The Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAG) and Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) Among Pregnant Women in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The seroprevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and their co-infection was investigated among pregnant women in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Serum samples from 562 pregnant women aged 19-49 years attending antenatal clinics in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and the General Hospital (GH) Calabar were tested for HBsAg and HIV using standard proprietory reagents. Thirty –eight (6.8%) of the women were seropositive for HIV; 8(1.4%), for HBsAg and 5(0.9%) for both HIV and HBsAg. Significant infection rates for HBV, HIV and HBV/HIV co-infections were associated with age groups, education, occupation, trimester and parity (P<0.05) of the subjects. The higher seropositivity rates for HIV and HBV co-infection in pregnant women suggests high endemicity in the general population. The need to properly screen, diagnose and effectively treat all pre/post natal women to prevent transmission to others and serious pregnancy outcomes is hereby advocated.

Keywords: HBsAg, HIV, Co-infection, Pregnant women, Calabar, Nigeria.