HBS-Antigenaemia in In- and Outpa tients at University of Benin Teaching Hospital,

Abstract

SUMMARY:. Using the Elisa method, 437 children of both sexes and aged 2 months to 15 years, who had no signs suggestive of hepatitis B virus infection were screened for the presence of HBsAg in their sera. 267 of them attended the paediatric outpatient clinic while the remaining 170, were admitted into the ward on account of illness that were not suggestive of hepatitis. (10.88% of all the children screened were positive for HBsAg. 13.5% of those who were admitted into the ward were HBsAg positive. Nine percent of the outpatients study group who were generally less ill than the admitted patients, were HBsAg positive. There were no statistically significant difference in HBS-Antigenaemia in both groups of children. Since these children showed no signs or symptoms to suggest an admission diagnosis of hepatitis to the attending medical doctor, this finding shows a possibly high risk of exposure of Health workers to HBsAg. It therefore calls for extra care by health workers in handling blood specimens of patients of all categories independent of their admission diagnosis or the seriousness of their illness.