Prevalence And Patterns of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Serological Markers among HbsAg-Negative Patients Attending South Atlantic Petroleum Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Routine screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in many healthcare settings relies primarily on the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), which may fail to identify individuals with previous exposure, immunity, or possible occult HBV infection. This study determined the prevalence and pattern of HBV serological markers among HBsAg-negative patients attending South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO) Medical Centre, Keffi, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 HBsAg-negative patients attending SAPETRO Medical Centre, Keffi. Socio-demographic information was obtained using a structured questionnaire, while clinical data were retrieved from hospital records. Approximately 3 mL of venous blood was collected from each participant, and serum samples were screened for HBV serological markers, including hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B e antibody (HBeAb), and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb), using the HBV-5 Rapid Panel Test Kit. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests, with statistical significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Of the 400 HBsAg-negative participants, 52 (13.0%) were positive for HBsAb, 11 (2.8%) for HBeAb, and 21 (5.3%) for HBcAb, while none tested positive for HBeAg. Although the distribution of HBV serological markers varied across age groups and between genders, the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Based on serological patterns, 41 (10.3%) participants had vaccine-induced immunity, 11 (2.8%) had immunity due to previous natural infection, 10 (2.5%) exhibited serological evidence suggestive of possible occult HBV infection, and 338 (84.5%) were susceptible to HBV infection. A considerable proportion of HBsAg-negative individuals possessed HBV serological markers indicative of immunity, previous exposure, or possible occult infection, while most remained susceptible to HBV. These findings demonstrate the limitations of HBsAg-only screening and support the incorporation of comprehensive HBV serological profiling, alongside expanded hepatitis B vaccination and molecular testing where feasible, to improve HBV diagnosis and prevention.Hepatitis B virus