Abstract

Introduction: Global estimates indicates that about 5% – 10% of people living with HIV (PLWHIV) are co-infected with Hepatitis B virus (HBV), of 36.7 million HIV patients globally the highest proportion of all PLWHIV (about 70%) are in sub-Saharan Africa; this research aims to determine the prevalence of HBV/HIV co-infection in Jigawa state Nigeria. rnMethod: method was cross-sectional, consenting HIV patients aged from 0 to 80 years were recruited from 3 different health facilities within Jigawa state between the period of January 2020 to April 2020, information about their risk behaviors and social demography were collected using close-ended questionnaires, Patients’ medical files were examined to get their ART regimens and viral load. Rapid test was used to determine HBsAg, nested polymerase chain reaction PCR was carried out using specific HBV S-gene primers, a characteristic 756bp band was seen in the gel electrophoresis. rnResults: 300 HIV patients consisting of 203 females and 97 males participated in the study, research concluded with the overall prevalence of 7.7% HBV/HIV co-infection (n=23/300). Results obtained from the study revealed higher occurrence in men than women 13% and 4% respectively, widows/widower, patients with a low level of education are observed to have a higher prevalence of HBV/HIV. This research also revealed patronage of local commercial pedicures/manicures as one of the factors associated with HBV/HIV co-infection. Others included vaccination. There was a statistical association between blood transfusion and HBV/HIV co-infection as obtained in the study. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 13 at a confidence of 95% and 5% margin error.