Sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus among Refugees in Khartoum state

Abstract

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). It is represent global health problem and infection with this virus may lead to serious consequences such as liver cirrhosis, failure, and liver carcinoma. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of HBV among refugees in Khartoum state. The study was conducted during the period between February to April 2017. A total of ninety blood samples (n=90) were obtained from refugees at Nefasha camp. Five ml blood sample was collected from each refugeen. Then serum or plasma was obtained by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 5 min. The sera was exemined for the presence of HBsAg using Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay ( ELISA). The results showed that out of 90 blood samples investigated, 8 (8.9%) were positive for HBsAg. The rest 82(91.1%) were negative. The study concluded that the prevalence of HBV infection in refugees is relatively high and the level of infection is independent to suggested factors such as: age, sex, family history for hepatitis. Further studies with large number of samples and more advanced technique are required to validate the results of the present study.