Abstract

Viral hepatitis poses a substantial global health burden. The most often seen abnormalities after the diagnosis of
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) generally encompass haematological abnormalities and changes in liver parameters. The
aim of this study is to evaluate the haematological variables and liver enzymes, specifically aspartate transaminase
(AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), among blood donors who have contracted the hepatitis B virus (HBV) at
the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo. The study encompassed a cohort of 70 individuals, with the experimental
group comprising 50 individuals who exhibited positive results for the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The control group
consisted of a sample of twenty (20) apparently healthy adults. The mean levels of red blood cells (RBC), hematocrit
(HCT), haemoglobin (HGB), and platelets (PLT) demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in persons
relative to the control group, as evidenced by the p-values of 0.002, 0.001, 0.035, and 0.002, respectively. No
statistically significant decrease in the average concentration of white blood cells (WBC) was reported among the
participants in comparison to the control group (p=0.236). The study revealed a significantly increased mean
concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the participants as compared to the control group (p=0.016).
The study findings revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the levels of AST observed
between the participants and the control group (p = 0.285). The present study has provided evidence to support the
use of haematological parameters and liver enzymes as a reliable and accurate approach for assessing the severity of
hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate the surveillance of patients even after their
recovery from hepatitis B virus infection as an essential element of their healthcare.
Keywords: Hepatitis B, Liver, Haematological Parameter, Liver Enzyme
INTRODUCTION
The prevalence of Hepatitis B (HB) infection is a
matter of great concern on a global scale, as it has the
potential to greatly impact public health [1-4]. The
hepatitis B virus (HBV) has exhibited a substantial
global prevalence, impacting a population over two
billion individuals [5-8]. Moreover, a significant
proportion of this affected population, estimated to be
between 360 and 400 million individuals, is known to
suffer from chronic HBV infection [10-16].
However, it has been determined that the anticipated
annual mortality attributable to HB infection spans a
range of 0.61 million to one million [17-20].
Furthermore, the