Occult HBV infection among a cohort of Nigerian adults
Objective: To determine markers of HBV infection and detect the presence of its occult infection in serum of a cohort of adult Nigerians. Methodology: The study involved 28 adult Nigerians with viral hepatitis (Group 1) and 28 apparently healthy adult Nigerians as controls (Group 2). Their sera were...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2009-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/415 |
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| Summary: | Objective: To determine markers of HBV infection and detect the presence of its occult infection in serum of a cohort of adult Nigerians.
Methodology: The study involved 28 adult Nigerians with viral hepatitis (Group 1) and 28 apparently healthy adult Nigerians as controls (Group 2). Their sera were assayed for HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV, while HBV DNA was determined in 15 patients with chronic hepatitis. Significance of differences between the patients and control subjects was assessed using Chi-square test at a 95% confidence level.
Results: Sero-detection of HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe and anti-HBc was higher among the patients compared to the controls. HBV infection was diagnosed by HBsAg (89%) and a duo of HBsAg and anti-HBc (100%) among the patients. Similarly, eleven and four types of different patterns of HBV markers were observed among the respective groups. Anti-HBe (9.5%), anti-HBc (14.3%), and anti-HBs (9.5%) were detected among all the subjects who were sero-negative for HBsAg. HBV DNA was also detected in 86.7% of the 15 patients with chronic hepatitis, while occult HBV infection was observed in 7.2% of the patients and none (0%) of the controls, p < 0.05. Furthermore, HCV infection occurred among subjects with all the different patterns of HBV markers, except those with occult HBV infection and natural immunity to HBV.
Conclusion: This study shows that occult HBV infection is present among Nigerian adults and determination of HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBe, and HBV DNA will assist in its detection. |
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| ISSN: | 1972-2680 |