Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among primary school pupils in rural Hawal valley, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background and objective: Hepatitis B virus infection is a major public health problem worldwide and in Africa. In the northeastern part of Nigeria. Information on the prevalence of HBV infection in rural communities is scarce. This study was carried out to determine the sero-prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen amongst primary school pupils in a rural setting in northeastern Nigeria.

Methods: Hepatitis B surface antigen was tested for in 150 apparently healthy children in two primary schools in two rural communities situated in the Hawal valley area in Borno State, North East zone of Nigeria using an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique.

Results: The overall sero-positivity of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the pupils was 44.7% (95% C.I: 36.6 53.0). The prevalence of HBsAg was found to increase with age, rising from 40.6% in children aged 10-11 years to 75% in children aged above 13 years. The sero-prevalence is (47.2%, (95% C.I: 37.5 57.1) among males while among the females it was slightly lower 38.1 % (95 C.I: 23.6 54.4%). The differences in the HbsAg sero-prevalence by age, sex and location were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of HBsAg in the two primary school children provides evidence for an urgent mass immunization for children on entry to the schools.

Keywords: HBs Antigenaemia, primary school pupils, rural hawal river valley, northeastern Nigeria

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care 2005, 17(1): 20-23