Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among antenatal attendees in a university teaching hospital in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 291 antenatal attendees over a period of 3 months. Blood samples from all consenting pregnant women were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody, hepatitis B envelop antigen and antibody, and hepatitis C antibody serum markers for HBV infection. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographic data and the presence of risk factors. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS, version 17.0. Results: Twenty-three women (7.9%) tested positive for Hepatitis B core antibody, while 6 (2.1%) tested positive for HBsAg. None tested positive for Hepatitis B envelop antigen. Forty-one (14.1%) women showed evidence of post vaccination immunity while 8 (2.8%) had evidence of post-infection immunity. Two hundred and twenty-seven (78.0%) women were susceptible to HBV infection. Higher educational attainment correlated significantly with less risk of acquiring HBV infection (P = 0.003). Conclusion: Our study revealed an intermediate prevalence and low infectivity of HBV infection among our pregnant women. Government and non-governmental organizations should intensify efforts to create awareness about the disease through public enlightenment campaigns, as well as recall systems through systems of mobile communication.