Prevalence and Eligibility for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection among Prison Inmates and Female Sex Workers in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

Hepatitis B is a growing worldwide public health issue today. The pathologies are responsible for considerable increase in healthcare expenses despite the widely recognized public health authority to keep then under control. Facts and figures have hitherto been misconstrued as regards Eligibility for treatment of chronic hepatitis B in most hospitals in Nigeria.

This Cross-sectional study therefore is to evaluate the prevalence and determine the proportion of the female sex workers and prison inmates eligible for treatment of chronic hepatitis B in Calabar.

Methods: Preliminary screening was done with a highly specific and sensitive HBsAg strip. Reactive samples were analyzed for hepatitis B markers using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELIZA) kits. Chemistry and hematology analyzers were employed in carrying out LFT and FBC.

Results: The overall prevalence of HBV was 5.72%. The prevalence rate of 8.16% and 4.70% were recorded for the female sex workers and prison inmates respectively. A significant proportion of the inmates were chronically living with the virus and are eligible for treatment going by the APRI scores. Infections were significantly associated with the use of unsterilized equipment for tattooing and injection drug use.

Conclusion: The low observed intraprison and interbrothels prevalence of HBV underscore the need to vaccinate the inmates and sex workers population.