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The Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition
icddr,b
ISSN: 1606-0997 EISSN: 1606-0997
Vol. 30, No. 4, 2012, pp. 377-382
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Bioline Code: hn12044
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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The Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2012, pp. 377-382
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Prevalence of Hepatitis B e Antigen in Chronic HBV Carriers in North-central Nigeria
Forbi, Joseph C.; Iperepolu, Odunayo H.; Zungwe, Timothy & Agwale, Simon M.
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an important clinical problem due to its worldwide distribution and potential
of adverse sequelae, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We studied the prevalence of hepatitis
B virus e antigen (HBeAg) among individuals determined to be HBV surface antigen-positive (HBsAg+)
and analyzed the gender/age category associated with more active HBV infection. A total of 572 HBsAg+
individuals, as determined by a double antibody sandwich ELISA method, participated in the study. They
were tested for HbeAg, using a lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay. One hundred and ten individuals
were found to be HBeAg-positive giving an overall prevalence of 19.2%. Of these 110 individuals, 20
(18.2%) were females, and 90 (81.8%) were males. Thus, the prevalence of HBeAg appears to be higher in
males than in females (p<0.05). Our data also revealed that the prevalence of HBeAg was higher in patients
between the age-group of 0-10 years and 11-20 years and appeared to decrease with increase in age. Taken
together, our data show that approximately 1/5 of HBV-infected individuals are HBeAg+, suggesting that
the virus is actively replicating and infecting liver-cells thereby ensuring an HBV-transmission pool within
the Nigerian population. We suggest strengthening of the childhood HBV vaccination programmes, massive
intervention activities, and treatment programmes, especially among young people to reverse the
possible devastating effect of HBV infection. The success of these efforts will depend on our resolution to
make the elimination of HBV infection a top priority on the public-health agenda as we start the second
decade of this new century.
Keywords
HBeAg; HBsAg; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Nigeria
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