Hepatitis B and C virus infection among healthcare workers in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background Healthcare workers are at risk of acquiring hepatitis B and C virus infections through patients’ blood and bodily fluids exposure. So far, there is no pooled data that shows the prevalence of HBV and HCV among health care workers in Africa. This study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections among health care workers in Africa. Methods Studies reporting the prevalence of HBV and HCV were identified from major databases and gray literature. PubMed, CINAHL, POPLINE, ScienceDirect, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. A random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of hepatitis B and C among health care workers in Africa. The heterogeneity of studies was assessed using Cochran Q statistics and I2 tests. Publication bias was assessed using Begg’s tests. Result In total, 1885 articles were retrieved, and 44 studies met the inclusion criteria and included in the final analysis. A total of 17,510 healthcare workers were included. The pooled prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among health care workers in Africa is estimated to be 6.81% (95% CI 5.67–7.95) with a significant level of heterogeneity (I2 = 91.6%; p < 0.001). While the pooled prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection using the random-effects model was 5.58% (95% CI 3.55–7.61) with a significant level of heterogeneity (I2 = 95.1%; p < 0.001). Conclusion Overall, one in fifteen and more than one in twenty healthcare workers were infected by HBV and HCV, respectively. The high burden of HBV and HCV infections remains a significant problem among healthcare workers in Africa.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and immunity status among healthcare workers in Beira City, Mozambique

“…Saharan Africa up to 2020 (6.81%; 95% CI 5.67-7.95) [23] and is above the prevalence found in the meta-analysis that included Asian countries, 4.0% (95% CI: 0.01-0.07) [24]. In Mozambique, although there are no national data for HBV prevalence, the HBsAg prevalence (4.7%) found in this study is similar to those recently found in Beira City among blood donors approved for donation (4.5%) [25] and in Maputo City (southern Mozambique) among pregnant women (4.0%).…”

High Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Borumeda General Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

“…Viral hepatitis is challenging the health condition of the people around the world and considered the cause of solemn health problem for the human kind in the 21 th century [1][2][3]. In the globe, there are two well-known forms of chronic hepatitis, and this corresponds to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).…”

Hepatitis B virus infection status and associated factors among health care workers in selected hospitals in Kisumu County, Kenya: a cross-sectional study

“…Prevalence of HBV infection in Africa is averagely more than 10% while pooled HBV prevalence in HCW was 6.81% (95% CI 5.67-7.95) classifying the region as one of high endemic area (2)(3)(4)(5). In 2007, the Prevalence of HBV infection in Kenya was estimated to be 2-5%, while 31% of the Kenyan population was found to have been previously exposed to HBV (6).…”

“…Globally, it is estimated that 257 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) viral infection, HBV epidemic mostly affects WHO African and Western Pacific Regions (1). Prevalence of HBV infection in Africa is averagely more than 10% while pooled HBV prevalence in HCW was 6.81% (95% CI 5.67–7.95) classifying the region as one of high endemic area (2–5). In 2007, the Prevalence of HBV infection in Kenya was estimated to be 2– 5%, while 31% of the Kenyan population was found to have been previously exposed to HBV (6).…”