Epidemiologic Survey of HBV, HCV and HIV Infections in a Pregnant Women Population in Central Nigeria: A Cross- Sectional Study

Parallel and overlapping of HBV, HCV and HIV infections in pregnant women is a major public health problem. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the parallel and overlapping infections of HBV, HCV and HIV among pregnant women population in Keffi, Central Nigeria between June through August 2019. Four hundred (400) women blood specimens were collected from major Hospitals in Keffi for the study after informed consent and ethical approval were retrieved and a structured questionnaire was administered to each women before sample collection. Specimens were analyzed for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV antibodies using rapid test kits according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Information obtained were statistically analysed using SSP version 2.80 and any P values less than 0.05 were reflected statistically significant. Out of the 400 women screened, there was overlapping infections of 11 (2.8%), 6 (1.5%) and 3 (0.8%) for HBV/HCV, HBV/HIV and HCV/HIV respectively. Parallel infections were 22 (5.5%), 12 (3.0%) and 14 (3.5%) for HBV, HCV and HIV. Only educational status was statistically related to HCV infection (p < 0.05). Those women that were below 20-years-old had the highest prevalence of HBV and HIV, meanwhile, women aged > 51 years recorded the highest prevalence for infection due to HCV. The parallel and overlapping HBV, HCV and HIV infections reported in this study is a stimulant for more proactive measures towards eliminating these viruses among pregnant women in Nigeria.