The prevalence of HBsAg positivity in HIV-positive patients of 7.6% is comparable to those rates found in studies in the northern hemisphere as well as to those in a number of South African treatment cohorts, with most of the studies showing rates between 5% and 9%, with only two ‘outliers’ around 20%.4,5,6,7,8,9,10 Also in keeping with the generally documented trends are our findings of higher co-infection rates amongst males and in individuals with lower CD4 counts. Here, CD4 is linked to coinfection.