Maternal and neonatal seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in a hospital based population in South-South, Nigeria

Despite the existence of a safe and effective vaccine, Nigeria has remained a hyper-endemic area for hepatitis B virus infection, with estimated 12% of the total population being chronic carriers. Vertical transmission is an important route of transmission for hepatitis B virus infection. Neonates who contact hepatitis B virus infection will have an almost 90% risk of developing chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier state and chronic liver disease. The objectives of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of hepatitis B Virus among pregnant women, rate of vertical transmission and identifying potential risk factors associated with the infection. This study was an observational crosssectional study of 250 pregnant women who presented to the labour ward of the University of PortHarcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Blood samples from all consenting pregnant women and corresponding umbilical cord blood were collected at delivery. A structured proforma designed for this purpose was used to obtain socio-demographic information and the presence of risk factors. Data collated was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 17.0 for windows ® statistical software with P<0.05 at 95% confidence interval. The mean age of the pregnant women studied was 33.5±0.8 years, while the mean parity was 1.58 ± 0.5. HBsAg was detected in 15 women, giving a seroprevalence rate of 6% and a neonatal seroprevalence rate of 3.2%. All HBsAgpositive babies were born to HBsAg-positive mothers with a vertical transmission rate of 53.3%. Hepatitis B virus infection amongst parturients was more in patients with history of termination of pregnancy and multiple sexual partners (P<0.05). An intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was identified which justifies the need for routine screening in pregnancy in order to identify and treat the infection, thus reducing the risk of vertical transmission of the virus. Contraceptive options aimed at prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) should be encouraged.