PREVALENCE AND TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS AMONG HIV INFECTED PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AT DALHATU ARAF SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, LAFIA AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

This study highlighted the prevalence and transmission of Hepatitis CVirus (HCV) infection among HIV Infected Pediatrics Patients (HIV-IPP) at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia. The main objective of the study is to assess its prevalence, diffusion and the riskf actors associated with pediatric HIV positive patients. A total of 128 respondents were selected, 3 ml of blood samples were collected and screened for HCV using HCV rapid test kits. Fisher's exact test and the Susceptible-Infective-Recovered (SIR) modelwere used to analyze the data. The studyfound 10% HCV seropositivity among male pediatric HIVpatients at 0.000 level of significance, and the risk factors associated with this HCV infection are obscurewarranting further study on epidemiology of this important cause ofl iver disease. The basic reproductive number (RJ of the SIR model determinedusing Jacobian matrix was greater than 1 (Ra = 1.3014), suggesting a highly unique endemic equilibriumthat is locally asymptotically unstable. The study calls on the government, corporate bodies and Non-Governmental Organizations to channel funds into the research and monitoring activities of the HCVfor early detection (through screening) and treatment of identified chronically infected patients as a preventive measure, so that HCV can be eliminated in the shortest possible time.