Abstract

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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to be is a potentially life-threatening infectious disease transmitted from mother to child. The study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), among pregnant mothers attending antenatal clinics (ANC) at a General Hospital in Bichi LGA, Kano State, Nigeria. A total of 125 pregnant women were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Of the 125 pregnant mothers screened in the study, 11 (8.8%) were found to be seropositive for HBsAg. Subjects aged 36 – 45 years had the highest seroprevalence (2/7) (28.6%). The study only shows a statistically significant relationship between the incidence of HBV infection and sharing of sharp objects among all the observed possible risk factors (P=0.0120). This findings emphasizes the need for increased public awareness measures to prevent the transmission from mother to her newborn baby.

Keywords: Hepatitis B surface antigen, Pregnant Mother, Seroprevalence