Siempre Unidos nurse counsels and tests a woman for hepatitis B
HIV works insidiously with other diseases. When a person has HIV their risk of developing other diseases rises dramatically.
This is the case with hepatitis B. Approximately 10% of the HIV-infected population worldwide is infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). HIV increases the risk of cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease in HBV co-infection.
Given this fact, we leapt at the opportunity to test our HIV-positive patients for the hepatitis B virus when provided funding by the Gilead Foundation. We found that approximately 2% of our 432 patients were positive for hepatitis B. With this information, we can ensure they receive the appropriate treatment and the best possible chance of living long, healthy lives.
