Prevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Hepatitis C Surface Antigen Among Tertiary and Secondary School Students in Jos Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Globally, hepatitis B and C viral infection has been identified as one of the most common infectious diseases and a major public health problem.
Aim: This study was conducted to determine the sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B and C surface antigens among tertiary and secondary school students in Jos, Nigeria.
Methodology: A rapid strip detection assay was used to detect HBV and HCV surface antigens in 226 blood samples.
Results: Of the 226 blood samples analyzed (One hundred and thirteen (113) from each school) for Hepatitis B surface antigen and Hepatitis C antibody using one step Hepatitis strip with positive prevalence of 8 (3.5%) for Hepatitis B surface antigen, Age group (years 10 – 20 has 126 number of samples analyzed with prevalence of 2(1.6%), 21 – 30 88 prevalence rate 6(6.8%), 31 – 40, 10 0(0.0%) and 41 - 50, 20(0.0%), the male subject recorded more prevalence of 7(6.3%) compared to the female with prevalence rate of 1(0.9%) shows significant value. This study shows the prevalence rate for HBV to be 3.5%, whereas there was no record of HCV, as well as HBV and HCV dual infection among the students. The tertiary institution has the highest prevalence of HBV compared to the secondary school.
Conclusion: There is a need to massively educate the students on the importance of Hepatitis B vaccine to reduce the incidence of Hepatitis B antigen carrier rate and chronic Hepatitis B and C virus infection among students and regular testing for HCV for early detection and management as it has no vaccine yet.

Keywords: Sero-prevalence, HBV, HCV, Infection, Vaccine.