The prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) carrier and infectivity status among three hundred (300) pregnant women in Makurdi were determined through random anonymous testing of volunteers attending antenatal clinics of different Hospitals within the metropolis. HBV carriage status was determined by the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Repeated reactive samples were confirmed by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Bio Rad, France). Maternal HBV infectivity status was determined by testing all HBsAg positive samples for the presence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). Overall, 33 (11%) pregnant women were identified as carriers of HBV and 10 of the 33 (30.3%) pregnant women identified as HBV carriers tested positive for HBeAg. Hence, 3.3% of the entire study population was found to have high viral replication as well as high risk of transmitting HBV to their neonates. The frequency of HBV carriers did not vary with age, however it varies significantly with the anaemic status of the subjects (P<0.05). This study demonstrates the endemicity of HBV infection in Makurdi and high infectivity rates, suggest that HBV is likely to be acquired by both vertical and horizontal means of transmission. Free screening and immunization of all pregnant women and infants should be incorporated in the antenatal and post natal programmes in hospitals for the eradication of HBV infection among pregnant women.

A total of 1535 randomly collected blood specimens from different groups of consenting subjects in Benue State, were screened by ELISA for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibodies (HBsAb), hepatitis B core antibodies (HBcAb), hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) and Hepatitis B core IgM antibodies (HBcIgM). The pattern of occurrence of these HBV markers in each blood sample was used to determine individuals with current, acute or chronic infection histories. Of the 1535 sampled individuals, 1319 (85.9%) showed a serological evidence of exposure to HBV infection, some through natural infection (22.7%) and others (13.0%) through vaccination; 12% of the exposed were inferred to be currently infected and 91.2% chronically infected. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) antigen was also detected in 2.7% of the HBsAg positive individuals; and was encountered more (6.7%) in those with acute hepatitis than those with chronic disease. Thus, there are apparently healthy persons with acute and chronic HBV and HDV infection who may serve as source of infection to others. This calls for a government organized Hepatitis Programme to treat cases of acute and chronic hepatitis and roll out strategy for preventing the spread of HBV infections.

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