Seroprevalence of hepatitis B among pregnant women attending maternal and child health centres in Shebin El-Kom district (Menoufia governorate)

Abstract

ObjectivesThis work aimed to determine the seroprevalence and the risk factors for acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) among pregnant women in Shebin El-Kom district, Menoufia governorate.BackgroundHBV infection is a major global health problem. Egypt is among the countries with an intermediate endemicity of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (range 2-8%). In areas with high/intermediate endemicity, the most common route of infection is still the vertical transmission from mother to child. Passive immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and active immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B vaccine in the infants of HBV-positive carrier mothers are necessary for the protection of newborns.Participants and methodsA cross-sectional study was carried out on 397 pregnant women, who were randomly selected from pregnant women attending maternal and child health centres in Shebin El-Kom district, Menoufia governorate, and were subjected to a personal interview with a predesigned questionnaire and screened for HBsAg in the serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe seroprevalence of HBV among pregnant women in Shebin El-Kom district, Menoufia governorate, was 2.3%, and the main risk factors for acquiring infection were the habit of one-syringe multiple use [odds ratio (OR) = 12.03], a family history of HBV infection (OR = 8.73), and HBV infection in the husband (OR = 96.5).ConclusionHBV is of intermediate endemicity among pregnant women in Shebin El-Kom district, Menoufia governorate, and the Ministry of Health and Population should adopt a program for the screening of all pregnant women for HBsAg at maternal and child health centres and for health education of the public about the modes of transmission of HBV and the application of infection control measures at health facilities to control the spread of HBV.