Prevalence of hepatitis B surface and e antigens, risk factors for viral acquisition and serum transaminase among blood donors in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in blood donors with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and alaninine transaminases (ALT) levels and possible risk factors for the transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Over a 6-month period, consecutive blood donors were screened for HBsAg, HBeAg, ALT and risk factors for HBV transmission. One hundred seventy-five adults (158 males, 17 females) were screened. Thirty-seven (21.3%) were HBsAg positive, 4 (2.3%) were HBeAg Positive and 17 (9.7%) had a raised ALT level, which ranged between 42-126 IU/L. All the HBeAg-positive subjects had raised ALT levels. The main risk factors among others, were scarification and indiscriminate injections. Twenty of the 37 HBsAg-positive subjects (54%) had no identifiable risk factor. The present study revealed that, HBeAg positivity among HBsAg positive blood donors was infrequent and whenever present was associated with active liver disease indicated by raised ALT value.