Abstract
Background Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are a public health problem worldwide. It is highly endemic in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Horizontal and perinatal transmissions are thought to be the major modes of transmission in these countries. Objective. This study aimed to investigate the seroepidemiology and possible risk factors for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics. Methods A cross-sectional study design was conducted from July to September 2014 among 421 pregnant women attending antenatal care services in randomly selected health facilities, East Wollega Zone, West Oromia, Ethiopia. Blood sample was collected from each woman and separated serum was tested for the presence of markers. A prestructured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and risk factors. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used as measures of the strength of association. Result The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 2.4% ranging from 0.0% to 5.2%. It was the highest in Sire Health Center and the lowest/nil in others. The prevalence of HCV ranged from 6.7% to 20% with an average of 8.07% in this study area where it was highest in the Getema Health Center Antenatal Care Attendants. Only address (p=0.020) and area of the health institution (p=0.021) are significantly the associated factors for HBsAg and serostatus of HCV, respectively. Conclusion The prevalence of HBsAg carrier rate of pregnant women in the study area falls within the medium endemic prevalence and HCV prevalence was higher than HBsAg. Study participants who were from urban areas were significantly affected with HBV while study institution affects the prevalence of HCV infection so that initiating screening tests during follow up period for antenatal care services is mandatory.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are a public health problem worldwide
This study investigated the seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among pregnant women in the study area
This is in contrast with study done in different part of Ethiopia that revealed the prevalence of HBV and HCV in the overall pooled prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was 7.4% and the overall pooled prevalence of antihepatitis C virus antibody was 3.1% [7, 14] and with study done in Nigeria with seroepidemiology of HBV and HCV as 6.78% and 1.39%, respectively [16]
Summary
Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are a public health problem worldwide It is highly endemic in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to investigate the seroepidemiology and possible risk factors for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics. The prevalence of HCV ranged from 6.7% to 20% with an average of 8.07% in this study area where it was highest in the Getema Health Center Antenatal Care Attendants. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are a major public health problem worldwide. HBV is transmitted through parenteral or mucosal exposure to infected blood and body fluids, usually either by a vertical or horizontal route early in life in highly endemic areas, resulting in a high rate of chronic infections [5]. The development of chronic infection is very common in infants infected from their mothers or before the age of 5 years [3]
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