Comparative Studies on Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Ebonyi State Nigeria Using HBsAg as indices
Abstract
Studies on Hepatitis B Virus infection in Ebonyi State Nigeria using HBsAg and HBeAg as indices were carried out between the years 2018 to 2021. Five communities in each of the thirteen (13) LGAs of the state were randomly selected for the survey. Informed Consent was also obtained from the participants aged 16-50 years of both sexes. Nine thousand five hundred and seventy (9570) participants (3543 males and 6027 females) were recruited for the study. Blood samples were appropriately collected from the subjects and screened for Hepatitis B Virus infection using antibody (Ab) rapid test kit. Serum from the positive samples were separated and stored at -20°C for subsequent molecular analysis in phase 2 of this work. The screening result showed 656 positives cases giving a significant prevalence of 6.9% in the study population. According to vaccination, 1.0% prevalence was of those vaccinated and 7.1% for non- vaccinated. This increase was found to be statistically significant. There was variation in prevalence with relation to age group: 3.8% was recorded for those aged 16-20 years, 4.4% for those aged 21-25 years, 6.3% for those aged 26-30 years, 9.0% for those aged 31-35 years, 11.8% for those aged 36-40 years, and a decline of 8.6% for those aged 41-45 and 4.4% for those aged 46-50 years. This variation was found to be statistically significant (Ø<0.05). There was no significant difference in prevalence according to sex, 7.3% for males and 6.6% for females. The result of this study with regard to location also showed significant difference in prevalence, (Ebonyi Central7.1%, Ebonyi North 8.9% and Ebonyi South 5.2%) which was statistically significant (P<0.05). In phase 2 of this work, six hundred and fifty six (656) positive samples to HBsAg were subjected to molecular analysis using HBeAg ELISA kit. The result showed 640 positives giving an overall prevalence of 6.7% in the study population which is still statistically significant. According to vaccination, out of the 4 positive samples from vaccinated participants only 1 sample remained positive using HBeAg Biomarker giving a vaccination - dependent prevalence of 0.3% in the study population. Out of the 652 non vaccinated persons that were positive in phase 1, 639 samples remained positive giving a non-vaccinated – dependent prevalence of 7.1% in the study population. According to age cohort, there was still variation in prevalence with age group, 3.6% for those aged 16-20 years, those aged 21-25 years had the same prevalence of 4.4%, 6.1% for those aged 26-30 years, 8.9% for those aged 31-35 years, 11.5% for those aged 36-40 years, 8.4% prevalence for those aged 41-45 and 4.2% for those aged 46-50 years. Prevalence of HBV infection according to sex in the study population still remained statistically insignificant. The result of the molecular analysis of this study according to location showed difference in prevalence as follows; Ebonyi Central 6.8%, Ebonyi North 8.6% and Ebonyi South 5.2% with Ebonyi North still maintaining the lead and it is statistically significant (P<0.05). The above result is alarming and looking at the age bracket involved, the work force of Ebonyi State is in danger and it calls for serious concern to the government and health authorities at all levels to save the state from a total collapse in the area of manpower.
