Prevalence of hepatitis B among patients in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, (Mouau) Clinic and Madonna Catholic Hospital Umuahia, Abia State

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B among patients in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, (MOUAU) clinic and Madonna Catholic Hospital Umuahia, Abia State. Blood samples were collected aseptically using a sterile syringe and needle. About 2-5ml of blood was collected from each patient and conveyed in ice packs to Microbiology Laboratory for pre-vaccination tests. On-the-spot testing for HBsAg was conducted using Smart Check HBsAg (Globalemed, Cape Town, South Africa) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This study revealed that about 46.5% of the study participants were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, while the prevalence of age distribution of Hepatitis B surface antigen among male and female patients revealed that the rate of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen was highest in patients between the age 16-34 years at a percentage prevalence of 19(55.9%). This study also revealed that Hepatitis B virus prevalence rates were the most prevalent among female patients with a positive percentage value of 47.7%.The prevalence rate of HBsAg was higher in the 16-34 age group than in the other age groups tested. This high prevalence rate calls for more awareness on effective HBsAg immunization program in Nigeria. The importance of vaccination in the fight against hepatitis B cannot be overstated, emphasizing the necessity for universal immunization of all people in the study's age group and the creation of measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission. As a result, it is advised that adolescents born before the hepatitis B vaccine era in Nigeria receive public health education and vaccination against the infection.