Prevalence of Hepatitis D Virus Antigens Among Sero-Positive Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) Patients Attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a defective RNA virus presenting similarities to some plant viroids, which requires hepatitis B virus (HBV) as a helper virus for its propagation.The study was aimed to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis D virus antigens among sero-positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano.A total of 115 patients with various forms of liver disease were screened for HBsAg. Results had shown that 92 (80%) tested positive for HBsAg. These were made up of 10 patients with acute hepatitis (10.9%), 15 patients with asymptomatic infection (16.3%), 5 patients with chronic hepatitis (5.43%), 20 patients with liver cirrhosis (21.73%) and 42 patients with primary liver cell carcinoma (45.65%). There were 57 males (61.96%) and 35 females (38.04%).The result of distribution of hepatitis D among hepatitis B subjects showed that 5 (5.43%) out of 92 subjects have hepatitis B and D co-infections. Age category 21-30 and 31-40 years have the highest co-infection with 2 subjects in each case while 41-50 years has 1 subject.The prevalence of Hepatitis D virus with respect to sex among Hepatitis B subjects higher among female with 3 subjects accounted for 60% than male with 2 subjects (40%).Statistical analysis of the result showed significant different in the prevalence of hepatitis B and D at probability level of p<5% (0.05%).

Keywords: Antigen, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis D, Prevalence, Virus.