| Abstract: | Hepatitis virus infection is a major cause of morbidity andmortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The high prevalence of hepatitisB virus (HBV) infection in this region is thought to be dueto horizontal transmission during childhood. Hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection is also quite prevalent in Africa, but the epidemiologyof this infection has yet to be defined. We examined the prevalenceof HBV and HCV serological markers in 220 patients attendingsickle-cell anaemia clinics in Benin City, Nigeria, in 228 healthylocals, and in 104 local commercial blood donors, to test thehypothesis that patients requiring blood transfusion from unscreenedcommercial blood donors (in this area of high prevalence forviral hepatitis) are at great risk for the acquisition of post-transfusionhepatitis. Overall, the frequency of hepatitis viraemia in blooddonors was high (14% of donors were either HbsAg or anti-HCVpositive). Evidence of previous exposure to HBV was common inall three study groups. Risk of HBV infection for sickle-cellpatients was not clearly increased by blood transfusion. HCVexposure, however, appears related to transfusion requirement,and all Western-blot-confirmed anti-HCV-positive sicklers hada history of blood transfusion. Screening of blood productsin sub-Saharan Africa is unlikely to reduce prevalence of HBV,but may minimize the risks of HCV transmission. |
