ROLE OF HEPATITIS Bs ANTIGEN IN CHRONIC GLOMERULONEPHRITIDES IN NIGERIANS

Abstract

Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (Boehring Institute Laboratory), eighty-one adult patients were studied for hepatitis Bs antigenaemia. Nine of the patients had asymptomatic persistent proteinuria, thirty-nine, nephrotic syndrome, and thirty-three had profuse proteinuria, azotaemia and hypertension. The histopathology obtained in forty showed twenty-two with MCGN, four with focal glomerulosclerosis, three with proliferative glomerulonephritis, one with minimal change glomerulonephritis and ten with end-stage kidney disease. None of the patients had apparent clinical evidence of liver disease nor a past history of jaundice. One hundred and eighty apparently normal adults served as controls; 33.3% of the patients had positive hepatitis Bs antigenaemia, in contrast, to 6% CPCO.OO 1) in the normal controls. Hepatitis Bs antigenaemia was more prevalent in the group s with nephrotic syndrome and persistent asymptomatic proteinuria than in the group with advanced renal failure. Hepatitis Bs antigenaemia was detected in all histopathologic forms b u t was most prevalent in the MCGN ( / > <0.001 ) which is also the more commonly encountered lesion. The implications of these findings are discussed.