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Article Information:
Farming and Non-Farming Individuals Attending Grimard Catholic Hospital, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria Were Comparable in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Seroprevalence
W.F. Sule, I.O. Okonko, A.J. Ebute, E. Donbraye, A. Fadeyi, A.O. Udeze and J.A. A lli
Corresponding Author: Okonko Iheanyi Omezuruike
Submitted: 2010 February, 07
Accepted: 2010 March, 05
Published: 2010 July, 20 |
Abstract:
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A previous study had shown that women farmers or those having farmer husbands attending G rimard
Catholic Hospital, Anyigba were seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (0.0% prevalence for
HBsAg). We therefore designed this study to test the hypothesis that HBsAg seroprevalence among farming
and non-farming individuals attending the hospital is the same. Two hundred apparently healthy adults
attending the hospital were consecutively selected and screened for HBsAg including 106 (53.0%) females and
94 (47.0%) males aged 20 to 51 years (mean age = 35 yrs). The sera of the participants were tested for the
presence of HBsAg using Diaspot® HBsAg test kit. The patients were categorized into farming and nonfarming
groups based on the demographic data obtained w ith questionnaire form s. This study show ed an overall
HBsAg seroprevalence of 11.0%; with seroprevalence of 17.4% (n = 46) and 9.1% (n = 154) respectively for
the farming and non-farming groups. Variables (gender, age and occupation) examined w ere not statistically
associated with prevalence rates of HBsAg. Broad categorization of the participants into farming and nonfarming
with their respective spouses also revealed no association (p = 0.19) with HBsAg seropositivity.
Moreover, some of the women farmers and those having farmer spouses were HBsAg seropositive. We
therefore concluded that farmers and non-farmers enrolled in this study w ere not different in HBsAg
seroprevalence; they appeared equally susceptible to HBV infection. Our findings represent the endemic HBV
situation in many hospitals in Nigeria. This study could serve to direct any national effort aimed tow ard
reducing the HBV burdens of our local hospitals. The study will be of immense value as a public health tool
for planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of HBV interventions.
Key words: Farmers, HBsAg seroprevalence, HBV infection, Nigeria, non-farmers, ,
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Cite this Reference:
W.F. Sule, I.O. Okonko, A.J. Ebute, E. Donbraye, A. Fadeyi, A.O. Udeze and J.A. A lli, . Farming and Non-Farming Individuals Attending Grimard Catholic Hospital, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria Were Comparable in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Seroprevalence. Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences, (4): Page No: 278-282.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0778
ISSN (Print): 2041-076X |
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