Prevalence Of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen In Primary School Children In Nnewi, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective; To study the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among primary school children in Nnewi Subjects / Methods: Two hundred and thirty seven randomly selected schools children (127 females, 110 males) in Nnewi Nigeria were assayed for Hepatitis antigen (HbsAg) using ELISA technique. Results: Eighteen (7.6%) of the children were positive. The seropositivity increased from 2.3% at age range 11-15 years. The educational background of their parents and guardian as well as previous history of parenteral drug administration did not significantly influence the seropositivity rate. (P>0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest high endemicity and horizontal acquisition of Hepatitis B Virus infection as the mode of transmission. Key Words: Hepatitis B, primary School children, Nigeria Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol.7(1) 2004: 8-10