Hepatitis B Envelope Antigen in Children and Adults with Hepatitis B Infection in Tertiary Health Facility in North East Nigeria During the Period 2000-2015

Introduction: Worldwide, most people living with chronic HBV infection are in in low- and middle-income countries. Most of the burden of disease from HBV infection comes from infections acquired before the age of 5 years. Materials and Methods: Records of Hepatitis B surface and envelope antigen results of children and adults in Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe between May 2000 and May 2015 were analyzed Results: 22,862 individuals were tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen. 19.5% (4456) tested positive. 24.7 % (3146) and 12.9% (1310) of males and females respectively were HBsAg positive. HBsAg Peak prevalence of 21.8% was in the age group 26-46 (2533) and the lowest prevalence in infancy (3.5%). Amongst males, the 19-25year age group had the peak prevalence of 28.6% and in females the age group 5-9 years constituted the highest (20.3%). 36% (1602/4456) of HBsAg positive children and adults were tested for HBeAg. 26.2% (420/1602) of individuals with HBsAg carriage were HBeAg. More males (307/1105) than females (113/495) were HBeAg positive but not statistically significant. (P=0.034). Prevalence of HBeAg was highest in infants (50%) and children 1-4 years (50%) age group and thereafter declined with increasing age. Females of the younger age group <1year, 1-4 years and 5-9 years and older age group, 56-65 and >65 years, compared to their male carriers of HBsAg had higher prevalence of HBeAg but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion: A fifth of HBsAg carriers were HBeAg positive and HBeAg positivity decreased with increasing age. Hepatitis B vaccination in Nigeria requires urgent strengthening.