Epidemiology of viral hepatitis in Sudan

Abstract

Hepatitis virus infections are the most common cause of liver disease worldwide. Sudan is classified among the countries with high hepatitis B virus seroprevalence. Exposure to the virus varied from 47%–78%, with a hepatitis B surface antigen prevalence ranging from 6.8% in central Sudan to 26% in southern Sudan. Studies pointed to infection in early childhood in southern Sudan while there was a trend of increasing infection rate with increasing age in northern Sudan. Hepatitis B virus was the commonest cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma and was the second commonest cause of acute liver failure in the Sudan. Studies of hepatitis C virus showed a low seroprevalence of 2.2%–4.8% and there was no association with schistosomiasis or with parenteral antischistosomal therapy. Hepatitis E virus was the commonest cause of acute hepatitis among pediatric, adult, and displaced populations. Recent introduction of screening of blood and blood products for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections and the introduction of hepatitis B virus vaccine as part of the extended program of immunization is expected to reduce the infection rate of these viruses in the Sudan.

Impact of Socio-Demographic Characteristics on Acquiring HBV Infection Among Village Midwives in Khartoum State, Sudan, 2014

“…Three hundred and thirty five participants were surveyed in this study. Past or ongoing infection among the study group, measured by AntiHBcore (IgG), was 34% which was less than that found in other study among Sudanese population [4]. This may be explained by the health education offered to village midwives during their training program.…”

“…While carrier rate (positive HBsAg) 6.8% to 26%. So, Sudan considered as one of the countries with a high endemicity [4]. HBV infection is an important occupational hazard for village midwives.…”

“…Duration of work together with sharp instrument injury are occupational hazards (10). In the centre of Sudan 70% of women in the age of child bearing were positive HBsAg [11]. In a study conducted among HCWs in Public Hospitals in Khartoum State, Sudan, prevalence of Anti-Hcore total, HBsAg, and HBeAg in obstetric department is 17.4%, 17.7% and 20.7% respectively.…”

Hepatitis B and C virus infections among pregnant women in Arab and African countries

“…In Sudan, the prevalence of HCV among pregnant women (0.6%) is lower than that in the general population (2.2% to 3%) [30,51,52]. Therefore, the northern part of the River Nile region is considered to be a highly endemic area for HCV and the southern part is less endemic, with a very low prevalence among pregnant women.…”

Impact of the underlying cause and co-morbid conditions on the outcome of hepatic encephalopathy

“…This result is supported with a previous study done on the prevalence of HBV in Sudan and in line with another study investigating the causes of chronic liver disease in Pakistan. 17,18 Undetermined causes of liver disease in this study are mainly due to death of patients before complete work up has taken place. Nevertheless, other rare conductions like: non-alcoholic steato hepatitis, hemochromatosis, storage liver disease, alfa-1 antitrypsin deficiency, both primary and secondary biliary cirrhosis and cryptogenic liver cirrhosis should all be considered.…”