Prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection among dental patients in a Nigerian secondary healthcare facility

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection among patients attending the Dental Clinic of General Hospital Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a prospective study of 1080 dental patients of General Hospital Minna. RESULTS: Out of the 1080 patients counseled, only 200 gave consent to participate in the study. Of the 200 participants, 8 tested positive for HIV, giving a prevalence of 4.0%. Females and participants in the sixth and fifth decades of life were found to have higher prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. Corpers and traders had higher prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. Participants with periodontal complaints (bleeding gums and shaking teeth) also had higher prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. The proportion of participants that reported having knowledge about the actual existence, risk factors, and prevention of HIV/AIDS was high. The proportion of participants who expressed willingness to receive more information on HIV-related issues was high. CONCLUSION: One out of 25 patients attending this secondary healthcare setting for dental services had undiagnosed HIV infection. This highlights the need for the establishment of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) unit in the dental clinics and also re-emphasizes the strict compliance of standard precaution in dental practices.