Seroprevalence Trends of Hepatitis B and C Among Donors in the Blood Bank Service of A Nigerian Tertiary Hospital: a Five-year Retrospective Study
Keywords: Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Blood donors; Seroprevalence trend; Nigeria
Author(s): Ibegbulam OG, Ugwoke CK, Umar GK, Moghalu EA and Umek N
Lead Author’s Affiliation: University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Article Publish Date: January 25, 2018
Methodology: The blood donors’ screening records over a period of five years, from January 2012 to December 2016, were carefully extracted from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Blood Bank record repository, and subjected to descriptive analysis.
Results: Of the 19,667 blood donations recorded within the study period, 775 were hepatitis B positive (3.94%), 251 were hepatitis C positive (1.28%) and 6 were hepatitis B and C co-infected (0.031%). Hepatitis C seropositivity rate was relatively stable across the study period, and varied between 0.45% (2014) and 1.74 % (2012). However, the Hepatitis B prevalence rate appeared to have declined, from 5.51% in 2012 to 2.99% in
2015 and 3.30% in 2016.
Conclusions: The overall HCV seroprevalence in the present study concurs with the relatively low prevalence generally reported in our environment, while the HBV seroprevalence in the index study is significantly lower than the previously documented ranges in the general population. However, the declining trend of HBV seroprevalence noted over the study period appears to mirror the reported trend in the general population.
Keywords: Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Blood donors; Seroprevalence trend; Nigeria
AUTHOR'S BIO
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident. On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment, so blinded by desire, that they cannot foresee the pain and trouble that are bound to ensue; and equal blame belongs to those who fail in their duty through weakness of will, which is the same as saying through shrinking from toil and pain. These cases are perfectly simple and easy to distinguish.
Prof. Ibegbulam O.G.
University of Nigeria, Nsukka