Hepatitis B virus and HIV coinfection among adults residing in Cameroon: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence studies.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection among adults in Cameroon. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, and Africa Journal Online with no language restriction to identify articles published from Jan 1996 until Dec 2017. We considered observational studies conducted in apparently healthy populations (pregnant women, blood donors, and general population). We used a random-effects model to pool data. RESULTS: We included 24 studies (23,295 participants) from seven of the ten regions in Cameroon. Four, 20, and no studies had low, moderate, and high risk of bias respectively. The overall HBV-HIV coinfection prevalence was 0.8% (95%CI 0.5-1.0; 11 studies). The overall HBV prevalence in people with HIV was 12.9% (95%CI 9.7-16.5; 20 studies). The HBV prevalence in people with HIV was significantly higher in rural compared to urban. No study reported the prevalence of HIV infection in people with HBV. CONCLUSIONS: Although we found a low prevalence of HIV-HBV coinfection in Cameroon, this study presented a high HBV prevalence in people with HIV. Effective strategies to interrupt the transmission of HBV are required, especially among people with HIV infection in rural areas.