infection increased with increasing age up to 50 years, and thereafter decreased with increasing age (X²_trend = 8.597, P= 0.00337). Ambulatory status (OR= 0.78, CI= 0.60-1.01, P > 0.05), and sex (OR= 1.01, CI= 0.80- 1.28, P > 0.05) of the patients did not show statistically significant difference in the prevalence of the infection. Conclusion: The high prevalence of HIV infection among the clinic attendees that were screened, call for mandatory screening of all antenatal and surgical patients, especially before a procedure is carried out.

Key words: HIV sero-prevalence, surgical specialty outpatients, ELISA,