Hepatitis B Surface Antigenaemia in Jos

Abstract

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method was used to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in 501 children, aged between six months on the and 12 years, at the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Of the 501 subjects, 19.5 percent were HBsAg positive, out of whom 51.0 percent were males and 49.0 percent females. The prevalence of HBsAg was highest at 26.4 percent, sub among the age group between three and five years. Thereafter, there was progressive fall in the prevalence with advancing age. The present findings have confirmed the hyper-endemicity of HBV infection in Jos environment; vil the findings also confirm that the infection is usually acquired early in child- hood. The high prevalence of this infection underlines the need for HBV vaccination early in childhood, preferably in the first year of life.