Seroprevalence of HBsAg among patients with febrile illnessess in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out between the months of July and December 2013 to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among patients presenting with febrile illnesses attending Murtala Muhammad  Specialist Hospital, Kano. Two hundred (200) blood samples were obtained from the consented patients with age ranged from 15-64 years, that were processed according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and screened for the presence of HBsAg using a third generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. A total of 22 (11%) patients were positive for HBsAg. Higher rate of infection was observed among males 72.2% (n=16) than their female counterparts 27.3% (n=6).  Infection rate was found to be higher in age group 25-34 years, 45.4 % (n=10) than 15-24 and 35-44 years each with 27.3% (n=6), and none was found to be positive among 45-54 and 55-64 years age groups. Also more infection was observed among the married population 54.5 % (n=12) than single 40.9 % (n=9) and widow 4.5% (n=1). However, high sero-positivity is also occupationally dependent. More infections were seen among business occupational groups 50 % (n=11) than students 31.8 % (n=7) while 18.2 % (n=4) was seen among civil servants. The major route of transmission among the study group is sexual transmission in those with multiple sexual partners and history of blood transfusions. Those with history of vaccination against hepatitis B had no positive result (n=0). The study revealed a considerable high infection among males, married business occupation class and students these where however not statistically significantly different (p<0.005), and also pointed out potency and importance of vaccination for all vaccine preventable diseases.

Key Words: Seroprevalence, Hepatitis B, Febrile Illness, Kano