Abstract
Background Using prospective blood donors as a proxy, this study was aimed at estimating the burden and five-year (2012–2016) trend of viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) infection among asymptomatic adult population in Ho. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was done on secondary data extracted from the hospital archives comprising 4,180 prospective blood donors from January 2012 to December 2016. Demographic variables included age and sex, as well as place of residence. Screening results of serum infectious markers (HBV and HCV) were obtained. Results The prevalence of asymptomatic viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) infection in the general adult population was 6.94% and 1.84%, respectively. Females recorded a higher burden of HBV and HCV (8.3% and 5.0%) compared to their male peers (6.8% and 1.4%). A significant age variation in HBV antigenaemia was seen with HBV seropositivity peaking among the younger population (less than 20 years' group) at 11.24% and troughed among the older population (above 50 years' group) at 0.92%. Conclusion Asymptomatic viral hepatitis among adult population in the Ho Municipality is estimated at the intermediate to high endemicity level. Preventive measures to reduce the burden are urgently needed and should be targeted at the younger generation.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are a significant public health problem globally and in developing countries [1]
Recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report indicates that nearly 257 million people are chronically living with HBV infection while an estimated 71 million persons are suffering from chronic HCV infection [2]
Prolonged and untreated viral hepatitis could lead to complications such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and mortality due to liver pathology [5]
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are a significant public health problem globally and in developing countries [1]. In Sub-Saharan Africa, about 8% of the population are chronic carriers of HBV, whereas HCV infection rate is reported to range from 2.1%–2.8% with the highest rate of 2.8% in the West African subregion [3, 4]. Estimating the burden and trend of infectious pathogens among carrier asymptomatic populations who serve as reservoirs for the infectious agents. Using prospective blood donors as a proxy, this study was aimed at estimating the burden and five-year (2012–2016) trend of viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) infection among asymptomatic adult population in Ho. Materials and Methods. The prevalence of asymptomatic viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) infection in the general adult population was 6.94% and 1.84%, respectively. Asymptomatic viral hepatitis among adult population in the Ho Municipality is estimated at the intermediate to high endemicity level. Preventive measures to reduce the burden are urgently needed and should be targeted at the younger generation
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