SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG PATIENTS IN MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Hepatitis A virus (HAV);, Seroprevalence, Maiduguri, Public health, Acute viral hepatitisAbstract
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a non-enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus and remains a major cause of acute viral hepatitis in areas with poor sanitation and limited access to safe drinking water. This study investigated the molecular detection and characterization of HAV and its public health implications in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. A total of 140 blood samples were collected and screened for HAV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies using the Palmatec® HAV IgG/IgM One Step Test Cassette. Demographic characteristics, behavioral risk factors, and relevant clinical information were obtained using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed to determine seroprevalence and associated risk factors. Overall IgG seropositivity was 43.6%, indicating widespread past exposure, while IgM prevalence was low (2.1%), suggesting limited recent transmission. Females showed a slightly higher IgM positivity rate (3.4%) than males (0%), and mixed IgG/IgM positivity was rare (1.4%). Seroprevalence varied across hospitals, with the highest IgG prevalence recorded at the State Specialist Hospital (48.6%). Educational level significantly influenced antibody distribution (p < 0.05), with IgM detected mainly among individuals with secondary education (9.4%). Occupational differences were not statistically significant, although students and civil servants showed low levels of recent infection. IgG seroprevalence increased with age, peaking at 50% among individuals aged 41–50 years, while IgM positivity was confined to the 11–20 and 41–50-year age groups. Behavioral factors, including consumption of tap or well water, poor hand hygiene, and travel to high-risk areas, were significantly associated with higher IgG positivity (p < 0.05). The findings confirm that HAV remains endemic in Maiduguri, with transmission driven by environmental, educational, and behavioral factors. Strengthening public health interventions, including improved water and sanitation, hygiene education, and targeted vaccination of high-risk groups, is recommended to reduce HAV transmission.
References
Ageru, T.A. and Abiso, T.L, (2018). Sero-Prevalence of HIV and Syphilis Infection among Pregnant Mothers Attended Labor Ward at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching Referral Hospital, Wolaito sodo, Ethiopia. American Journal of Health Research, 6(3): 67-73.
CDC. (2021). Prevention of hepatitis A through active or passive immunization: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
Dawurung, J. S., Giwa, E., Ballah, A. D., Jauro, S., Kida, A., & Bukbuk, N. D. (2014). Incidence of hepatitis A virus IgM among residents of Konduga Local Government Area, Borno State, Nigeria. National Science, 12(8), 32–35. http://www.sciencepub.net/nature
El-Yuguda, A. D., Kachallah, A. M., & Dawurung, J. S. (2016). Seroprevalence of hepatitis A among some residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Biomedicine and Nursing, 2(3), 49–51. http://www.nbmedicine.org https://doi.org/10.7537/marsbnj020316.07
Gholizadeh, O., Akbarzadeh, S., Ghazanfari, H. M., Gholami, M., Amini, P., Yekanipour, Z., Tabatabaie, R., Yasamineh, S., Hosseini, P., & Poortahmasebi, V. (2023). Hepatitis A: Viral structure, classification, life cycle, clinical symptoms, diagnosis error, and vaccination. Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, 2023, Article ID 4263309. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4263309
Linder, N., Amornkul, P., & Leung, N. (2017). Shifting epidemiology of hepatitis A in industrialized countries. Vaccine, 35(46), 6250–6257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.09.015
Manijeh, K., & Batool, S. M. (2017). Hepatitis A virus infection. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 4, e38666.
Medrzycki, M., Kowalski, R., & Nowak, J. (2020). Hepatitis A virus: Transmission and control. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 597. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00597
Ndumbi, P., Kabore, J., & Tounkara, A. (2018). Epidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection in Africa. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 12(8), 675–684. https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.10340
Nelson, N. P., Weng, M., & Hofmeister, M. G. (2020). Hepatitis A virus: Epidemiology, prevention, and surveillance. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 27(8), 829–840. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvh.13289
NPC. (2006). Population and housing census of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: Borno State report. Abuja, Nigeria: NPC.
Papka, I. M., Bukbuk, D. N., Ladan, J., & Babagana, B. (2025a). Serological and molecular detection of hepatitis A virus among women of childbearing age attending some health facilities within Maiduguri metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 39(1), 7528–7538.
Papka, I.M., Mala, S.M., Umar, M.M., Ndagiya, A.I., Jeremiah Hussaini, and Paul, Buba. (2025b). Assessment of the effectiveness and safety of Hepatitis A vaccines in the control of hepatitis A virus infection: A global perspective. Impact International Journals and Publications © IIJP 2025 | Volume 1, Issue 4, pp. 207-225 | ISSN: 2636-4484
Shouval, D., Korman, S., & Paz, R. (2021). Historical perspective and global impact of hepatitis A virus. Hepatology International, 15(1), 12–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-020-10072-9
Tejada, S., Ramirez, L., & Torres, M. (2018). Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of hepatitis A outbreaks. Journal of Clinical Virology, 101, 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2018.01.011
WHO. (2023). Global hepatitis report 2023. World Health Organization.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, adaptation, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors are permitted to post their work online in institutional/disciplinary repositories or on their own websites. Pre-print versions posted online should include a citation and link to the final published version in Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication as soon as the issue is available; post-print versions (including the final publisher's PDF) should include a citation and link to the journal's website.
