Detecting HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis Infections in the Absence of Established Guidelines for Testing among Care-Seeking Individuals

Introduction: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Treponema pallidum infections remain major public health concerns, especially in settings with limited routine diagnostic screening. In Nigeria, testing is largely confined to blood donor screening, leaving many people unaware of their infection status. This study evaluated the outcomes of offering voluntary screening for all four infections to individuals attending a healthcare facility for noninfectious reasons.
Materials and Methods: To evaluate the impact of unplanned testing for these four infections, a total of 376 participants were tested using rapid diagnostic assays. 376 subjects visiting a hospital for reasons other than testing were recruited and offered tests for HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis (VDRL). Venous blood was obtained from each subject, and rapid qualitative test kits were used according to the manufacturer’s instructions to screen for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV), HIV antibodies, and antibodies against syphilis (VDRL).
Results: Twenty-seven individuals (7.18%) were positive for at least one infection, with HIV 1 accounting for the highest proportion (4.52%). HBV, HCV, and syphilis prevalence were 1.32%, 0.79%, and 0.53%, respectively. No co-infections were detected.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the value of expanding routine testing strategies and support the integration of universal screening approaches for HBV, HCV, and syphilis alongside HIV.

STIs, Detection, Testing, Nigeria

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