Surveying infections among pregnant women in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Background:There is paucity of epidemiological data on infectious diseases among antenatal mothers in Bayelsa State of the Niger Delta, Nigeria.Aims:The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of the serological markers Human immunodeficiency virus-antibody (HIV-Ab), Hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg), Hepatitis C virus antibody(HCV-A)and antibodies to T. pallidum among pregnant women in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, South–South Nigeria.Settings and Design:This is a cross-sectional study which was carried out in Yenagoa city, the heart of the Niger Delta, Nigeria.Materials and Methods:Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies were detected by using “Determine” HIV-1/2 test strip (Abbott Laboratories, Japan); hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and antibodies to T. pallidum were carried out using ACON rapid test strips (ACON Laboratories, USA). All positive samples for HIV, HBV and HCV were confirmed using the Clinotech diagnostic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits (Clinotech Laboratories, USA), while all reactive samples to Treponema pallidum antibodies were confirmed by the Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) test (Lorne Laboratories Ltd., UK). All test procedures were carried out according to the manufacturers’ instructions.Statistical Analysis Used:The data generated were coded, entered, validated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 12.0, and Epi info. The seroprevalence of syphilis, HBsAg, HCV and HIV was expressed for the entire study group by age, sex and other demographic features using Pearson chi-square analysis. Values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results:A total of 1,000 apparently healthy pregnant women aged between 15 and 44 years with a mean of 27.34±5.43 years were screened. In terms of percentage, 89.4% of the subjects were married, and 10.6% were without formal husbands. The overall seroprevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV and syphilis was found to be 4.1%, 5.3%, 0.5% and 5.0%, respectively.Conclusions:High prevalence of some infectious diseases was observed in the present study, which may pose serious health risk to women of reproductive age in this region. It is important to point out that there is need to improve antenatal care of pregnant women by mandatory screening for these infectious diseases.

Human immunodeficiency virus seroconversion and associated risk factors among pregnant women delivering at Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza, Tanzania

“…This study showed that pregnant women who are unmarried, women in a polygamous marriage, women living in a separate house from husbands and women married to frequently traveling husbands were more likely to seroconvert. Other similar studies have also shown that single mothers,[ 7 ] polygamous relationship and multiple sexual partners. [ 6 12 17 ] are potential risk factors for HIV seroconversion among pregnant women.…”

“…[ 6 12 ] Pregnant women at the peak of reproductive age (25–30 years) in the present study were more likely to seroconvert (7.2%), although the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.09), other similar study showed the difference to be statistical significant (15–34 years, P < 0.005). [ 7 ] Suggesting that this age range may be associated with higher sexual activities. Similar to other studies,[ 6 15 ] high seroconversion rate was shown among pregnant women married to mobile husbands.…”

“…[ 1 2 3 4 ] In developed countries profoundly low HIV seroprevalence has been reported among pregnant women tested before 34 weeks[ 5 ] whereas, in developing African countries the rates are high ranging from 5.2% to 11.1%. [ 3 4 6 7 8 ] In Tanzania, HIV seroprevalence among adults aged between 15 and 49 years basing on household surveys was found to be 5.7%, with the majority of these being women (56%). Furthermore, the prevalence of HIV among women attending antenatal care (ANC) clinics was 6.8% accounting for approximately 100,000 HIV-exposed infants annually.…”

Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis b, Hepatitis c, syphilis and co-infections among antenatal women in a tertiary institution in south-east Nigeria

“…This is in agreement with the overall seroprevalence of HCV in sub-Saharan Africa 3%. [ 7 ] It is however, higher than the result from Niger Delta, Nigeria 0.5%,[ 20 ] Iran 0.98%,[ 25 ] and Sudan <1%. [ 22 ] These variations may be related to the differences in the modes of transmission, which is influenced by socio-cultural practices and environmental factors.…”

“…[ 22 ] These variations may be related to the differences in the modes of transmission, which is influenced by socio-cultural practices and environmental factors. [ 20 ] In a tertiary medical center in South-West Nigeria where over 90.8% of the women had scarification marks, a seroprevalence of 9.2% was reported. [ 9 ] The differences have also been attributed to the choice of serological tests to determine HCV prevalence especially in developing countries where intercurrent infections contribute to false-positive enzyme immunoassay results.…”