Prevalence of Serological Markers of Hepatitis B Virus in Patients Admitted to the Bacteriology-Virology Laboratory Admitted to the Bacteriology-Virology Laboratory of the Fann University Hospital in Dakar between January 2021 and December 2022

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem worldwide. In Senegal, 85% of the general population has at least one HBV marker. It is in this context that this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of serological markers of HBV in patients monitored at the bacteriology-virology laboratory of the Fann University Hospital Center. Methodology: This is a retrospective study of 6053 patients seen between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022. The Abbott Architect i1000 immunoassay analyzer was used to screen for HBV serological markers, except for HBs antigen, which was screened using immunochromatography. Data was collected from laboratory records and analyzed using Excel software. Results: The results showed that the average age of this population was 38.49 years, ranging from 2 months to 97 years. The male-to-female ratio was 0.78. 53.43% of patients who tested positive for HBs antigen were men, compared to 46.7% who were women. Among the patients, 10.83% were carriers of HBs antigen (Ag), 7.44% carried the HBe antigen, 68.86% carried the anti-HBc antibody, and those with anti-HBs antibody levels above 10 IU/L accounted for 18.97%. Conclusion: These results show that a large part of the Senegalese population is exposed to HBV. Nevertheless, systematic screening and vaccination remain the most effective strategies for improving the management of this infection.