1School of Health Sciences, Unite of Microbiology-Immunology, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaounde, Cameroon
2Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
3Yaounde General Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon
4Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plant Study, IMPM, Yaounde, Cameroon
5Agence Nationale de la Radio-Protection, ARNP, Yaounde, Cameroon
6Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon
*Corresponding e-mail: simenikagus@yahoo.fr
Online published on 1 October, 2020.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a public health issue worldwide. In Cameroon, its seroprevalence-was 11.2% in 2018. However, data specific to cancer patients is missing and the risk of reactivation of viral hepatitis B in patients treated for cancer is not negligible. The objective of this study was to determine the seroepidemiological profile of markers of viral hepatitis B infection in cancer patients at the Yaounde General Hospital (HGY).
This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2018 to December 2018. Total of 244 cancer patients was recruited from the HGY Oncology Department. Hepatitis B viral markers (HBs Antigen, HBe, and HBc Antibody, Anti-HBs, Anti-HBe) were determined by immunochromatographic assay (On Site HBV-5 rapid test) in serum samples of patients.
Total 28 men (11.48%) and 216 women (88.52%) were recruited. The average age was 44.07 ± 1.57 years old. The majority of patients had breast cancer (77.05%), 24/244 patients had HBsAg positive (9.84%), 32/244 anti-HBc positive (13.11%), 32/244 anti-HBe positive (13.11%) and 64/244 anti-HBs positive (26.23%), 4/244 patients had acute hepatitis (1.64%), 20/244 patients were inactive carriers (8.20%), 20/244 were cured (8.20%), 48/244 were immunized by vaccination (19.67%) and 152/244 were free from hepatitis B (62.30%).
HBV testing should be performed in patients scheduled for cancer chemotherapy and those tested negative should be advised to join the vaccination programme. About 8.2% of patients are at a risk for reactivation of hepatitis when receiving chemotherapy.
Hepatitis B, Cancer, Reactivation, Sero-epidemiological