Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Among Blood Donors at General Hospital Maiduguri, North East Nigeria

Hepatitis B virus infection poses a major transfusion medicine challenge in resource-limited settings, where voluntary blood donation screening practices may be inconsistent. This study determined the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among blood donors at General Hospital Maiduguri, Borno State, North East Nigeria. A retrospective cross-sectional design was employed, reviewing laboratory records of 450 blood donors screened between January 2021 and December 2023. Hepatitis B surface antigen detection was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Donor demographics, including age, sex, occupation, and donation frequency, were extracted from the hospital blood bank register. Results showed an overall HBsAg seroprevalence of 12.4%, with first-time donors recording significantly higher rates at 15.9% compared to repeat donors at 6.2%. Male donors had higher seroprevalence than females. The 21-30 age group recorded the highest infection rates. Farmers and commercial drivers were disproportionately represented among positive donors. The high prevalence observed underscores the critical importance of pre-donation screening for all categories of donors and the need for exclusion of high-risk individuals from the donor pool. The study recommends mandatory vaccination of all blood bank staff, health education for potential donors on hepatitis B transmission, and integration of nucleic acid testing into routine donor screening to enhance transfusion safety in Maiduguri and similar settings across North East Nigeria. Keywords: hepatitis B surface antigen, blood donors, seroprevalence, transfusion safety, Maiduguri