title: Sero-Prevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Amongst Pregnant Women Attending an Antenatal Clinic, Volta Region, Ghana.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global challenge, although there is currently a safe and effective vaccine available. HBV prevalence in Ghana is not well documented, but vary regionally from 4.8% to 12.3% in the general population, 10.8% to 12.7% in blood donors and about 10.6% in pregnant women. This puts Ghana among the high endemic countries in Africa. The study objective was to determine the sero-prevalence of HBs antigen (Ag) and HBeAg among pregnant women in the Ho municipality. Two hundred and eigh participants (pregnant women), attending Ho Municipal antenatal clinic were enrolled into the study. This study recorded a HBsAg sero-prevalence rate of 2.4% among the pregnant women, with primigravida pregnant women recording (0.98%) and multigravida (1.42%). The prevalence of HBsAg among the pregnant women can be classified as Low Intermediate; therefore there is still the need for routine screening of pregnant women during antenatal visits. Amongst HBsAg positives, HBeAg positivity was significantly high (40% of all HBsAg positive women), which suggests high chances of carrier and vertical transmission (mother to child) state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences , Ho, Ghana.
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luuse
authors.affiliation: Navrongo Health Research Centre , Navrongo, Upper East, Ghana.
authors.forename: Sylvester
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dassah
authors.affiliation: Ho Municipal Hospital , Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.
authors.forename: Sylvester
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lokpo
authors.affiliation: Ho Municipal Hospital , Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ameke
authors.affiliation: Ho Municipal Hospital , Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noagbe
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Sciences , Ho, Ghana.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adatara
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medical Science University of Cape Coast , Hohoe, Ghana.
authors.forename: Oheneba
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hagan
authors.affiliation: University of Health and Allied Science, School of Public Health , Hohoe, Ghana.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Binka
keywords: Antenatal; Pregnant women; Sero-prevalence; Surface antigen