Viral hepatitis B and C in HIV-infected patients in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis B and C are among the leading causes of death in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Prevalence data on viral hepatitis B and C in HIV-infected people in the region of Middle East and North Africa are scarce. We report the prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C in HIV-infected patients in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: Data on all HIV patients who attended HIV Program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were kept longitudinally. For the purpose of this report, patients enrolled in the Program between January 1985 and December 2010 were included. METHODS: Data on all HIV patients who received HIV care at age 18 and older between January 1985 and December 2010 were collected. Data were collected from patients’ charts at our medical records department and electronically from the electronic health records and HIV database. We excluded patients who were deceased prior to completing work-up, lost follow-up, or acquired HIV perinatally. RESULTS: Among 341 HIV-infected patients, hepatitis C infection was found in 41 (12%) patients. The commonest risk factor for hepatitis C virus and HIV acquisition was blood/blood product transfusion in 24 (60%) patients, of these 21 (88%) were hemophiliacs, followed by heterosexual transmission in 9 (22%) patients. The commonest genotype was genotype 1 observed in 18 patients (44%) followed by genotype 4 in 6 (15%) patients. Hepatitis B surface antigen was found in 11 (3%) patients. The commonest risk factor for hepatitis B virus and HIV acquisition was heterosexual transmission in 8 (73%) patients, followed by blood/blood product transfusion in 2 (18%) patients. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus infections are, respectively,10 and 20 times higher among HIV-infected patients than in the general population.