Prevalence of viral hepatitis amongst dental patients attending university dental clinics in Basrah

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis is a highly infectious blood-borne disease affecting the population worldwide. The dental team is highly susceptible to acquiring the disease if get injured by contaminated sharp objects. Immunization against hepatitis B became widely obligatory for dental students and dental team members. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study collected data from the university of Basrah dental clinics. Patients attending oral surgery department clinics from January 2021 to December 2021 were screened for Viral Hepatitis B and Viral Hepatitis C by lateral flow test strips. Data were collected and prevalence was calculated. Results: The sample included 561 patients, having 12 patients being excluded for missing information and the remaining 549 were included in the quantitative assessment. The test results for Hepatitis B revealed 5 total prevalence of 0.91%. For the test results for Hepatitis C, there was a total prevalence of 0.73%. Conclusions: The prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are relatively low among dental patients. However, the importance of screening is highly recommended to minimize the risk of transmission.