International Journal of Research (IJR) e- ISSN: 2348-6848, p- ISSN: 2348-795X Volume 2, Issue 06, June 2015 Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org Available online:http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ Page | 95 Prevalence of Malaria Parasite and Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women Attending Ashaka Medical Center, Gombe State I.A. Allamin 1 , I.B. Machina 2 M. Ibn Abbas1 and H. Shuaibu 1 1 Department of microbiology, University of Maiduguri P.M.B 1069 2 National Institute of Trypanosomiasis Research, Katsinaliason office Corresponding author: ibnallaminmcb@unimaid.edu.ng , ibnallamin@gmail.com Abstract The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Malaria parasite and Hepatitis B virus among pregnant women at Ashaka medical centre, Gombe State. The tests were carried out using diagnostic test device for malaria parasite S.D Standard diagnostic device INC. Lot No_082230K, and for Hepatitis B virus kit Disport test strip lot No-BSA305006. Questionnaires were administered to help in determining the risk factors. The study was conducted from April to July 2014. 140 pregnant women were screened for Malaria parasite and Hepatitis B surface antigen. Out of the 140 pregnant women tested only 26 (18.6%) were positive to malaria and 12 (8.6%) were positive for HBV. Therefore, government is commended for the slight decrease of this infection and encouraged to act drastically for total eradication. Keywords: Malaria; Hepatitis B; Prevalence; and Women Introduction Malaria infection in pregnancy is major health problem in Africa especially in tropical and sub- tropical region where poor environmental hygiene, poverty and ignorance are the main epidemiological factors, causing significant mortality among pregnant women and their fetus. The burden of malaria infection during pregnancy is caused mainly by plasmodium falciparum pregnant women are at higher risk of malaria infection as pregnancy reduces a women’s immunity to infection (Schulman et al, 2003, and WHO, 2008). The recent world malaria report, which indicated that Nigeria accounts for a quarter of all malaria cases in the 45 malaria-endemic countries in Africa, clearly showed the challenges of malaria in Nigeria (WHO, 2008). This may be due to the large population approximately 160 million people living in areas of high malaria transmission. In Nigeria 11% of malaria deaths are attributed to malaria and pregnant women are known to be one of the groups at high risk of the effects of malaria infection, need special protection measures to ensure their survival and improve birth outcome. Hepatitis B virus HBV is a DNA virus of the family of hepadnaviridae and causative agent of hepatitis B infection (Unekeet al., 2005) Hepatitis B is one of the major common infection diseases of the liver worldwide caused by a small evolved DNA virus, the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus was first discovered as “Australian antigen” later named Hepatitis B surface antigen HBsAg in patient blood. Hepatitis B antigen HBsAg was identified several year later as a marker for patients at high risk transmission of the disease (Unekeet al, 2005) Hepatitis B virus is 50-100 times more infections than HIV and 10 times more infections than Hepatitis C virus (HCV) many carriers do not realize they are infected with the virus, thus it is referred to as a “silent killer” (Unekeet al., 2005) it is estimated that more than two billion people have been infected by HBV worldwide and 350million people have chronic infection (Unekeet al., 2005). Testing for HBV infection in pregnancy is important in