This was a case-control study carried out at gastroenterology unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku/Ozalla from January 2008 to April 2010. The cases were consecutive patients with various forms of liver disease who tested positive for Hepatitis B surface (HBsAg). Asymptomatic individuals referred to the unit during the study period after testing positive for HBsAg during screening for blood donation or routine medical examination were also included as cases. The control subjects were age and sex-matched, HBsAgnegative individuals referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.This case-control study of adults with HBV infection revealed that several high risk behaviors and practices for the transmission of this infection are significantly more prevalent among the patients compared to the controls. This means that parenteral transmission of HBV through these high-risk activities may have substantial contribution to disease burden.
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