Prevalence of vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus and the factors influencing it.
Design: A prospective cohort study.
Settings: Wesley Guild Hospital unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ilesha/Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria.
Subject : Hepatitis B surface antigen positive pregnant women.
Results: A total of 51 pregnant hepatitis B surface antigen positive women completed the study. Their ages ranged between 18years-44years with a mean of 29.8 +/- 5.1 years. Forty-nine (96.1%) of the women were hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) negative while 2 (3.9%) women were HBeAg positive. Out of the 51 babies born to these HBsAg positive mothers, only one (2%) of the babies was positive to HBsAg between 9-15months of age. There was a significant relationship between HBeAg status of the mothers and the HBsAg status of their babies (p =0.039). Twenty-nine (56.9%) of the babies had hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth while 22 (43.1%) did not. There was no significant relationship in the HBsAg status between babies who had hepatitis B immunoglobulin administered at birth and those who did not have it (p=1.0).
Conclusions: The prevalence of the vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus is low in this study. Also, the use of Hepatitis B immunoglobulin by the babies was also not significant in determining vertical HBV infection in this study. These findings are most likely due to the low prevalence of HBeAg in the mothers.