Evaluation of Alanine Aminotransferase (Alt), Aspatate Aminotransferase (Ast) and Albumin (Alb) Among Blood Donors Infected with Hepatitis B and C Virus and Malaria in Ife Central Local Government Area, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Liver diseases are responsible for over one and half million deaths annually and are characterized by permanent inflammatory processes that predispose to liver cancer.Liver function biomarkers are important indices that help in assessment of disease severity. Several studies reveal changes in activity level of liver enzymes and protein in the serum due to Plasmodium infection and Hepatitis infection. Liver enzymes play an important role in the assessment of liver function because of liver injury resulting in cytolysis or necrosis that causes release of enzymes into circulation. Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are major global health problems. Moreover, infection with these viruses might associate with increased mortality rate as the infection may predisposes to the development of serious liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objectives of the study are to determine the prevalence Hepatitis B and C infections among blood donors, analyze the relationship between socio- demographic variables and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspatate aminotransferase (AST) and Albumin (ALB), analyze the relationship between malarial and ALT and AST and evaluate the effect of hepatitis infections on the liver cells. The study was conducted in Ife Central Local Government .Area, Ile Ife, Osun State. Five (5) ml of venous blood was obtained from each of 400 blood donors into plain bottles and labeled accordingly. Sera were separated from aliquots of the blood and screened for hepatitis-B and C surface antigens (HBsAg and HCV), and enzymes such as aspatate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The total percentage of elevated AST was 14(3.5%), ALT 15 (3.8%) and ALB 32(8.0%), while that the least AST 24 (6.0%), ALT 23 (4.8%) and ALB 6 (1.5%). There was significant difference between Occupation and ALT (p= 0.040) and ALB (p= 0.030), Marital status and AST (p=0.014), ALT (p= 0.012), ALB (p=0.014), there was no significant difference between HCV and AST (p=0.532), ALT (p=0.532), but with ALB (p=0.000). There was no significant difference between HBV and AST ( p=0.285), ALT (p=0.593) and ALB (p=0.033), the general hepatitis viral infection had no significant difference with AST ( p=0.516), ALT (p=0.516), but with ALB (p= 0.000), There was no significant difference between malaria infection and AST (p= 0.906), ALT (p= 0.999) and ALB (p= 0.718). in conclusion, although the prevalence hepatitis B and C viral infections was low and there was no significant relationship between the Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspatate aminotransferase,(AST) and Hepatitis infection in the local government, critical screening of blood donors is of prime importance because they serve as an asymptomatic reservoirs and a potential source of transmission of these infections. The strengthening of creating awareness on the general public regarding HBsAg and HCV transmission and prevention should be of paramount important.