OBJECTIVETo determine the prevalence of HIV seropositivity among patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva.

METHODSAll patients with clinical and histopathological confirmation of squamous cell carcinoma seen during a ten year period (July 1999 to June 2009) were tested for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The number of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva who are HIV positive were counted.

RESULTSA total of thirty-three (33) eyes in thirty-two (32) patients were confirmed histopathologically to have conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma. Their ages ranged from 22 years to 66 years with a mean age of (38.6 ± 11.8) years (SD). The male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Twenty four (75%) of these patients were HIV positive.

CONCLUSIONSSquamous cell carcinoma is associated with the human immunodeficiency virus and is thus a marker for the disease in Benin City, Nigeria.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Conjunctival Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; HIV Seropositivity ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nigeria ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Young Adult