Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal (Jan 2019)

Pattern of prevalent Hepatitis B virus genotypes in Zaria, Nigeria

  • Abdurrahman Elfulaty Ahmad,
  • Adamu Girei Bakari,
  • Bolanle Olufunke Priscilla Musa,
  • Shettima Kagu Mustapha,
  • Bello Yusuf Jamoh,
  • Idris Nasir Abdullahi,
  • Mohammed Ibrahim Tahir,
  • Abdulqadri Olarenwaju Olatunji,
  • Sumayya Hamza Maishanu,
  • Ahmed Babangida Suleiman,
  • Afolaranmi Tolulope,
  • Claudia Hawkins,
  • Atiene Solomon Sagay,
  • Ayuba Zoakah,
  • Adebola Tolulope Olayinka

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/npmj.npmj_59_19
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 2
pp. 80 – 86

Abstract

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Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is hyperendemic in Nigeria. Available literature reveal genotype E as being predominant in West Africa. This study aimed at identifying the current pattern and prevalent genotypes of HBV in Zaria, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Four millilitre of blood was collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-container from each of 165 HBV surface antigen-positive participants recruited purposively from the gastroenterology clinic from May to August, 2017. Plasma was separated and frozen at −20°C till analysis. Multiplex-nested polymerase chain reaction using type-specific primers was used to identify the various HBV genotypes. Results: Median (and interquartile range) age of the participants was 31.0 (25.5–39.0) years, with males constituting 107 (64.8%). Majority (83.6%) of the samples analysed were HBV-DNA-positive with 82.6% of the HBV-DNA-positive samples being mixed genotype infections. Irrespective of mode of occurrence, five HBV genotypes were identified with HBV/E (97.1%) being the most predominant, followed by HBV/B (82.6%), HBV/A (24.6%), then HBV/C (17.4%), while HBV/D (0.7%) was the least prevalent. Conclusion: In most (99.1%) of the mixed-infection were a combination of genotype E, the predominant genotype, with other genotypes predominantly genotype B. HBV genotypes E, B, A, C and D are the prevalent genotypes in Zaria, Nigeria, as they occur in single genotype and in mixed-genotypes pattern.

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