The Open Virology Journal
2017, 11 : 1-7Published online 2017 January 12. DOI: 10.2174/1874357901710011001
Publisher ID: TOVJ-11-1
RESEARCH ARTICLE
High Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the Age Range of 20-39 Years Old Individuals in Lome
* Address correspondence to this author at the CHU Campus Faculte des Sciences de la Santé, Universite de Lome; Agoe Logope 13 BP 378 Lome, Togo; Tel: +228 90106600; E-mails: , koloumalewe@hotmail.fr
ABSTRACT
Background:
Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It affects all women and men irrespective of age. Although sub-Saharan Africa is an area of high prevalence of this disease, data on the prevalence of acute and chronic HBV infections in this region remain to be widely documented.
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HBV in relation to age in Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Campus (CHU-C), one of the two teaching hospitals of Lome, Togo.
Method:
The present study is a cross-sectional study about the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriage from 2009 to 2011. All study participants were screened for HBsAg at the Immunology laboratory of CHU Campus of Lome.
Results:
One thousand two hundred individuals were screened for HBsAg from 2009-2011. The overall prevalence of HBV infection was 19.08%. This prevalence was significantly higher in men (25.00%) than women (14.80%). The highest prevalence of HBV was observed in age range of 20-29 years and 30-39 years with respectively 26.33% and 21.67%. The lowest prevalence was 6.08%, found in people over 50 years. Concerning the clinical indication of the test, the prevalence during the clinical abnormalities related to liver (CARL) was the highest (26.21%), followed by the systematic screening (SS) with 20.25% while the pre-operative assessment (POA) showed the lowest prevalence with 5.56%.
Conclusion:
The study shows the high prevalence of HBsAg carriage in young people. This could be used to enhance prevention and treatment of HBV infection in Togo.