BMC Research Notes (Feb 2018)

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in Bo, Sierra Leone, 2012–2013

  • Rashid Ansumana,
  • Donald F. Dariano,
  • Kathryn H. Jacobsen,
  • Tomasz A. Leski,
  • Joseph M. Lamin,
  • Joseph Lahai,
  • Umaru Bangura,
  • Alfred S. Bockarie,
  • Chris R. Taitt,
  • Chadwick Yasuda,
  • Moses J. Bockarie,
  • David A. Stenger

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-018-3218-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 4

Abstract

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Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among febrile individuals tested at Mercy Hospital Research Laboratory (MHRL) in Bo, Sierra Leone. Results A total of 860 febrile individuals ages 5 years and older were tested by MHRL between July 2012 and June 2013 with a Standard Diagnostics Bioline HBsAg rapid diagnostic test. The overall HBsAg prevalence rate was 13.7%, including a rate of 15.5% among males and 12.6% among females. The HBsAg rate did not differ by child or adult age group (p > 0.5). The prevalence rate in Bo was similar to the 11–15% HBsAg prevalence rates reported in the past decade from other studies across West Africa. Scaling up the infant hepatitis B vaccination program in Sierra Leone will be important for reducing the future burden of disease and premature death attributable to chronic viral hepatitis B disease.

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