Journal of Disease and Global Health

Malaria parasites and hepatitis B virus are two important pathogens which pose significant public health threat owing to their associated adverse pregnancy outcomes. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of single and co-infection status of the pathogens in pregnant women and to evaluate the possible interaction between them. The cross-sectional study recruited 70 pregnant women for malaria parasites and hepatitis B virus diagnoses using microscopy and rapid serology kits respectively. The proportion of pregnant women with Plasmodium falciparum infection was 21.4%. Women in the age group 24-28 years (Prevalence=25.0%, Odd ratio OR=1.3, Confidence interval CI=0.4-4.5), the third trimester women (Prevalence=33.3%, OR=2.1, CI=0.5-8.4) and the primigravidae (Prevalence=26.1%, OR=1.5, CI=0.5-4.9) were at higher risk of P. falciparum infection (P>0.05). The overall proportion of pregnant women infected with hepatitis B virus was 7.1%. Older women in age group 34 years and above (Prevalence=10.0%, OR=1.6, CI=0.2-15.6), the second trimester women (Prevalence=8.8%, OR=1.6, CI=0.3-10.5) and the secundigravidae (Prevalence=10.5%, OR=1.9, CI=0.3-12.3) were however at higher risk of hepatitis B virus infection (P>0.05). The co-infection prevalence of the two pathogens was 1.4% in the study population. Pregnant women with negative P. falciparum infection status showed higher hepatitis B virus infection (7.3%) than those with positive P. falciparum infection status (6.7%). P. falciparum and hepatitis B virus infections are endemic in the area. Although co-infection of the two pathogens was low, the study however revealed the possibility of negative interaction between the pathogens.