Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in HIV seropositive children in Lagos, Nigeria

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may influence hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease through immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of HCV in HIV sero-positive children in Lagos, Nigeria. 132 blood samples of children aged 1-15 years were collected at the HIV clinics of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). Confirmatory analysis of HIV sero-status was done using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. All the 132 children recruited were HIV sero-positive. Serological assay for HCV was done on the 132 HIV sero-positive serum samples using ELISA technique. Assay procedures were carried out at the Virology Unit, College of Medicine, University of Lagos. Out of the 132 HIV sero-positive samples, 6 were positive for HCV with a prevalence of 4.54% with sex related prevalence of four (6.58%) males and two (2.82%) females, respectively. Zero prevalence was recorded between age groups 1-3 years while a sero-prevalence of 20% was found among age groups 12-15 years. The result of this study implies that HIV positive children are likely to be co-infected with HCV, thus re-affirming the role of this virus in concomitant HIV associated infection in children which may further complicate their immunocompromised state.    Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Lagos.