Background: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS and HBsAg sero-positivity is very high in sub-Saharan African. There is a risk of horizontal transmission of these diseases amongst ophthalmic patients.
Aim: To determine the proportion patients for eye surgery who are HIV/AIDS and HBsAg sero-positive at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.
Methods: Patients selected for eye surgery during a surgical camp at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna were counseled for Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and HBsAg to determine their viral status.
Results: A total of 650 patients who were selected were screened. The distributions of the indications for selection were as follows: cataract 483 (74.3%); glaucoma 44 (6.8%) and pterygium 123 (18.9%). Two patients (0.2%) were found to be HIV seropositive while 11 (1.5%) were HbsAg positive.
Conclusion: Pre-operative screening of all patients going for ophthalmic surgery for HIV and HbsAg may be desirable in our environment.
Keywords: HBsAg; HIV; Nigeria.; ocular surgery; seroprevalence.