Prevalence of Hepatitis B among Women of Child Bearing Age in Asokoro District Hospital

   

Aigbogun SE¹, Ogu PM¹, Udeh I¹, Iyevhobu KO^2,3, Oko PI¹, Okparaku SO², Ikede RE⁴, Dongyeru E⁵, Idehen IC⁶, Innih RE^3,7, Eigbedion AO^8,9

Citation: Aigbogun SE, Ogy PM, Udeh I, Iyevhobu KO, Oko PI, et al.  Prevalence of Hepatitis B among Women of Child Bearing Age in Asokoro District Hospital. Adv Clin Med Res. 6(1):1-7.

Received: July 21, 2025  | Published: August 04, 2025

Copyright^© 2025 genesis pub by Aigbogun SE, et al, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED. This is an open-access article distributedunder the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License.,This allows others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the work, even commercially, as long as they credit the authors for the original creation.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.52793/ACMR.2025.6(1)-98

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a blood borne virus that can be found in low concentrations in semen, vaginal fluids, saliva, tears, sweat, and urine and breast milk. The virus is 100 times more infectious than HIV and can live outside the body for seven days. In areas of high prevalence, HBV is generally transmitted from mother to child (prenatal or vertical transmission) during childbirth rather than via the placenta. Transmission from child to child (horizontal transmission) is also common in African countries.

Statistical data was collected from the microbiology unit in of the laboratory department method of test was Rapid Determinant of HBsAg in serum. Data collected was analyzed and categorized. All age groups for the past 3 years have shown a high prevalence with 2019 showing a collective prevalence of 13.25%, 2020 and 2021 showed a prevalence of 11.6% and 11.8% respectively.  It was observed that Vertical Transmission of the Hepatitis B virus still remains one of the most likely means of transmission. And that in relation to other studies Abuja still remains a part of Nigeria with high prevalence and those Male carriers remain a major contribution to the spread of the epidemic.

Keywords

Hepatitis B; Women; Child; Asokoro; HBsAg.

Introduction

About 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). An estimated 360 million people remain chronically infected with 2 million deaths annually. Hepatitis B viral infections are caused by the HBV; an envelope virus containing a partially double stranded circular DNA genome and classified within the family hepadnaviridae [1]. HBV infects the liver, thereby impairing liver functions as the virus replicates within the hepatocytes during acute and chronic phases of HBV infections [2]. With Africa and Asia having the highest prevalence and Africa ranking second on vertical transmission of the virus. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a partially double-stranded DNA virus, a species of the genus Orthohepadnavirus and a member of the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses [3,1]. This virus causes the disease hepatitis B [4]. Despite there being a vaccine to prevent Hepatitis B, HBV remains a global health problem. Hepatitis B can be acute and later become chronic, leading to other diseases and health conditions. In addition to causing hepatitis, infection with HBV can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [5,2]. The virus is divided into four major serotypes (adr, adw, ayr, ayw) based on antigenic epitopes present on its envelope proteins. These serotypes are based on a common determinant (a) and two mutually exclusive determinant pairs (d/y and w/r). The viral strains have also been divided into ten genotypes (A–J) and forty subgenotypes according to overall nucleotide sequence variation of the genome. The genotypes have a distinct geographical distribution and are used in tracing the evolution and transmission of the virus. Differences between genotypes affect the disease severity, course and likelihood of complications, and response to treatment [6].

The virus particle consists of an outer lipid envelope and an icosahedral nucleocapsid core composed of protein. The nucleocapsid encloses the viral DNA and a DNA polymerase that has reverse transcriptase activity similar to retroviruses. The outer envelope contains embedded proteins which are involved in viral binding of, and entry into, susceptible cells. The virus is one of the smallest enveloped animal viruses with a virion diameter of 42 nm, but pleomorphic forms exist, including filamentous and spherical bodies lacking a core. These particles are not infectious and are composed of the lipid and protein that forms part of the surface of the virion, which is called the surface antigen (HBsAg), and is produced in excess during the life cycle of the virus. HBV is a bloodborne virus that can be found in low concentrations in semen, vaginal fluids, saliva, tears, sweat, urine and breast milk. The virus is 100 times more infectious than HIV and can live outside the body for seven days. In areas of high prevalence, HBV is generally transmitted from mother to child (perinatal or vertical transmission) during childbirth rather than via the placenta [3]. Transmission from child to child (horizontal transmission) is also common. The tradition of scarification may also be a significant source of transmission in African countries [6]. In countries with a low HBV prevalence, the condition tends to affect mainly young adults and is usually transmitted through injecting drug use or unprotected sexual contact [2].

Materials and Methods

Research design

This study was an observational study carried out to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus amongst child bearing women in Asokoro district hospital.

Data sampling and sources

Data used for this research work was gotten from the records of the medical microbiology unit of Asokoro district hospital laboratory department.

Area and population of study

This study was carried out with Asokoro district hospital restricted to the patient that visited the hospital during the selected time interval.

Procedures

Test was performed according to manufacturer instruction of Rapid Determine test of HBsAg. Twenty-five (25) micro liters of serum was added to the specimen well of the RDTs with the aid of pipette. The serum reacted with the particle coated with monoclonal anti-HBsAg. The mixture then migrates upward along the membrane by capillary action and reacts with polyclonal anti-HBsAg, which are pre-coated on the test region. After 5 minutes, invisibility of the control line indicated invalid result. The presence of two distinct lines in both the control and test regions indicated a positive result while one red line in the control region is a negative result.

Results

In the year 2019, 652 age group (15 – 24) female patients were tested for HBsAg using RDT, 50 tested positives for HBsAg, 1435 female patients of Age groups (25-33) were tested, 186 tested positive. 989 female patients of age groups (34 – 42) were tested, 143 tested positive, 445 female patients age groups (43 – 49) were tested, 73 tested positive.

Ages	15 – 24			25 - 33			34 – 42			43 -49
Month	Total Tested	POS	NEG	Total Test	POS	NEG	Total Test	POS	NEG	Total Test	POS	NEG
January	51	5	46	78	5	73	62	8	58	14	2	12
February	37	2	35	113	12	101	67	9	58	18	2	16
March	57	7	50	121	15	116	57	5	52	25	2	23
April	48	6	42	98	8	90	70	6	64	27	2	25
May	49	2	47	85	8	77	67	10	57	13	1	12
June	58	6	52	137	16	121	96	11	85	32	7	25
July	40	3	37	123	21	102	83	11	82	18	3	15
August	18	1	17	25	2	23	20	4	16	8	1	7
September	19	1	18	37	5	32	23	1	22	13	3	10
October	27	3	24	87	13	64	59	8	51	20	4	16
November	43	5	38	103	17	84	81	12	69	23	5	18
December	18	1	17	84	6	78	52	6	46	15	-	15
TOTAL	465	42	423	1091	128	963	737	91	646	226	32	194