Abstract
This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of HBsAg among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at General Hospital in Agba, Ekwulobia, Anambra State. Two hundred pregnant women who consented voluntarily after thorough explanation of the purpose of the study were recruited for this study. The samples were tested for the presence of antibodies using rapid Dia Spot HBsAg rapid test strip developed by Dia Spot Diagnostics, USA and ClinotechHBsAg (Clinotech diagnostics, Richmond, Canada). Analysis of the result showed that 23(11.5%) of the pregnant women had HBsAg. Statistical analysis, however, showed no significant difference between the prevalence and the age of patients, parity, trimester and type of family. The frequency of HBY carriers did not vary significantly with the Use of condoms and contraceptives. However, there was a significant frequency variation in the distribution of HBsAg between those that have previous history of transfusion, operation, circumcision and those who never had history of operation, transfusion or circumcision Therefore, the need to institute public health measures to reduce disease burden and transmission, including routine screening of all pregnant mothers for HBV infection and early passive-active immunization of babies born to HBsAg-positive mothers are advocated.
Highlights
Hepatitis, B virus is a hepadnavirus-hepa from hepatotropic and DNA because it is a DNA virus [1]
The viruses replicate through an RNA intermediate form by reverse transcription, which in practice relates to retroviruses (Locarnini S 2004). It is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. It is an infectious illness of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that affects apes, including humans
Distribution of Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) in relation to parity (No of pregnancy) is shown in Table 2. 9(20.9%) of 43 women who were in their 3rd pregnancy and above or who have had more than 3 children had HBsAg, 2 (4.7%) of 43 women were in their 2nd pregnancy had HBsAg while 12 (8.3%) of the 114 women who were in their 1st pregnancy had antibodies to HBsAg
Summary
B virus is a hepadnavirus-hepa from hepatotropic (attracted to the liver) and DNA because it is a DNA virus [1]. The viruses replicate through an RNA intermediate form by reverse transcription, which in practice relates to retroviruses (Locarnini S 2004) It is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. It is an infectious illness of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that affects apes, including humans. It was originally known as “serum hepatitis” (Barker LF et al, 1996). Some develop an acute illness with vomiting, yellow skin, dark urine and abdominal pain. Often these symptoms last a few weeks, and rarely result in death. Other risk factors include working in a health care setting, blood transfusions, dialysis, sharing razors or toothbrushes with an infected person, travel in countries where the infection rate is high, and living in an institution. (Sleisenger 2006)
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