Surveillance of Hepatitis B Biomarkers in Borno State, Nigeria

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a major global health problem of public health importance. The World Health Organization (WHO) African Region has reported an approximately 100 million people with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and Nigeria has been classified as endemic.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine (i) the prevalence of hepatitis B infection (ii) the immune status to hepatitis B among patients (iii) the susceptibility rate.

Methods: A total of four hundred and ten (410) sera were collected at random from patients attending various hospitals in Borno state. A self-structured questionnaire was used to obtained demographic data which included age and sex, social status (e.g. trader, farmer, civil servant or student), pregnancy status, blood donor type. Sera samples were obtained for qualitative detection of HBsAg using rapid chromatographic immunoassays with test kits from Qingdao Hightop Biotech Co., China having sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 99%, 97% and 98.5% respectively.

Results: This is a first-phase result of a surveillance of hepatitis B biomarkers in Borno state Nigeria. The proportion of male (248:60.5%) was higher than female (162:39.5%). Out of the 410 samples assayed, overall prevalence of 7.1%, 2%, 0%, 47.1% and 45.6% for HBsAg (Hepatitis B surface antigen), HBsAb (anti-HBs), HBeAg (Hepatitis B envelop antigen), HBeAb (Anti-HBe) and HBcAb (Anti-HBcore) respectively were obtained. A total of 24.1% (7/29) of the HBsAg positives were negative for all other biomarkers suggesting new cases in the acute phase. The later comprise of 2 pregnant women, 1 blood donor, 3 farmers and 1 civil servant. Sixteen (3.9%) of the 410 samples were negative for all the biomarkers. Of these, 11(68.8%) were pregnant women, 1 private blood donor and 2 students and 2 civil servants. Gender-based prevalence of HBsAg among male was 8.5% (21/248) and 4.9% (8/162) among female. Out of 29/410 (7.1%) HBsAg positives, 89.7% (26/29) were between 15–34 years old. Out of 150 blood donors, the prevalence of HBsAg was 8.7% (13/150) while among 50 pregnant women it was 8% (4/50). HBsAg positivity proportion was (10/29) among students; civil servants (7/29); traders (6/29) and farmers (6/29).

Conclusion: Hepatitis B infection continues to be a public health hazard due to existence of susceptible individuals and emerging new cases as observed in this study. Therefore, routine vaccinations at all levels should be invigorated while continuous surveillance of the infection is maintained until population immunity can be achieved.