Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Selected Health Facilities in East Wollega Zone, West Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are a public health problem worldwide. It is highly endemic in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Horizontal and perinatal transmissions are thought to be the major modes of transmission in these countries. Objective. This study aimed to investigate the seroepidemiology and possible risk factors for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics. Methods A cross-sectional study design was conducted from July to September 2014 among 421 pregnant women attending antenatal care services in randomly selected health facilities, East Wollega Zone, West Oromia, Ethiopia. Blood sample was collected from each woman and separated serum was tested for the presence of markers. A prestructured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and risk factors. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used as measures of the strength of association. Result The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 2.4% ranging from 0.0% to 5.2%. It was the highest in Sire Health Center and the lowest/nil in others. The prevalence of HCV ranged from 6.7% to 20% with an average of 8.07% in this study area where it was highest in the Getema Health Center Antenatal Care Attendants. Only address (p=0.020) and area of the health institution (p=0.021) are significantly the associated factors for HBsAg and serostatus of HCV, respectively. Conclusion The prevalence of HBsAg carrier rate of pregnant women in the study area falls within the medium endemic prevalence and HCV prevalence was higher than HBsAg. Study participants who were from urban areas were significantly affected with HBV while study institution affects the prevalence of HCV infection so that initiating screening tests during follow up period for antenatal care services is mandatory.

Hepatitis B and C viruses’ infection and associated factors among pregnant women in the Amhara region, Ethiopia: implications for prevention of vertical transmission.

“…Studies have documented that there was co-infection of HBV and HCV among pregnant women, similar to our ndings [37,44]. In contrast to this nding, no co-infection of these viruses was detected in studies conducted in Ethiopia and elsewhere [17,29,45].…”

“…However, our result is higher than Tazania 0.3% [45] and Bahir Dar 0.6% [17]. In contrast, our nding is lower than studies done in East Wolega 8.1% and Egypt 6.1% [29,46]. On the other hand, anti-HCV antibody seroprevalence was 8.9% in Debre Markos Hospital, which is unexpectedly highest.…”

“…However, our ndings are higher than those of studies done in the east Wolega zone 2.4%, Dawuro 3.5%, Addis Ababa 3%, Eritrea 3.2%, Germany 0.48%, Turkey 2.1%, and China 3.2% [28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. On the other hand, our ndings are lower than those studies done in Dire Dewa 8.4%, Mekele 8%, Hawasa 7.8%, Yirgalem 7.2%, Gambella 7.9%, Harar 6.9%, Tigray 5.5%, Gambia 9.2%, Tazania 8.03%, Cameroon 6.6%, and Ghana 12.9% [16,18,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43].…”

“…Though few studies have been conducted in our country with small sample sizes. The prevalence of HBsAg among pregnant women varies considerably from 2.4-8.4% and anti-HCV antibody 0.6-8.1%, respectively [15][16][17][18]. In Ethiopia, the co-endemicity of HBV, HCV, and HIV and the same route of transmission and co-infections in pregnancy resulted in increased morbidity, mortality and vertical transmission of these viruses [4,19] .…”

An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of hepatitis B virus in Ethiopia

“…All the included studies were cross-sectional study designs and the most recent was conducted in 2019. Regarding regional coverage of HBV prevalence studies, more than half of the studies were obtained from Amhara region [80] 2016 Somali Blood donor Entire sampling Abera B., et al [79] 2017 Amhara HIV positive children Random sampling Abera B., et al [78] 2014 Amhara Apparently healthy Random sampling Akalu GT., et al [77] 2016 SAC Healthcare workers Convenient sampling Amsalu A., et al [76] 2018 2018 Amhara Blood donors Consecutive sampling Birku T., et al [67] 2015 Amhara Military personnel Random sampling Bisetegen FS., et al [66] 2016 SNNPR Blood donors Consecutive sampling Chernet A., et al [65] 2017 SNNPR Pregnant women Entire sampling Dabsu R., et al [64] 2014 Oromia Pregnant women Convenient sampling Demsiss W., et al [63] 2018 Amhara Students Random sampling Deressa T., et al [20] 2017 Amhara HIV positive Random sampling Deressa T., et al [62] 2018 Amhara Blood donors Entire sampling Desalegn Z., et al [84] 2013 SAC Healthcare workers Convenient sampling Desalegn Z., et al [83] 2016 Oromia Pregnant women Entire sampling Erena AN., et al [61] 2014 Oromia General population Random sampling G/micheal A., et al [60] 2013 Oromia Healthcare workers Random sampling G/egziabher D., et al [59] 2016 SAC General population Entire sampling G/mariam AA., et al [58] 2019 Amhara Healthcare professional Entire sampling Habte Y., et al [57] 2016 SAC Blood donors Entire sampling Hebo HJ., et al [56] 2019 Oromia Healthcare workers Random sampling Heyredin I., et al [55] 2019 Mixed Blood donors Consecutive sampling Kabato AA., et al [86] 2016 SNNPR Blood donors Entire sampling Kebede W., et al [85] 2017 Oromia Prisoners Random sampling Mekonnen A., et al [54] 2015 SAC Waste handlers Random sampling Mekonnen D., et al [53] 2014 Amhara Diabetes mellitus * Metaferia Y., et al [52] 2016 SNNPR Pregnant women Convenient sampling Mezgebo TA., et al [81] 2018 Tigray Pregnant women * Mohammed Y., et al [51] 20...…”