QUANTIFICATION OF HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS C VIRAL LOAD BY REAL-TIME PCR AND ASSESSMENT OF COINFECTION OF HBV AND HCV AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

bjective: To assess the prevalence of coinfection of HIV-HBV and HIV-HCV and to estimate the viral load of HBV and HCV in PLWH. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from November 2021 to October 2022 among patients attending ICTC. 5 ml of blood sample collected aseptically was tested for HIV, HBV and HCV using rapid immunochromatographic tests, ELISA and viral load estimated by Real-time PCR. Results: Out of 5087 samples tested for HIV, 666 samples (13.09%) were found to be positive. Prevalence of HIV-HBV and HIV-HCV coinfection was 15.6%(104 cases) and 1.5% (10 cases), respectively. Out of which, males were predominant (62.28%). This is clinically significant with a p-value of * 0.05. HIV-HBV and HIV-HCV coinfections were predominant in 41-50 y age group. Among104 HIV-HBV coinfected, viral load at the time of diagnosis is ‘below detection level’ in 25(24.04%), <250 in 15(14.42%), 251-500 in 9(8.65 %), 501-1000 in 13(12.5 %), 1001-10,000 in 23(22 %) and>10, 000 copies/ml in 19(18.26%). In 10 HIV-HCV coinfected cases, the viral load is ‘below detection level’ in 2(20%), <250 in 1(10%), 251-500 in 1(10 %), 501-1000 in 1(10 %), 1001-10,000 in 4(40%) and>10,001-100,000 copies/ml in 1(10%). Conclusion: Monitoring the viral load in HBV or HCV infected at the time of diagnosis of HIV or testing for protective levels of antibodies post-vaccination in uninfected people will help in limiting the progression of chronic HBV or HCV to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma.