Author(s)

Maguette Sylla Niang^1,2*, Khadidiatou Sarr Fall², Babacar Mbengue¹, Moustapha Mbow¹, Ndiokhor Nd. Diouf², Ousseynou Boye², Gora Lo³, Papa Madieye Guèye³, Rena Derwiche^1,2, Amina Sow Sall³, Tandakha Ndiaye Dieye¹, Alioune Dieye¹

¹Service of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontology (FMPO), Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal.
²Laboratory of Medical Biology, General Hospital of Grand-Yoff, Dakar, Senegal.
³Department of Biological and Pharmaceutical Applied Sciences, Pharmacy and Odontology (FMPO), Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal.

Objective: Evaluate the immunological status to hepatitis B virus of Senegalese pregnant women by screening HBs antigen. Material and methods: The selection criteria of women were presence at the laboratory for biological exams of pregnancy follow-up. All volunteers for the study were screened for HBs antigen (HBs Ag). Investigation of chronic hepatitis B markers (HBe Ag, anti-HBe, viral quantification) was performed in HBs Ag positive participants. The concentration of anti-HBs antibodies was assessed in HBs Ag negative women. Results: One hundred and fifteen (115) pregnant women were included in the study from July to October 2014. The mean age was 29 ± 6 years, ranging from 16 to 47. The seroprevalence of HBs Ag was 12% and the majority of women (90%) were not vaccinated. Any of the 14 HBs Ag-positive subjects did not express serum HBe Ag, (marker of active viral replication) and all were positive for anti-HBe antibodies. Their viral load (HBV DNA) was undetectable and serum transaminases were normal. The anti-HBs antibodies titrated in HBs-Ag negative women serum revealed that only 46 had protective levels against HBV whilst 55 of them were unprotected.

HBs Ag, Pregnancy, Senegal

Niang, M. , Fall, K. , Mbengue, B. , Mbow, M. , Diouf, N. , Boye, O. , Lo, G. , Guèye, P. , Derwiche, R. , Sall, A. , Dieye, T. and Dieye, A. (2017) Immunological Status to Hepatitis B Virus of Pregnant Women in Dakar, Senegal. Open Journal of Immunology, 7, 37-44. doi: 10.4236/oji.2017.72003.