Seroprevalence Of HBV Research Articles

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Co-infections among Antenatal Women in a Tertiary care Hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) associated with pregnancy poses a great threat to fetal well being due to vertical transmission. This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, HIV and syphilis infection in pregnant women. This retrospective study was conducted in Microbiology department over a period of one year from December 2018 to December 2019 at a tertiary care teaching hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India. In this study, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies against hepatitis C virus, HIV and syphilis infection were detected in antenatal women. Total 4037 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic were enrolled in this study. The seroprevalence of HBV was 1.34% (54/4037), HCV was 0.52% (21/4037), syphilis was 0.07% (3/4037), and HIV was 0.12% (5/4037). Only one patient had coinfection of HBV and HCV. Regular antenatal screening of all pregnant females for various infections should be done for proper and timely intervention.

Sero-Prevalence of HBV and its Associated Factors Among Healthcare Providers in Public Health Facilities in Eastern Ethiopia.

Background:Healthcare providers are in high occupational risk of Hepatitis B virus infection than that of the general population because of the high risk of occupational exposure to patients’ body fluids and accidental sharp injuries. There are no large facility-based studies conducted on the prevalence of HBV infection and its associated factors among health care providers in eastern Ethiopia.Objective:This study aimed at investigating the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and its associated factors among the healthcare providers in public health facilities in eastern Ethiopia.Methods:A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 438 randomly selected healthcare providers in eastern Ethiopia from March to June 2018. Pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and other risk factors. In addition, a 2.5 ml blood was collected and the serum was analyzed for Hepatitis B surface antigen using the Instant Hepatitis B surface antigen kit. Data were entered using Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS statistical packages version 22. Descriptive summary measures were used. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was conducted at 95% CI. An association at P-value <.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:A total of 438 (92.02% response rate) health care providers have participated in this study. The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 9.6%. There were no significant differences in the HBV infection rates among healthcare providers with respect to socio-demographic characteristics (P-value >.05). After adjusting for some variables, the following variables remained statistically significantly associated with HBsAg positive result in the multivariable analysis: exposure to body fluids (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI [1.25, 7.05]), history of needle stick injury (AOR = 4.70; 95% CI [2.10, 10.55]), history of operation/surgery (AOR = 4.88, 95% CI [1.43, 16.62]), history of multiple sexual partner (AOR = 7.48; 95% CI [2.08, 26.96]), and being unvaccinated (AOR = 6.09; 95% CI [2.75, 13.51]).Conclusion:This study showed a high prevalence of HBV infection among health care providers in eastern Ethiopia. This is significant because health professionals may be at increased risk of chronic complications and may also be source of infection for their clients and general population during their healthcare practice. Management commitment that should focus on occupational safety and health promotions is necessary.

Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV Among Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending University of Gondar Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses are common infections and main causative agents of chronic liver diseases, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The liver is the major site of hormone and glucose metabolism which have deep interconnection with diabetes. Hepatitis-B and hepatitis-C virus infection and diabetes are prevalent diseases worldwide associated with increased morbidity and mortality. High prevalence of DM, HCV, and HBV showed that there is a higher chance of coexisting in an individual. Therefore, our study tried to assess the coexistence of hepatitis viruses and diabetes mellitus among DM patients at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital. The hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from November 01 to December 30, 2019 to as-sess the prevalence and associated factors of HBV and HCV among diabetes patients attending at University of Gondar referral hospital. Sociodemographic data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Four milliliters of blood were collected using an anticoagulant free test tube for measurement of biochemical parameters and detection of hepatitis viruses. HBsAg and anti-HCV antibody detection was performed using One Step Cassette Style HBsAg Rapid Test and EUGENE® anti-HCV rapid test, respectively. Binary and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associated risk factors for the outcome variable. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 288 diabetes patients were included in this study and the prevalence of HBV and HCV was 7 (2.43%) and 18 (6.25%), respectively. Hepatitis B virus showed similar prevalence for type 1 and type 2 diabetes at 2.6% and 2.3%, respectively, but HCV showed a wide variation with 17.5% and 4.3% prevalence, respectively, for both diabetes types. In a multivariable logistic regression model compared with younger age (≤ 24 years), older age ≥ 65 years (AOR: 19.545, 95% CI: 2.577 - 22.827) age groups and poor glycemic control (AOR: 18.84, 95% CI: 17.83 - 20.39) showed significant association with HBV. A considerably large number of diabetes patients tested positive for anti-HCV antibody as a marker of Hepatitis C virus infection. None of the variables showed significant association with active Hepatitis B virus infection whereas older ages (≥ 65 years) and diabetes patients with poor glycemic control showed significant association with anti-HCV antibody positivity.

HBV and HCV Seroprevalence in Hospital Admissions for Thalassemia Major in Bengbu, China

HBV and HCV Seroprevalence in Hospital Admissions for Thalassemia Major in Bengbu, China

Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B virus among pregnant women in Luanda (Angola): geospatial distribution and its association with socio-demographic and clinical-obstetric determinants

BackgroundHIV and HBV infections remain responsible for high rate of morbidity and mortality in many African Countries, affecting women and newborns. This study aims to analyze the spatial pattern of HIV and HBV infections in pregnant women in Luanda, Angola, and the statistical association between HIV and HBV and socio-economic characteristics, hygiene, and health status.MethodsDetection of anti-HIV antibodies (total anti-HIV-1, anti-HIV-2 and HIV-1 p24 antigen) and Hepatitis B antigens (HBsAg, HBeAg) and antibodies (anti-HBc Total II, HBc IgM, Anti-HBsT II) was performed by Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA) in serum samples of 878 pregnant women attended at the Lucrecia Paim Maternity Hospital (LPMH). Data were collected by questionnaire after written consent, and spatial distribution was assessed through a Kernel Density Function. The potential risk factors associated with HIV HBV infection were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis.ResultsAnti-HIV antibodies were positive in 118 samples (13.4%) and HBV infection were positive in 226 (25.7%). The seroprevalence of HIV/HBV coinfection was of 6.3%. The results showed that the seroprevalence of HBV was similar in most municipalities: 25.8% in Belas; 26.6% in Viana; 27.6% in Luanda; 19.2% in Cacuaco; and 15.6% Cazenga. For HIV, the seroprevalence was also close ranges among the municipalities: 10.0% in Belas; 14.5% in Viana 14.9% in Luanda and 12.5% in Cazenga. However, the seroprevalence in municipality of in Cacuaco was lower (5.8%) and bivariate and multivariate analysis showed a lower risk for HIV in this area (OR 0.348, CI 0.083–0.986; OR 0.359, CI 0.085–1.021). The multivariate analysis had also showed a significant increased risk for HIV in women with 2 or 3 births (OR 1.860, CI 1.054–3.372).ConclusionsOur results underlined the need to improve the screening and clinical follow-up of HIV and HBV in Angola, as well the educational campaigns to prevent not only the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases, but also their transmission, mainly in women in reproductive age and pregnant, encouraging the pre-natal consultations in order to avoid mother-to-child transmission.

A hospital-based study of the prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and liver disease among a low-income population in West Mexico

Introduction and objectivesViral hepatitis is a global health problem with unequal distribution of disease burden in which low-income people are at higher risk for acquisition and underlying liver diseases. This study aimed to seek the prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses, HIV, and liver damage among low-income patients attending a public tertiary care hospital in West Mexico. MethodsA retrospective/cross-sectional study at the Department of Genomic Medicine in Hepatology was conducted between March 1, 2016 to March 30, 2017. A total of 10,352 patients tested for anti-HCV, HBsAg, or anti-HIV (n=23,074) were included. Age, gender, and hospital service were registered. Liver fibrosis was assessed using APRI and FIB-4 scores. ResultsOverall, 3.9% were anti-HCV+ (305/7848), 1.0% were HBsAg+ (80/7894), and 2.9% were anti-HIV+ (210/7332). A 43.8% (750/1959) of patients negative for all viruses had either abnormal AST, ALT, or GGT (≥40 UI/L). Also, significant liver fibrosis (APRI ≥ 0.7) was prevalent in 10.6% (191/1804). In patients who tested positive for viral infections, liver fibrosis was detected in 20.4% (11/54) of HBsAg+, 34.2% (53/155) in anti-HCV+ and 15.5% (16/103) in anti-HIV+. Anti-HCV+ was highest in Geriatrics (11.1%), HBsAg+ in HIV patients (3.0%) and anti-HIV+ in Emergency room attendees (33.3%). ConclusionHigh seroprevalence of HCV, HBV, and HIV infections was found among the studied population. Significant liver fibrosis was detected in negative and positive patients for viral infections. Medical services need to continuously test for viral infections, promote early detection of chronic liver damage and identify target patients for elimination strategies to decrease disease burden.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections: Influence of National Health Care Policies and Local Clinical Practices

Background: Because reliable epidemiological data are necessary to eliminate hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infections, factors influencing their prevalence should be determined. This study aimed to disclose practical issues that affect the prevalence of these viral infections.Material/MethodsAll medical records with laboratory findings during 2016 to 2018 were reviewed, and all relevant data were extracted. All HBV and HCV infections were followed within these 3 years and investigated in detail.ResultsThe total number of records was 103 197, with a male to female ratio of 1: 1.4. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was tested in 12 934 cases, with a male to female ratio of 1: 2.6. Anti-HCV antibody (anti-HCV Ab) testing was done in 475 cases (53% male). The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV was 5.2% and 4.4%, respectively. Chronic HBV and HCV infections and their life-threatening complication, liver cancer, were highly detected in men aged 41–60 years.ConclusionsHBsAg was highly screened in women owing to the nationwide implementation of the universal HBsAg screening in pregnant women to prevent vertical transmission. Screening for anti-HCV Ab was neglected, probably due to lack of vaccine and high costs of anti-HCV drugs, which most people in low- to middle-income countries generally cannot afford. Local practices under national health care policies and limited budget and resources can cause underestimation of the prevalence of the HBV and HCV infections and persistent transmission of these viruses owing to unidentified cases.

Significance of Adopting Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique for Blood Donor Screening in a Resource Limited Setting: A Study from a Single Centre in South India.

Nucleic acid Amplification testing (NAT) has helped improve blood safety and detect window period and Occult Hepatitis B infections (OBI) This study was aimed at determining the following in blood donors: 1. seroprevalence of HIV, HBV & HCV, malarial parasite and Syphlis 2. NATand seroyield for HIV, HBV and HCV 3. viral load in NAT yield donations 4. Pattern of HBV serological markers in HBV NAT yield donations 80,809 blood donations were screened over an 8 year period (2012-2019) for antiHIV I and II, HBsAg, antiHCV antibodies, malarial parasite and VDRL. Seronegative samples were tested by NAT using a multiplex PCR in a pool of six. NAT yield samples were tested for viral load and HBV serological markers. Seropositive samples were tested for NAT and checked for seroyield. SPSS windows version 24.0 was used for statistical analysis. 1.07% of blood donors were found to be seropositive with 0.08%, 0.86%, 0.09%, 0.03% and 0 for anti HIV I and II, HBsAg, antiHCV, VDRL and Malarial parasite respectively. Out of 79,938 seronegative samples, 20 samples (0.025%) were NAT positive for Hepatitis B with a NAT yield OF 1:3997. Out of the 20 NAT positive samples, 17 were OBI and three were window period infections. 14 NAT yield samples subjected to a HBV viral load assay showed a range of < 6-146IU/ml. Minipool NAT in pools of six is able to indentify both OBI and window period infections. NAT could significantly improve the blood safety in a resource limited setting like India.

Retrospective Study of the Seroprevalence of HIV, HCV, and HBV in Blood Donors at a Blood Bank of Western Mexico.

Obtaining blood which is safe for transfusions is one of the principal challenges in the health systems of developing countries. Supply of contaminated blood increases morbidity, mortality, and the costs of patient care. In Mexico, serological screening is mandatory, but only a few of the main blood banks routinely perform a nucleic acid test (NAT). Data from 80,391 blood donations processed between August 2018 and December 2019 at the Central Blood Bank of the Western National Medical Center of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) were analyzed. All donors were screened for serological markers and NAT was performed. Reactive donors were followed-up to confirm their results. The number of reactive donors and seroprevalence rates for HIV, HCV, and HBV were 152 (18.91/10,000), 385 (47.89/10,000), and 181 (22.51/10,000), respectively; however, these rates decreased when NAT-confirmed reactive results were considered. Male donors were found to have a higher seroprevalence than females, and younger donors higher than older donors. The present study shows that HIV, HCV, and HBV seroprevalence in blood donors in Western Mexico is low. We propose that Mexico should establish future strategies, including pathogen reduction technologies (PRTs), in order to improve blood safety and reduce transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs).

Prevalence of HBV and HCV among Pregnant Women Attending Kumasi South Hospital (KSH), Ghana

Background and Aim: Both HBV and HCV infections have for decades remained serious public health concerns infecting thousands of people and claiming the lives of millions. The detrimental effects of these viral agents on the gravid women, the infants and the general population are well known and cannot be underestimated. Adequate and quality information on the disease prevalence remain one of the surest ways to tackling the infection head-on. This study therefore assessed the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among pregnant women who received antenatal care services from the Kumasi South Hospital of the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire designed to capture participant’s demographic and gestational data including age, occupation, marital status, educational status and gestational period was administered by the researcher to 200 pregnant women to collect the data for this study. About 2-3mls of whole blood was drawn into an ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and tested for HBsAg using Alere Determine HBsAg® test strip (sensitivity=95-100% and specificity=96-100%; Abbott Japan Co., Ltd.) and HCV antibodies using Serodia® HCV (sensitivity=100% and specificity=91.5%; Serodia, Fujirebio Inc., Tokyo, Japan) following standard procedures. Due to the lack of more advanced testing facilities such as PCR, each positive test result was repeated in order to reduce the possibility of false positive results. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and IBM SPSS vs 25. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test statistic were used to determine statistical associations between explanatory and outcome variables. Logistics regression was employed to determine potential demographic and gestational risk factors of HBV and HCV infection among the pregnant women. P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.&#x0D; Results: Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infection was 20.0% and 2.5% respectively. HBV infection increased with advancement in age from the least 7.1% among pregnant women aged &lt; 20 years to the highest 22.0% among pregnant women aged 30-39 years until a sharp decline among those forty years and above. HCV prevalence generally declined with increase in age with the highest prevalence (14.3%) recorded among the &lt;20 years old group. Unemployed (22.2%), married (20.3%), basic level educated (20.9%) and multiparous (21.3%) pregnant women recorded the highest HBV prevalence rates whereas unemployed (11.1%), unmarried (5.8%), basic level educated (3.4%) and multiparous (3.2%) pregnant women recorded the highest HCV prevalence rates. None of the demographic or gestational risk parameters was significantly associated with HBV infection in this study (p&gt;0.05) however, age was significantly associated with HCV infection yet posed not significantly high likelihood to HCV infection among the pregnant women.&#x0D; Conclusion: The HBV prevalence as recorded is highly endemic and therefore requires urgent round table discussions to be properly addressed. Despite the low HCV prevalence, the futuristic detrimental effects it may pose to the general wellbeing of the citizenry cannot be in doubt owing to the high prevalence dominating among the younger pregnant women. Measures such as intensified public education coupled with mass screening and vaccination and treatment of HBV seronegative and positive individuals respectively is therefore advised to mitigate further spread of the disease.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C Viruses, and HIV among Antenatal Pregnant Women in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

Aim: Hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV infections remain major global health concerns as causes of high morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of HBsAg antibody, anti-Hepatitis C and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies in antenatal pregnant women in Nsukka, Nigeria.&#x0D; Study Design, Area and Duration of Study: The study utilized both experimental and survey designs. Blood samples were collected from women attending antenatal clinics in two prominent hospitals in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria from April to August 2016.&#x0D; Methods: Blood samples from 200 pregnant women were collected into plain vacutainers and allowed to clot. The serum was separated and used to test for antibodies to the viral infections using rapid test kits with immobilized antigens following the manufacturer’s instructions. Additional information was collected using standard questionnaire. &#x0D; Results: From the results, 11 (5.5%), 9 (4.5%) and 5 (2.5%) women tested positive for HBsAg antibody, anti-HCV and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies, respectively. None of the patients was co-infected with HBV/HCV, HBV/HIV, HCV/HIV or triple infections with HBV/HCV/HIV. The mean age distribution was 28.2 years (Standard Deviation = 6.46). Marital status, age distribution and occupation were found to be statistically insignificant to the prevalence of HBsAg antibody, anti-HCV and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies (P &gt; 0.05). Blood transfusion and history of previous surgeries were the risk factors for HBsAg and HIV 1 and 2 antibodies (P &lt; 0.05), but not for anti- HCV (P&gt; 0.05) among the study population. None of the respondents had body tattoo or admitted to have multiple sexual partners.&#x0D; Conclusion: There are still high seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV among antenatal pregnant women in the study area. Hence, there is need for integration of hepatitis screening tests among the antenatal pregnant women in the town.

Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections: A Five-Year Retrospective Study among Blood Donors in Saboba District in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Methods A five-year hospital-based retrospective study was carried out among 8605 blood donors comprising 8517 males and 88 females using data on blood donors from Saboba Assemblies of God Hospital located in the Saboba District in the Northern Region of Ghana from 2013 to 2017. Blood bank records on HBV and HCV potential blood donors who visited the hospital to donate blood were retrieved. Donor demographic details, i.e., age and gender, were also recovered. Donors who were registered to the hospital but were not residents of the Northern Region were excluded from the study. Donors with incomplete records were also excluded from the study. The data was managed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet 2016 and analysed using GraphPad Prism statistical software. Results The overall prevalence of asymptomatic viral hepatitis B and C infections in the general adult population was 9.59% (95% CI: 9.00-10.20) and 12.71% (95% CI: 12.00-13.40), respectively, with an HBV/HCV coinfection rate of 2.23% (95% CI: 1.90-2.60). The number of donors generally declined with advancement in years from 2038 (23.68%) since 2013 to as low as 1169 (13.59%) in 2016, except for 2017 where a sharp increase of 1926 (22.38%) was observed. The first and second highest proportions of donors fell within the age categories of 20-29 (51.53% (4434)) and 30-39 (32.90% (2831)) respectively. The seroprevalence rate of HBV, HCV, and HBV/HCV coinfection rates were generally higher among the female group than those observed among the male category. The year-to-year variation in HBV, HCV, and HBV/HCV infections was statistically significant. The highest year-to-year HBV seropositivity rate was 11.48% in the year 2013, while that for HCV and HBV/HCV coinfection was 16.24% and 5.85%, respectively, both documented in the year 2014. HBV and HBV/HCV coinfection rates were highest among donors aged <20 years old, while HCV seroprevalence was highest among donors aged 50-59 years old. Significantly higher odds of HBV/HCV coinfection (OR = 5.2; 95% CI:3.3-8.1) was observed in the 2014 compared to the year 2013. Donors aged <20years were at higher risks of HBV and HBV/HCV coinfection rates compared to the other age groups. Conclusion The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among donors in the Saboba District of the Northern Region of Ghana is endemic. The HBV/HCV coinfection rate also raises serious concern owing to its high prevalence rate among the younger age. Intensive public health education coupled with mobile screening and mass vaccination of seronegative individuals is advised so as to help curb further spread of the infection and in effect help safeguard the health status of potential donors in the district.

A Seroprevalence Study for HBV in Pregnant Women in Greece: High Risk Migrant Groups and Opportunities for Intervention

Background: Perinatal transmission of HBV leads to chronic infection in up to 90% of neonates. Focused prenatal screening and appropriate treatment of pregnant women and neonates is necessary for the elimination of hepatitis B, as was stated in the 2017 WHO Action Plan for HBV. Information on seroprevalence of HBV in Greece, especially in pregnant women, is scarce and rather outdated. Seroprevalence data specifically for high-risk groups, such as immigrants, is necessary for proper public health planning and elimination of vertical transmission and this study will struggle to fill the gap that exists in Greece. Methods: HBsAg status of pregnant women delivering during 2017 in Crete was studied. Seroprevalence was estimated for the whole population and each ethnic group separately. Results: The mean age of the participants was 30.38 (±6) years. Their origin was Greek (76.76 %), Albanian (10.18%), Bulgarian (3.79%), Roma population (2.44%), Russia and Former Republics of Russia (2.06%), Romanian (1.95%), Central Europe (0.70%) refugees from Syria, Morocco, Egypt (0.55%), and East Asian (0.43%). The HBsAg (+) seroprevalence was 1.5%. The seroprevalence of Greeks was 0.5%, while Albanians, Bulgarians, Romanians and Roma had 4.3%, 5.7%, 2.8%, and 11.1% respectively (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Defining specific at-risk groups in each country is fundamental, since MTCT is the principal mode of transmission in high prevalence settings. Our study revealed high seroprevalence in certain migrant groups and Roma women. This information is essential for proper planning of perinatal care in Greece, especially taking into account that these underprivileged groups often lack quality health care.

The value of routine blood-borne virus testing in the intensive care unit.

ICU patients may require renal replacement therapy (RRT). Sharing RRT equipment carries a risk of BBV transmission, which mainly relates to Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV. Since 2012, all Glasgow Royal Infirmary ICU patients undergo routine BBV screening, with RRT machines allocated for patients with specific BBV statuses. Routine BBV testing is beneficial to both the individual and society. This study aims to determine if routine BBV testing in the ICU contributes to the discovery of undiagnosed BBV infections. This single-centre retrospective observational study examined prospectively collected clinical data from 1069 ICU admissions. Proportions were compared using a two-proportion z-test and a logistic regression model was carried out to determine if deprivation quintile was independently associated with the seroprevalence of BBVs. The BBV seroprevalence in the cohort studied: 0.45% (HBV), 11.7% (HCV), and 0.91% (HIV). The seroprevalence of HBV in the cohort studied was similar to that of Scotland (p = 0.11), but the seroprevalence of HCV (p < 0.001) and HIV (p = 0.01) were significantly higher than that of Scotland. The relationship between deprivation and BBV seroprevalence was explored for HCV only. The only independent variable associated with a reactive anti-HCV test result was "current or previous illicit drug use" (adjusted odds ratio of 40.2; 95% confidence interval of 21.1-76.4; p < 0.001). This study shows that routine BBV testing in the ICU is useful in discovering new BBV infections. This is the first observational study focusing on the value of routine BBV testing in an ICU setting to our knowledge.

English

BACKGROUND Blood transfusion has been a boon to medical science, but at the same time, it exposes millions of people to transfusion transmitted infections (TTI). TTI are the infections that are transmissible from one person to another through parenteral administration of blood / blood products. Various TTIs are hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV), syphilis, human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and malaria. With increasing use of blood transfusion, chances of transmission of TTIs is very common but proper screening of donor blood has reduced the chances of TTI. The present study was done to know the seroprevalence of HCV, HBV, HIV and syphilis and their coinfections. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the records from January 2015 to December 2019 at a blood bank of Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Amritsar, Punjab. Number of donors included in the study were 43,037. All the donors who came to blood bank were tested for TTIs by enhanced chemiluminescent immunoassay. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the records from January 2015 to December 2019 at a blood bank of Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Amritsar, Punjab. Number of donors included in the study were 43,037. All the donors who came to blood bank were tested for TTIs by enhanced chemiluminescent immunoassay. RESULTS Number of donors tested for TTI was 43,037. Out of 43037, 1739 patients had serological evidence of TTIs, out of which 1669 (96.19 %) had mono-infection and 70 (4.04 %) had coinfections. HCV &amp; HBV (28 / 70) was the most common combination, followed by HCV &amp; HIV (20 / 70), HCV &amp; syphilis (9 / 70), HIV &amp; syphilis (5 / 70), HBV &amp; syphilis (3 / 70) and HBV &amp; HIV (1 / 70). Two donors had HIV, HCV &amp; syphilis coinfections and two donors had HIV, HBV &amp; HCV coinfections. CONCLUSIONS The present study documents the high prevalence of TTI out of which hepatitis C is the most common followed by hepatitis B. Among coinfections, two most prevalent coinfections are HCV &amp; HBV and HCV &amp; HIV and it is important to screen for these coinfections due to their impact on the course of disease as well as quality of life. This shows the increasing evidence of transfusion transmissible infection in blood donors in spite of advanced and vigilant screening of donated blood prior to transfusion. So, strategies should be devised for monitoring the implementation of post donation counselling for recruitment of safe donors. KEYWORDS Coinfections, Transfusion Transmitted Infections, Seroprevalence

Serological markers and risk factors associated with Hepatitis B virus infection among Federal Capital Territory prison inmates, Nigeria: Should we be concerned?

IntroductionHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is hyper-endemic in Nigeria. Prisons are high-risk environments for the spread of infectious diseases. Worldwide, seroprevalence of HBV infection is substantially higher among individuals in correctional facilities when compared to general population. We determined the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with HBV infection among Kuje prison inmates, Nigeria.Material and methodsWe conducted a prison facility based cross-sectional study. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to obtain information on participants socio-demographic characteristics, HBV risk factors, previous HBV test and vaccination history. Blood samples collected from participants were analysed for HBsAg, HBsAb, HBcAb, HBeAg and HBeAb markers using rapid lateral chromatographic immunoassay kit. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were performed.ResultsA total of 271 inmates (63 convicts and 208 awaiting trial inmates) were recruited into the study as participants. The mean age of the participants was 32.7 SD±9 years. HBV seroprevalence (HBsAg) of 13.7% (95% CI: 9.8–18.3) was found. 55.4% (95% CI: 49.2–61.4) of inmates were susceptible to HBV infection, 20.7% (95%CI; 16.0–26.0) had past HBV infection while 10.3% (95% CI: 7.0–14.6) had acquired natural or artificial HBV immunity. Factors found to be associated with current HBV infection (HBsAg) include age-group ≤25years (aOR = 8.0,95% CI: 2.9–22.3), being ever married (aOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.7–10.4) and history of alcohol consumption (aOR = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3–8.4).ConclusionThis study reveals a high seroprevalence of HBV infection among Kuje Prison inmates, hence the need to introduce prison-focused health intervention initiatives such as HBV screening, vaccination and care to reduce the transmission of HBV infection among inmates and ultimately the general population.

ASSESSMENT OF LIVER FUNCTION TESTS AMONG CASES WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFECIENCY VIRUS (HIV)

Background:Co-infection of HIV with HBV and HCV can alter the natural history of these hepatotropic viruses leading to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and increases the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Hence this study was conducted to estimate the sero prevalence of HBV and HCV co-infection among the HIV infected individuals and to assess the association of co-infection with liver enzyme levels and CD4+ T cell levels. Methods: This study was conducted as a cross sectional study in the Department of General medicine in Thanjavur Medical College and hospital, Thanjavur, a tertiary care Government teaching hospital during the period of October 2018 to August 2019.A total of 159 HIV cases were included in the study.All the cases were assessed by detailed history, clinical examination,serology for HIV infection.Patients were tested for co-infection with HBV ,HCV and CD4 count.Data was entered and analysed using Graph Pad Prism version 5 software. Results:BMI was significantly low among cases with HIV associated with co-infection compared to HIV infection alone whereas SGOT, SGPT and ALP were significantly high among cases with HBV co-infection compared to HIV infection alone. Conclusion: This shows that there is higher risk of liver disease among the patients with HIV along with co-infection. The risk is further aggravated by exposure to opportunistic infections, alcoholism and anti retro viral drugs. Hence coinfection with HBV or HCV among the HIV seropositive cases should be estimated earlier before treatment with antiretroviral drugs.

Seroprevalence and Factors Associated with Risk of Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Antenatal Attendees in ABUTH Zaria, Northwestern Nigeria.

Nigeria is one of the sub-Saharan African countries within the World Health Organization's (WHO) hyperendemic region for hepatitis B virus infection with prevalence greater than 8%. In this region, mother-to-child transmission is the major route of infection and approximately 90% of newborns of mothers who are seropositive for HBsAg and HBeAg become chronic carriers with a 25% risk of developing chronic liver diseases. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, and factors associated with risk of hepatitis B virus infection among antenatal attendees in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria. A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted among pregnant women Rattending the antenatal booking clinic of ABUTH, Zaria from August 2017 to January 2018. Systematic random sampling was used. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain data on sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for HBV infection. Blood samples were collected and tested using the third generation ELISAkit for HBsAg (Monolisa HBsAg ULTRA BIORAD, France) and HBeAg(HBeAg & Ab, DiaPro Diagnostic Bioprobes Milano Italy). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 (IBM USA, 2011). Statistical testing was carried out with chi-squareand level of significance set as P<0.05. The mean age of the respondents was 26 ± 6.1 years, the highest HBV seropositivity occurred in the age group 21-25 years from a total of 192 participants. The seroprevalence of HBV obtained was 15.1%. Only1(3.4%) woman was positive for HBeAg among the 29 HBsAg seropositive women. Past history of unsafe injections was the only risk factor significantly associated with HBV seropositivity (x2= 5.628 p-value= 0.023). The seropositivity of hepatitis B virus was high among pregnant women. Interventions targeted at injection safety will help reduce the risk of infection.

Seroprevalence of Viral Hepatitis B and C and Knowledge of the Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women Attending Prenatal Care in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) can significantly influence maternal and child health. Although HIV infection, malaria, and syphilis in pregnant women are likely to be systematically screened for and managed according to national guidelines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is no plan for HBV and HCV. Furthermore, there is no documentation regarding pregnant women's knowledge about HBV and HCV. This situation has motivated the researchers to undertake the current study, which was designed to estimate the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV. We have also assessed knowledge of the HBV infection among pregnant women who consulted for antenatal care for the first time at Vanga Evangelical Hospital in Vanga. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 457 pregnant women who attended antenatal care. Sociodemographic, obstetric, and previous medico-surgical data, as well as information related to women's HBV knowledge, were collected using a questionnaire. Rapid tests were used to detect HBV surface antigen and HCV antibodies. Most pregnant women were aged 20-24 years. Only 6.8% of respondents had knowledge of HBV, and the main source of this knowledge was health facilities (4.6%). Only 0.7% reported having been tested, whereas 98.5% said that they had not been offered a test. Overall, 18 (3.9%) participants were HBV positive and 22 (4.8%) were positive for HCV. There is limited knowledge about HBV and HCV among pregnant women in rural Vanga. All pregnant women should be screened during antenatal care, and a well-implemented program of management is needed.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Public Health Facilities in Jigjiga Town, Eastern Ethiopia.

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major global public health problem affecting millions of people across the world. The risk of developing a chronic hepatitis B virus infection is affected by the age at the time of acquiring infection. For instance, around 95% of these infections are acquired during the perinatal period. Although evidences indicate the wider effects of hepatitis B virus and its negative consequences, there are limited studies and a scarcity of data in Eastern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed at determining seroprevalence of HBV and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in the public health facilities of Jigjiga town, Eastern Ethiopia, from March 4 to April 4, 2019.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was employed among pregnant women in the public health facilities of Jigjiga town, Eastern Ethiopia. A total of 589 pregnant women were enrolled in the study using a systematic sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer administered questionnaire. Five milliliters of venous blood samples was collected and tested for HBV using ELISA diagnostic test. The collected data were entered in to Epidata version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics was carried out using frequency tables and summary measures. Multivariable analysis was done to identify the true effects of the selected predictor variables on the outcome variable after controlling for possible confounders. Statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05.ResultsOverall, 8.5% (95% CI: 6.5–10.7) of the study participants were seropositive for HBsAg. Having any surgical history [AOR = 3.41, 95% CI (1.26–9.24)], family history of HBV [AOR = 4.96, 95% CI (2.11–10.60)], history of sharing sharps [AOR = 2.78, 95% CI (1.13–6.83)] and having multiple sexual partners [AOR = 6.12, 95% CI (2.12–17.64)] were significant predictors of HBV infection.ConclusionThe seroprevalence of HBV was relatively high in this study area. Having a history of surgery, family history of hepatitis, history of sharing sharps and multiple sexual partners were significantly associated with HBV infection. Therefore, health information dissemination and awareness creation on mode of transmission of HBV are very crucial.