Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Patients and Pregnant Women that Visited David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital Uburu, Ohaozara L.G.A Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Felix Edoiseh, Ehidiamhen, Adaukwu Chinwendu, Igwe, Ogbata Stanley, Emeka, Anemeje Onyeka Afam, Dafup, Katdel Istifanus, Andrew Isimenmen Okoawoh, Robinson Uchenna Ugwuanyi, Grace Chinyere, Chukwu.
Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of liver disease, morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for 360 million cases of chronic hepatitis and 620,000 deaths per year. It is hyper-endemic in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) and a major cause of chronic liver disease and 47% of hepatocellular carcinoma cases in Sub-Sahara Africa are attributed to HBV. In southern parts of the country, up to 58.1% of the patients with chronic liver dieases were found to be HBsAg positive. Several authors report on the prevalence of HBV among subpopulations in Nigeria estimated variable prevalences which is dependednt on the population of study and the method used.
Aims: This study is carried out to determine the current seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus using the analysis of its surface antigen in the blood of patients and pregnant women that visited David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital Uburu, Ebonyi state between January 2023 to December 2023.
Methodology: Two to five milliliter (2-5ml) of venous blood was drawn from the patients, ensuing standard precaution into an appropriately labelled ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) bottle and temporary stored in cold box. Blood samples were centrifuged at 4,500 rpm for about 3minutes to separate plasma from the red cells. Commercial quantitative and qualitative HBsAg ELISA kit (CTK Biotech) was utilized, with strict compliance to the manufacturer’s instructions in the manual and the standard operating procedure. Sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA kit were 100% and 100% respectively. Two to three (2-3) drops of plasma specimen were pipetted into the circular groove of the cassette and incubated at 37°c for 15minutes, results were read.
If both C and T bands developed on the HBsAg groove, it was read as positive, if C was visible and T band was not visible the result was read as negative and if no red bands appeared or control line fails to appear, the result was interpreted as invalid and was retested.
Result: Out of the 413 people examined, 17 persons were reactive giving an overall seroprevalence of 4.1%, while 396 (95.9%) participants were negative to HBV surface antigen. Out of the 17 persons with reactive results, male had 8 (1.9%) and female 9 (2.2%). All the reactive female participants are the non- pregnant female. No pregnant female among the 54 participants was positive. There is no significant association in prevalence with respect to sex. There is a significant association in the prevalence according to age as ages 31-40 years has the highest prevalence followed by ages 21-30 year
Conclusion: The findings of 4.1% prevalence of HBV in this research when compared to 1% WHO universal target for 2020 (WHO, 2016) and 0.1% for 2030 (WHO, 2018) rate is alarming and looking at the age bracket involved. This therefore, calls for serious concern to the Government and health authorities at all levels. Considering the mortality, morbidity, social and economic effects of Hepatitis B virus infection on humanity.
