Iloh Gabriel Uche Pascal, Ikwudinma Austin Obiora
Department of Family Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
N Am J Med Sci. 2013 Apr;5(4):293-300. doi: 10.4103/1947-2714.110441.
Hepatitis-B infection is not commonly perceived as a serious medical problem in Nigeria. However, chronic hepatitis-B infection, which is a subject of global concern, may lead to lethal liver diseases.
The study was to determine the sero-epidemiology of hepatitis-B surface antigenaemia among adult Nigerians with clinical features of liver diseases attending a primary-care clinic in a resource-constrained setting of Eastern Nigeria.
A cross-sectional study was carried out on 140 adult Nigerians with clinical features of liver diseases at the primary-care clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. They made up three groups: 44 patients, 62 patients and 34 patients with clinical features of hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, respectively. Hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) was assayed using an immunochromatographic method. Demographic variables were collected.
The overall sero-positivity rate was 50.7%. The sero-positivity rates for these patients were 23.9%, 39.5% and 36.6% for hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, respectively. The age group 40-60 years (P = 0.048) and artisans (P = 0.019) were significantly infected. Abdominal swelling (86.4%) and ascites (67.1%) were the most common symptoms and signs, respectively.
HBsAg prevalence was high and has significant association with age and occupation.
在尼日利亚，乙肝感染通常不被视为严重的医学问题。然而，慢性乙肝感染是全球关注的问题，可能导致致命的肝脏疾病。
本研究旨在确定在尼日利亚东部资源有限地区的一家初级保健诊所就诊的、具有肝脏疾病临床特征的成年尼日利亚人中乙肝表面抗原血症的血清流行病学情况。
在奥韦里联邦医疗中心的初级保健诊所，对140名具有肝脏疾病临床特征的成年尼日利亚人进行了一项横断面研究。他们分为三组：分别有44例、62例和34例具有肝炎、肝硬化和肝细胞癌临床特征的患者。采用免疫层析法检测乙肝表面抗原（HBsAg）。收集人口统计学变量。
总体血清阳性率为50.7%。这些患者中，肝炎、肝硬化和肝细胞癌患者的血清阳性率分别为23.9%、39.5%和36.6%。40 - 60岁年龄组（P = 0.048）和工匠（P = 0.019）感染率显著较高。腹部肿胀（86.4%）和腹水（67.1%）分别是最常见的症状和体征。
HBsAg流行率较高，且与年龄和职业有显著关联。
