: Ihechinyerem Kelechi Osuagwu, Chioma Nwaonu Unachukwu, Charlotte Blanche Oguejiofor Chijioke, Ogomegbunam Ezeigwe, Malarchy Ekwunife Nwankwo, Chimezie Monica Eze, Chukwuemeka Jude Ofojebe, Chukwudi Anthony Ogabido, Onyecherelam Monday Ogelle, Ngozichukwu Gertrude Uzoewulu, Chukwuemeka Chidindu Njoku, Kingsley Chidiebere Nwaogu, Ifeanyichukwu Jude Ofor, Chidinma Theresa Ezidiegwu, William Amebeobari Mube, Agabus Iheanacho Nwachukwu, Stanley Chigaemezu Egbogu, Kesito Chikwendu Nwachukwu, Chukwunwendu Franklin Okeke, Nnaedozie Paul Obiegbu, Obinna Kenneth Nnabuchi, Chukwudi Anthony Ogabido, Johnbosco Emmanuel Mamah, George Uchenna Eleje.๐ชช : DOI:ย ย 10.5281/zenodo.17812342
๐ : Nexus Global Research Journal of Medical Sciences (NGRJMS) Vol – 1, Issue 1 (2025), PP: 01-10
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus infection is a public health problem in our environment. Vertical transmission from mother to baby is an important route of transmission of the virus. Neonates who contact hepatitis B have an almost 90% risk of developing chronic HBsAg carriage and chronic liver disease. Neonatal immunization interrupts this carriage. Adult immunization and treatment reduce the transmissibility and the viral burden. AIMS: The study is aimed to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen positivity and possible associated risk factors to the spread of the virus among antenatal attendee. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among 158 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Nigeria. Serum was extracted from venous blood collected from each subject and tested for the presence of HBsAg using one step HBsAg test strip. A pre-structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data as well as to ascertain possible risk factors. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant association. RESULTS: Fifteen out of one hundred and fifty-eight women were seropositive for HBsAg giving a seroprevalence rate of 9.5%. The seroprevalence of HBsAg increased significantly with increasing age of the patients. There were significant associations between the disease and the patientโs occupations, occupations related to needlework, past history of traditional surgery amongst others. There were no significant associations between Hepatitis B surface antigen seroprevalence and religion of the patientsโ, educational level, past history of jaundice or liver disease amongst others. CONCLUSION: The seroprevalence of HBsAg in the study was high. This reinforces the need for routine antenatal screening for HBsAg, routine neonatal passive immunization for neonates of HBsAg positive mothers and active immunization for all