Maternal Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Serologic Markers among Attendees of a Secondary Health Facility in Maiduguri, Nigeria

The profile of four hepatitis B virus markers [Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) class against the hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc), Hepatitis B surface antibody (Anti-HBs) and Hepatitis B envelop antigen (HBeAg)] among pregnant women (n=91), with mean age of 25.96 years, were determined using Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit. A significant (p=0.00001) overall sero-prevalence of 8.79%, 36.26%, 6.59% and 7.65% were observed for HBsAg, Anti-HBs, IgM anti-HBc and HBeAg respectively. Forty seven point three percent were susceptible (HBsAg -Ve, IgM anti-HBc -ve and anti-HBs-ve) to hepatitis B virus infection. One of thirteen pregnant women tested positive for HBsAg and HBeAg; this portends high risk of transmission to the fetus. This result portrays the unreliability of using presence of HBsAg as the sole marker for hepatitis B virus infection, high susceptibility to hepatitis B virus infection and the risk of transmission of HBV to fetuses.