EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN IN NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

This paper is about prevalence of Hepatitis B virus in North Eastern Nigeria.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATION--------------------------------------------------------------I

DEDICATION-----------------------------------------------------------------II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT----------------------------------------------------III

TABLE OF CONTENTS------------------------------------------------------IV

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION-------------------------------------------------------1

CHAPTER TWO

LITERITURE REVIEW--------------------------------------------------3

2.1    HISTORY-----------------------------------------------------------------3

2.2   SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS----------------------------------------------4

2.3    TRANSMISSION--------------------------------------------------------5

2.4    PREVENTION------------------------------------------------------------6

2.5    TREATMENT-------------------------------------------------------------8

2.6    PROGNOSIS-------------------------------------------------------------9

2.7    EPIDEMIOLOGY--------------------------------------------------------10

CONCLUSION------------------------------------------------------------------13

REFERENCES-------------------------------------------------------------------14

                                                           IV

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Viral hepatitis is a systemic disease primarily involving the liver. Hepatitis B(HBV) establishes chronic infections, especially in those infected as infants; it’s a major factor in the eventual development of liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in those individuals(Jawetz). It is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which is 100 times more infectious than AIDS virus. It is more occurring endemically, in all areas of the world(Alao et al., 2009). Globally, it is estimated that >2billion people have been infected, about 320-350 million individuals are estimated to be chronic carriers of HV about 1.5 million people die annually from HBV-related causes(Alao et al., 2009). Most  HBV occurs in adolescents and young adults in relatively well defined high-risk groups, comprising injction drug users, homosexual malea, health care workers, blood transfusion or hemodialysis patients as reported by WHO in 1998. The major routes of spread HBV are perinatal, horizontal and sexual transmission(Edmunds et al., 1996). Hepatitis B virus is a Hepadnavirus-hepa from hepatotropic (attracted to liver) and dna because it is a DNA virus (Zuckerman, 1996), and it has a circular genome of partially double-stranded DNA. The viruses replicate through an 

                                                           1

RNA intermediate form by reverse transcription, which in practice relates them to retroviruses (Locanini 2004). Although replication takes place in the liver, the virus spreads to the blood where viral proteins and antibodies against them are found in infected people. Blood tests are used for these proteins and antibodies are used to diagnose the infection. Human Immunodeficiency virus(HIV) and hepatitis B virus(HBV) have been identified to share the common routes of infection(Santiago-Munoz et al., 2005). The research work is aimed to ascertain the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among pregnant women, blood donors, HIV patients, Adults and children.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATION--------------------------------------------------------------I

DEDICATION-----------------------------------------------------------------II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT----------------------------------------------------III

TABLE OF CONTENTS------------------------------------------------------IV

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION-------------------------------------------------------1

CHAPTER TWO

LITERITURE REVIEW--------------------------------------------------3

2.1    HISTORY-----------------------------------------------------------------3

2.2   SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS----------------------------------------------4

2.3    TRANSMISSION--------------------------------------------------------5

2.4    PREVENTION------------------------------------------------------------6

2.5    TREATMENT-------------------------------------------------------------8

2.6    PROGNOSIS-------------------------------------------------------------9

2.7    EPIDEMIOLOGY--------------------------------------------------------10

CONCLUSION------------------------------------------------------------------13

REFERENCES-------------------------------------------------------------------14

                                                           IV

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Viral hepatitis is a systemic disease primarily involving the liver. Hepatitis B(HBV) establishes chronic infections, especially in those infected as infants; it’s a major factor in the eventual development of liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in those individuals(Jawetz). It is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which is 100 times more infectious than AIDS virus. It is more occurring endemically, in all areas of the world(Alao et al., 2009). Globally, it is estimated that >2billion people have been infected, about 320-350 million individuals are estimated to be chronic carriers of HV about 1.5 million people die annually from HBV-related causes(Alao et al., 2009). Most  HBV occurs in adolescents and young adults in relatively well defined high-risk groups, comprising injction drug users, homosexual malea, health care workers, blood transfusion or hemodialysis patients as reported by WHO in 1998. The major routes of spread HBV are perinatal, horizontal and sexual transmission(Edmunds et al., 1996). Hepatitis B virus is a Hepadnavirus-hepa from hepatotropic (attracted to liver) and dna because it is a DNA virus (Zuckerman, 1996), and it has a circular genome of partially double-stranded DNA. The viruses replicate through an RNA intermediate form by reverse transcription, which in practice relates them to retroviruses (Locanini 2004). Although replication takes place in the liver, the virus spreads to the blood where viral proteins and antibodies against them are found in infected people. Blood tests are used for these proteins and antibodies are used to diagnose the infection. Human Immunodeficiency virus(HIV) and hepatitis B virus(HBV) have been identified to share the common routes of infection(Santiago-Munoz et al., 2005). The research work is aimed to ascertain the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among pregnant women, blood donors, HIV patients, Adults and children.