The Frequency of Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infections among Visceral Leishmaniasis Patients and Their Impact on Management

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) represent significant public health problems and affect around 300 million people globally. Co-infection of HBV and HCV among patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) increased the risk of hepatotoxicity during treatment with sodium stibogluconate (SSG). Leishmania/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection is emerging as a new clinical form of leishmaniasis. Objective: We aimed to determine the frequency of HBV, HCV, and HIV co-infections among VL patients and the impact on their management. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted during the period March-May 2021 and included 100 participants. Results: More than two-thirds of the participants (71%) were males while the rest were females (29%), with a mean age of 31.32 years. Patients who were HIV positive 9% and 7% were HBV positive, while only 2% were HCV positive. Patients who received the first line of treatment (sodium stibogluconate) were 71% while 29% received the second line of treatment (amphotericin B). Conclusion: Improvement of screening and early detection of viral hepatitis/HIV co-infections with VL may provide effective preventive measures and affect the management options according to the updated protocol.