Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV1 or HIV) has emerged as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in many low and middle-income countries around the world. Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV infection and the greatest number of individuals living with HIV. Therefore, this study was aimed at the investigating the prevalence of opportunistic infections among HIV-Positive patients receiving anti-retroviral treatments at two general hospitals in Lagos state from year 2011-2020.A quantitative retrospective research design was employed in this study with a population of 105,188 from Isolo General Hospital and Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos State. Total enumeration and convenience sampling was used to select clinical notes from the hospitals. Data collected were subjected to descriptive analysis and inferential statistics of multiple linear regression, Pearson’s product moment correlation and independent samples t-test using SPSS version 23. Inferences were made at 0.05 alpha level. For the presence of the HIV opportunistic infections, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) had the highest rate of 4169(42.8%), while the least was Toxoplasmosis Cryptococcal Meningitis remaining 49 (0.5%). Similarly, the highest prevalence was in 2016 with a population of 649, followed by 2015 (635), 490 in 2014, and 434 in 2018. The lowest prevalence was found in 2019 (293) followed by 2020 (298) and 2017 (363) respectively. There is a significant relationship between gender and systemic disorders where TB (x2 = 23.17, p = .000); Pneumocystis Pneumonia (x2 = 17.88, p = .000); Dermatology: Herpes S. (x2 = 9.83, p = .007), Ophthalmology: Herpes Zoster O (x2 = 9.24, p = .025) Alimentary: Oropharyngeal Thrush (x2 = 12.09, p = .000), Cryptosporidium Diarrhea (x2 = 10.93, p = .000); CNS: Toxoplasmosis C. Meningitis (x2 = 8.55, p = .022), and Blood: Anemia (x2 = 11.84, p = .000). This implies that the respondents’ gender has a significant relationship with opportunistic infections in systemic disorders (respiratory, alimentary, skin, CNS, ophthalmology and special senses). Coordination and integration of diagnostic services and preventive care for OIs and HIV is essential for their control. It is recommended that active case finding programs should be initiated so that ART can be initiated early among those infected with HIV to decrease the burden of OIs.
