Incidence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen among Blood Donors at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State

Transfusion-transmitted viral hepatitis B remains a significant blood safety challenge in Nigeria, where pre-donation screening quality varies considerably across health facilities. This study determined the incidence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity among blood donors at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano State, North West Nigeria. A retrospective review of blood bank screening records for 1,200 donors over a 12-month period was conducted, supplemented by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmatory testing of 150 reactive rapid test samples. Sociodemographic data including age, gender, educational level, and donation history were extracted and analyzed. Results revealed an overall HBsAg seroprevalence of 12.4 percent among screened donors, exceeding the estimated national prevalence baseline. Prevalence was highest among first-time donors (16.1%) and donors aged 20 to 29 years (15.2%). Male donors had significantly higher seropositivity than female donors (14.1% vs. 8.7%). The concordance between rapid test and ELISA results was 91.3 percent, indicating acceptable but improvable rapid test performance. These findings reinforce the critical importance of rigorous pre-donation screening and confirm that voluntary blood donor populations in Kano carry a substantial HBV burden. The study recommends expanded HBV vaccination campaigns, improved donor deferral protocols, and regular quality assurance audits of serological screening methods. Keywords: Hepatitis B surface antigen, blood donors, seroprevalence, Kano, transfusion safety.