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PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B SERUM MARKERS AMONG CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA IN AMINU KANO TEACHING HOSPITAL, KANO, NIGERIA
Abstract
A matched case-control study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B serum
markers among children with Sickle cell anaemia in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano.
Two hundred children with Sickle cell anaemia aged between 6 months and 16 years were
screened using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for 5 markers: HBsAg, HBeAg,
antiHBs antibody, antiHBe antibody, antiHBc antibody. One hundred and seventy-five children
with haemoglobin AA served as sex and age matched controls. The age, sex and the role of risk
factors such as blood transfusion, parenteral medications, hospitalization, circumcision and
socioeconomic status were also determined.
Forty two percent of the children with Sickle cell anaemia were positive for HBV serum markers
when compared with thirty seven percent among the control group (p=0.6). The prevalence rates
of HBV were similar in the males and females with SCA, 44.2% and 38.5% (p=0.6). The
prevalence of HBsAg and HBeAg were highest in the 2 – < 6 years age group, thereafter there
was a progressive fall with advancing age in both groups whilst the prevalence of HBs antibody,
HBe antibody and HBc antibody were highest in those that were ≥ 14 years. None of the risk
factors studied, including blood transfusion, hospitalizations, parenteral medications, traditional
uvulectomy, and circumcision were significantly associated with HBV infection in both groups.
The results of this study suggests that HBV infection is endemic in children in the study
environment and other factors yet to be identified may play an important role in the transmission
of HBV infection.
Health education against harmful traditional practices that promote transmission of HBV and
early childhood immunization against hepatitis B will reduce the infection rate.
