Okwesili AN

The aim of this study was to investigate the Hepatitis B immunity status of Biomedical Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria. CTK Biotech (USA) Onsite HBsAb ELISA kit was used for the determination of HBsAb status of subjects. We investigated the HBsAb status of 186 biomedical students aged ≥ 18 years (mean age 26 ± 2.0 years) made up of 147 males and 39 females. Out of 186 subject analyzed, 69 (37.1%) were Medical, 75(40.3%) were Medical Laboratory Science and 42(22.6%) were Nursing students. Age group distribution among these subject shows that majority 108(58.0%) were in the 21-25 years age group. Subjects were stratified based on marital status. Majority of subjects were single 173(93.1%) compared to married 13 (6.9%). Ethnic distribution of subjects indicated that 104(55.9%) were Hausa, 32 (17.2%) were Yoruba while 20(10.8%), 9(4.8%) and 21(11.3%) were Fulani, Igbo and other ethnic groups respectively. Among the 186 subjects studied, only 13(7.0%) has had prior complete course of hepatitis B vaccination (p=0.001). Protective HBsAb titre (>10miu/ml) was evident in 72(38.7%) of the subjects while 114 (61.3%) did not had no protective HBsAb titre (