title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBe antigen) and B core antibodies (IgG anti-HBcore and IgM anti-HBcore) among hepatitis B surface antigen positive blood donors at a Tertiary Centre in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common cause of liver disease throughout the world. HBV is transmitted through blood and other body fluids, including semen and saliva. Chronic replication of HBV virons is characterized by persistence circulation of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA; usually with anti-HBc and occasionally with anti-HBs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of HBeAg, IgG anti-HBcore and IgM anti-HBcore amongst HBsAg positive blood donors. These parameters are reflective of transmissibility and active hepatitis B infection. A cross sectional study was carried out at the blood donor clinics of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja and Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idiaraba. A total of 267 donors were recruited to determine HBe antigen, IgG and IgM anti-HBcore antibodies amongst hepatitis BsAg positive donors. Five milliliters of blood was collected from those who tested positive to HBsAg screen during donation. The sera were subjected to enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pearson chi-squared test was used for the analytical assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total number of 267 HBsAg positive blood donors were studied. A seroprevalence of 8.2% (22 of 267) HBeAg was obtained, 4 of 267 (1.5%) were indeterminate while 241 (90.3%) tested negative. Only 27 out of 267 donors (10.1%) tested positive to IgM anti-HBcore, 234(87.6%) tested negative, while 6(2.2%) were indeterminate. A higher percentage of 60.7% (162 of 267) tested positive to IgG anti-HBcore, while 39.3% (105 of 267) tested negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a low seroprevalence rate of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis and relatively high IgG anti-HBcore and IgM anti-HBcore rates in South West Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Nigeria. ajoke_clinic@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Akinsegun A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Akinbami
authors.forename: Olajumoke O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Oshinaike
authors.forename: Owolabi A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Dosunmu
authors.forename: Titilope A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Adeyemo
authors.forename: Adewumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adediran
authors.forename: Sulaiman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akanmu
authors.forename: Kikelomo O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Seun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ilori
authors.forename: Kinsley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aile
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M