Blood Transfusion Faculty, West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science, Abuja, Nigeria.
Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.
Hum Antibodies. 2020;28(3):233-243. doi: 10.3233/HAB-200412.
Hepatitis B virus infection is a global public health problem. The virus has infected more than one-third of the global population. It has been estimated that 360 million chronic carriers are living around the world with a high risk for developing cirrhosis, hepatic carcinoma and hepatic failure.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of some hepatitis B markers among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Sokoto Specialist Hospital, Nigeria.
The hepatitis testing was carried out using the Skytec-Rapid Diagnostic HBV-5 rapid kit (Skytec-Rapid Diagnostic, USA). The kit is based on lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, and HBcAb in human serum or plasma. Panel format can conveniently test for five targets at once and utilizes all markers to help distinguish between acute and chronic infections.
Out of 117 pregnant women tested, 15 were positive for HBsAg (12.8%), 6 positive for HBsAb (5.1%), 1 for HBeAg (0.9%), 14 tested positive for HBeAb (12.0%), and 14 tested for HBcAb (12.0%). The prevalence of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBcAb and HBcAb was compared based on ethnicity. HBsAb was significantly higher among the Hausa ethnic group (p= 0.001). The prevalence of HBsAb, HBeAg, HBcAb and HBcAb was not affected by ethnicity (p> 0.05). The prevalence of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBcAb and HBcAb was compared based on age. Infection by the hepatitis B virus markers was higher among young adult and middle age groups. The difference was however not statistically significant (p> 0.05). The prevalence of HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBcAb and HBcAb was compared based on the educational status, previous history of blood transfusion, jaundice, employment status and previous history of still births among the pregnant subjects. There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus markers (p> 0.05).
The study observed a high prevalence of various hepatitis B viral markers among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Specialist Hospital Sokoto. There is need for routine screening of all pregnant women and infants born to hepatitis B positive mothers. Government and non-governmental organizations should intensify efforts to enlighten the general population on the public health importance of the disease and the importance of hepatitis screening. There is also need for the development of a treatment protocol for the management of pregnant women positive for hepatitis B to prevent mother to child transmission. There is an urgent need for the implementation of evidenced-based best practice of providing universal vaccination against hepatitis B for all hepatitis B negative women of child bearing age in particular and all Nigerians in general.
乙型肝炎病毒感染是一个全球性的公共卫生问题。该病毒已感染全球超过三分之一的人口。据估计，全世界有 3.6 亿慢性携带者，他们有发展为肝硬化、肝癌和肝功能衰竭的高风险。
本研究旨在确定尼日利亚 sokoto 专家医院产前门诊孕妇中一些乙型肝炎标志物的流行情况。
使用 Skytec-Rapid Diagnostic HBV-5 快速试剂盒（Skytec-Rapid Diagnostic，美国）进行肝炎检测。该试剂盒基于侧向流动色谱免疫分析，用于定性检测人血清或血浆中的 HBsAg、HBsAb、HBeAg、HBeAb 和 HBcAb。面板格式可以方便地同时检测五个目标，并利用所有标记物帮助区分急性和慢性感染。
在 117 名接受检测的孕妇中，有 15 名 HBsAg 阳性（12.8%），6 名 HBsAb 阳性（5.1%），1 名 HBeAg 阳性（0.9%），14 名 HBeAb 阳性（12.0%），14 名 HBcAb 阳性（12.0%）。根据种族比较 HBsAg、HBsAb、HBeAg、HBcAb 和 HBcAb 的流行率。HBsAb 在豪萨族中明显更高（p=0.001）。HBsAb、HBeAg、HBcAb 和 HBcAb 的流行率不受种族影响（p>0.05）。根据年龄比较 HBsAg、HBsAb、HBeAg、HBcAb 和 HBcAb 的流行率。乙型肝炎病毒标志物的感染在年轻成年和中年人群中更高。然而，这没有统计学意义（p>0.05）。根据受检孕妇的教育状况、既往输血史、黄疸、就业状况和既往死产史比较 HBsAg、HBsAb、HBeAg、HBcAb 和 HBcAb 的流行率。乙型肝炎病毒标志物的流行率无统计学差异（p>0.05）。
本研究观察到在 sokoto 专家医院接受产前护理的孕妇中，各种乙型肝炎病毒标志物的高流行率。有必要对所有孕妇和乙型肝炎阳性母亲所生婴儿进行常规筛查。政府和非政府组织应加强努力，让公众了解该疾病的公共卫生重要性以及肝炎筛查的重要性。还需要制定管理乙型肝炎阳性孕妇的治疗方案，以防止母婴传播。迫切需要实施循证最佳实践，为所有乙型肝炎阴性育龄妇女，特别是所有尼日利亚人，提供乙型肝炎普遍疫苗接种。
