The prevalence of hepatitis Be antigen and anti-HBE in adults in Benin City.

Two hundred and seventy four adults in Benin City were screened for HBeAg in their sera using the ELISA method. The overall HBe-Antigenemia prevalence was 7.3%. 12.7% of adult males and 5.4% of 203 adult females were positive for HBeAg. Of the 91 samples available for screening for anti-HBe, an overall positivity rate of 8.8% was obtained. 10.3% of 68 adult males and 4.4% of 23 adult females were positive for anti-HBe. Reports of high carrier rate for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers in Nigeria is further confirmed. The high HBeAg positivity rate could further explain the high transmission rate of HBeAg from chronic carriers in this country. Compared to the Far East countries, Prevalence of HBe-antigenemia is relatively lower and may further confirm that the vertical, that is neonatal maternal infant hepatitis B virus transmission might play a less important role than the later horizontal transmission in this country. Therefore in considering immunization programme, the use of hepatitis B vaccine alone, without the additional, much more expensive hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) might be an adequate prophylactic measure. The high HBe-antigenemia as well as the already well documented endemicity of hepatitis B virus in this country however calls for urgent steps to ensure introduction of this vaccine into neonatal practice in this country.