Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health challenge, particularly among people living with HIV, with mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) contributing significantly to chronic infections. This study determined the prevalence and viral load of HBV among highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated mothers and their infants in Katsina, Nigeria. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 182 HAART-treated mother–infant pairs. Blood samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using a rapid immunochromatographic assay. HBsAg-positive maternal samples were further analyzed for HBV serological markers using a rapid immunochromatographic HBV five-panel test kit and HBV DNA viral load using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, with statistical significance set at p 0.05). The findings indicate a moderate prevalence of HBV among HAART-treated mothers, with low maternal viral loads and no evidence of HBV infection among their infants.