Incidence of Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza among HIV-Infected versus HIV-Uninfected Individuals in Two Districts of Ghana, 2014 to 2016

Abstract

Influenza is known to cause severe respiratory illness inHIV-infected adults, but there are fewdata describing the relationship between HIV infection and influenza inWest African countries such asGhana.We conducted a prospective cohort study in theShai-Osudoku andNingoPrampramdistrictsofGhanafrom2014 to2016.BeginningMay2014, 266HIVinfected and 510HIV-uninfected participants age 18 to 73 years were enrolled andmonitored for 12months.We observed 4 and11 laboratory-confirmedinfluenza casesamongHIV-infectedandHIV-uninfectedpersons, respectively.Theoverall rate of laboratory-confirmedinfluenza amongHIV-infectedparticipantswas 15.0per 1,000person years (PY) (95%CI, 0.3–29.80 per1,000PY),whereas thatamongHIV-uninfectedparticipantswas21.6per1,000PY(95%CI, 8.8–34.3 per 1,000PY) (incidence density ratio, 0.70;P50.56).Our study found no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza- associated illness among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals in Ghana.