Prevalence Of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Among Tertiary Health Workers in Ilorin

Abstract

A total of 181 tertiary hospital staff at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital were screened for the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in their Sera. They were made up of 128 nursing staff, 36 doctors, and 17 laboratory staff, with a mean length of service of 12.3+7.6 years, and who actively work in contact with patients and laboratory specimens.



Screening for HBsAg was carried out using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELIZA) method.



Fourteen (7.7%) of the staff were found to be positive for HBsAg. This was significantly lower than the percentage positives of 21.7% and 16.0% obtained among the blood donors and antenatal clinic patients respectively. The positivity rate was not affected by sex, age or length of service. The possible reasons for, and inferences from our findings are discussed.

Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol. 9, No. 2 (June 1999) pp. 95-97