Acute Hepatitis E Virus infection in two geographical regions of Nigeria

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) remains a major public health concern in resource limited regions of the world. Yet data reporting is suboptimal and surveillance system is inadequate. In Nigeria, there is dearth of information on prevalence of acute HEV infection. This study was therefore designed to describe acute HEV infection among antenatal clinic attendees and community dwellers from two geographical regions in Nigeria. Seven hundred and fifty plasma samples were tested for HEV IgM by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. The tested samples were randomly selected from a pool of 1,115 blood specimens previously collected for viral hepatitis studies among selected populations (pregnant women, 272; Oyo community dwellers, 438; Anambra community dwellers, 405) between September 2012 and August 2013. One (0.4%) pregnant woman in her 3rd trimester had detectable HEV IgM, while community dwellers from the two study locations had zero prevalence rates of HEV IgM. Detection of HEV IgM in a pregnant woman, especially in her 3rd trimester, is of clinical and epidemiological significance. The need therefore exists for establishment of a robust HEV surveillance system in Nigeria and especially amidst the pregnant population in a bid to improve maternal and child health.

Hepatitis E Virus Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and associated risk factors in southwest, Nigeria

“…To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first reported HEV single study covering four (4) states in Nigeria, hence the possible reason for the high prevalence, since HEV occurrence was found to be associated with location in the study. Some of the previously reported hepatitis E prevalence in Nigeria included 0.4% in pregnant women among Anambra and Oyo community dwellers in two different geographical regions of Nigeria, although there was 0% prevalence among other participants in the same study (Ifeorah et al, 2017).…”