Browsing by Author "Nwabuisi, Charles"

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    SERO-PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B AND C AMONG MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS ATTENDING A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN NIGERIA
    (Annals of African Medicine Society and Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria, and is affiliated to the Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria,, 2014) Durotoye, I A.; Issa, B.A; Fadeyi, A.; Yussuf, A.D; Salami, A.K; Shittu, O.A; Ajiboye, P.O; Olawumi, H.O.; Adegunloye, O.A; Nwabuisi, Charles; Sulyman, D.
    Background: Hepatitis B and C are of global concern and Nigeria is a high endemic zone for the viruses. Persons with severe mental illness have a greater vulnerability to sexual transmitted infections including hepatitis B&C due to risky behaviour they engage in. The aim of this study is to determine the sero- prevalence of hepatitis B and C among persons with mental illness (MII) and compare them with blood donors (BDs) at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Nigeria. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 1year, starting from June, 2010, involving 350 each of BDs and MII in an out-patients department of UITH. HBsAg testing was by a one stage hepatitis B surface antigen test strips, while hepatitis C was tested using commercially prepared kits from ACON, USA. Result: A total of seven hundred participants including 350 patients with MII and 350 blood donors (BDs) were recruited for the study. Most 324(92.6%) and 349 (99.7%) were of the age range ≤55 years. There were 179(51.2%) males and 171(48.8%) females. More married BDs live with their spouses (99.0%) and had higher education than MII. Unemployment rate was higher among MII than BDs. The sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B and C among patients with mental illness (MII) was 10.0% and 12.6% respectively as compared to a sero-prevalence of 10.9% and 1.1% in the blood donors. Conclusion: The prevalence of hepatitis B infection was similar in both subjects (MII) as well as in the blood donors but, in contrast however was higher prevalence of hepatitis C in the MII (p=0.001). Routine screening of MII for hepatitis B and C is advocated to control the complications that may arise from these diseases