article · Discover Public Health
A cross-sectional investigation across two correctional facilities in North-Central Nigeria evaluated the seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and co-infection among 500 inmates. Blood testing using ELISA revealed seroprevalence rates of 42.2 percent for hepatitis B, 17.4 percent for hepatitis C, and 9.4 percent for co-infection, with higher rates observed in Kontagora compared to OkeKura. Key determinants associated with infection included the duration of incarceration, alcohol consumption, tattooing, and previous blood transfusions, alongside facility location as the strongest overall predictor. Awareness regarding viral transmission mechanisms and vaccination uptake remained notably low among the surveyed population. These findings demonstrate an elevated burden of viral hepatitis within carceral environments, driven by institutional and cumulative exposure risks, highlighting an urgent requirement for targeted screening, immunisation programmes, harm reduction initiatives, and direct linkages to medical care.
Correctional facilities can act as amplifiers for viral transmission, yet infection data in these settings remain scarce. High rates of hepatitis B and C combined with low vaccination and awareness create substantial public health risks within prisons and surrounding communities. Identifying key institutional and behavioural risk factors provides crucial evidence to direct targeted healthcare interventions, immunisation programmes, and harm reduction strategies to vulnerable populations.
The findings highlight an immediate demand for routine diagnostic screening tools, targeted vaccination drives, and healthcare linkage protocols within correctional institutions. Public health agencies, prison healthcare administrators, and diagnostic kit manufacturers could use this epidemiological evidence to design tailored screening programmes. Because this is observational epidemiological research, it does not present a proprietary product, sitting at an early stage that demonstrates market demand for existing point-of-care diagnostics and preventive interventions rather than introducing new technology.
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The correctional facilities present an environment of high risk for transmission of infections and yet the data on the serological evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Nigeria prisons remain limited. The seroprevalence and determinants of HBV, HCV and their co-infection among inmates in two selected correctional facilities in North-Central Nigeria was assessed. A cross-sectional study through convenience sampling was conducted among 500 inmates (300 from OkeKura, Kwara State, and 200 from Kontagora, Niger State). Sociodemographic, incarceration-related, and behavioral data were collected using a structured questionnaire while blood samples were analyzed for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV antibodies using ELISA. Bivariate analysis was performed using chi-square tests, and variables with p < 0.2 were included in multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors. The study recorded an overall seroprevalence of 42.2%, 17.4%, and 9.4% for HBV, HCV, and HBV–HCV co-seropositivity respectively, with significantly higher rates observed in Kontagora. Significant predictors of infection included duration of incarceration, alcohol use, tattooing, and blood transfusion while the study site was the strongest determinant across all outcomes. The awareness of hepatitis transmission and vaccination coverage among respondent were low. This study reveals a high burden of HBV infection, HCV exposure and there co-seropositivity in Nigerian correctional facilities, driven by facility-level factors and cumulative exposure risks. Targeted interventions, including routine screening, vaccination, harm reduction, and linkage to care, are urgently needed to reduce transmission and support hepatitis elimination efforts.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12982-026-02835-9
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