Prevalence and Awareness of Hepatitis B Infection Among Blood Donors in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, Nigeria
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Blood screening exercise was performed with one hundred (100) blood samples donated by blood donors at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching (ATBUTH) Hospital, Bauchi to investigate the prevalence of Hepatitis B infection among them as well as their awareness about the risk factors of the disease. Results from this study showed that 18% of the blood donors examined were reactive to Hepatitis B surface antigen; while 17% of the blood donors have never heard of Hepatitis B and 88% have never ever been vaccinated with Hepatitis B vaccine. Having an infected family member and being a trader by occupation were found to be the major risk factors of having the disease. In conclusion, the general public should be properly educated on Hepatitis B infection and all susceptible individuals especially those with infected family members and traders should be vaccinated.
Keywords: Hepatitis B, Blood Donor, Prevalence, Awareness, ABTUTH