[974] PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B AND C VIRUSES C AND HCV GENOTYPES IN HIV-POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PREGNANT WOMEN IN ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (WEST AFRICA)

2nd International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment

Paris, France - July 13 - 16, 2003

[TITLE:] PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B AND C VIRUSES C AND HCV GENOTYPES IN HIV-POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PREGNANT WOMEN IN ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (WEST AFRICA)

[AUTHOR(S):] P Msellati¹, A Inwoley^2,3, ML Chaix⁴, F Rouet^2,3, I Viho³, V Leroy^3,5, F Dabis^3,5 and C Rouzioux⁴ for the ANRS 049 Abidjan Ditrame Study Group
¹IRD/LPE, Marseille, France; ²CeDReS, CHU de Treichville, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; ³Programme PAC-CI, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; ⁴Laboratoire de Virologie, CHU Necker, Paris, France; and ⁵INSERM U593, ISPED, Victor Segalen University, Bordeaux, France

IAS Conf HIV Pathog Treat 2003 Jul 13-16;2nd: Abstract No. 974
Antiviral Therapy 2003; 8(Suppl. 1):S459

[ABSTRACT:] Background: Little is known about the presence of hepatitis viruses C (HCV) and B (HBV) among pregnant women in West Africa in relation to HIV infection.

Methods: A study was conducted in 1002 serum samples obtained from African pregnant women (501 diagnosed as HIV-1 positive and 501 HIV-1 negative) issued from the ANRS 049 DITRAME trial conducted in Abidjan in 1995–1998 (zidovudine vs placebo for PMTCT). Two third-generation HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (EIAs) were used for primary screening and supplementary assays for confirmation. HCV genotyping was also determined. Hepatitis B markers studied were HBs antigen (HBsAg), and if positive, HBe antigen/anti-HBe antibodies and HBV DNA.

Results: Anti-HCV antibodies were initially detected in 19 HIV-1 positive (3.8%) and 22 HIV-1 negative women (4.4%). After supplementary testing, several false-positive results could be eliminated, leading to a low 1.0% seroprevalence of HCV infection, similar in HIV-positive (6/501, 1.2%) and HIV-negative (5/501, 1.0%) women (P=0.76). Of the 10 samples confirmed positive and assessed for HCV RNA, seven samples were viraemic. All belonged to HCV genotypes 1 or 2. Eighty-five women (8.5%) were positive for HBsAg, with a comparable prevalence in HIV-positive (9%) and HIVnegative (8%) women (P=0.58). Chronic hepatitis B, defined by a positive HBV DNA test, was more frequent in HIV-positive women (25%) than among HIV-negative women (<10%) (P=0.06).

Conclusions: The definition of an appropriate serological algorithm is crucial for an accurate determination of the HCV prevalence in Africa. The high frequency of coinfection HIV/HBV in Ivory Coast emphasizes the need to monitor hepatotoxicity among HIV-1/HBVcoinfected patients under HAART and to adjust HAART regimens.

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