SERO-PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B AND C AMONG MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS ATTENDING A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN NIGERIA
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Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
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,
Abstract
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
Description
Keywords
Sero-prevalence, hepatitis B, C, mental illness, blood donors, Nigeria.
Citation
Durotoye, I.A., Issa, B.A., Fadeyi,A; Yussuf, A.D; Salami, A.K; Shittu, AO; Ajiboye, P.O., Olawumi, H.O., Adegunloye, O.A., Charles Nwabuisi, C. & Sulyman, D.