Hepatitis B Surface Antibody Titer in Family Members of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver disease and death worldwide. It affects millions globally and may cause cancer. Chronic hepatitis B needs virological and serological testing, constant monitoring, and therapy. Females respond more to HBV vaccinations, making childhood vaccination essential. Objectives: To assess the frequency of HBV infection in family members of chronic HBV patients and identified those at greatest risk based on kinship degrees. Patients and methods: The study involved 100 family members of any age and sex of patients with chronic hepatitis B. The study was conducted at the outpatient clinic and inpatients sector of the Tropical Medicine & Gastroenterology department from 1st April 2022 to 30th April 2023. Complete history taking and clinical examination was done for all participants. Various laboratory tests, including HBsAg, HCV antibodies, HBs antibodies, and HBV DNA viral load, were conducted to assess HBV infection. Results: The study showed that 55% of participants were males. Among females, 65.2%had HBsAb titers below 10, compared to 34.8% of males. There was no significant difference in HBsAb titers between rural and urban areas. Siblings had higher HBsAb titers compared to other family members. The study population demonstrated a wide range of HBsAb titers, from 8.50 to 1890, with vaccination significantly influencing titers. Conclusion: The study highlighted the association between HBsAb titers and different factors such as age, family members, white blood cell count, serum creatinine, albumin level, and vaccination. Understanding these associations can aid in developing targeted prevention and management strategies for chronic hepatitis B.