Seroprevalence Of Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Associated Risk Factors Among Apparently Healthy Individuals in Lagos

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an important cause of chronic liver disease with 296 million people worldwide living with chronic HBV infection as at 2019. Most people infected with the hepatitis B virus are asymptomatic and often unaware of their infection. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for HBV infection among apparently healthy individuals in Lagos. Method: This was a retro-spective cross-sectional study in which the prevalence of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (tested using the Roche Elecsys HBsAg II Qualitative assay) was determined among apparently healthy individuals who presented for health screening at a private laboratory facility in Lagos from May 2014 to June 2016. The health records of those who met the inclusion criteria were systematically reviewed to extract demographic and clinical information. Result: Out of 1448 apparently healthy individuals included in the study, 60.8% were male. The mean age of the participants was 47.1±12 years, and 840 (58.1%) of them were in the age group 31 – 50 years. The prevalence rate of hepatitis b surface antigen was 5.3%. Males had a statistically higher prevalence of HBV infection than females (7.2% versus 2.5%) ([OR, 3.55 (95% CI 1.89 – 6.68], p = 0.00009). The liver enzymes, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase, were significantly higher in those with Hepatitis B virus infection (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02 respectively). Conclusion: Strategies for population-based screening of HBV need to be instituted, with appropriate linkage to care of those who test positive.