Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B virus and Associated factors among adult Chronic liver disease patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Derebe Assefa, Zenahebezu Abay, Tewodros Tsegaye, Endris Ahmed and Abeje Diress

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a global health problem with the highest prevalence in Asia and Sub-Saharan countries. It causes both acute and chronic hepatitis, with complications including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hence, this study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus and associated factors among chronic liver disease patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.

Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, from May to September 2021. Data was collected by face-to-face interview using structured questionnaire from the patients’ medical record, and a laboratory test was done on a blood sample for HBsAg and hepatitis C virus antibody. Data was entered using Epi-data 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Descriptive analysis was done for the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were employed, and the odds ratio using a confidence interval of 95% was retrieved. P-value <0.05 was taken as significant.

Results: A total of 227 chronic liver disease patients were enrolled. The mean age of participants was 44.04 (±12.4). Most (84.6%) of them were males, and females account 15.4%. The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 34.8% (95% CI፡ 28.8-41) among chronic liver disease patients. An increased proportion of hepatitis B virus were detected in males (AOR=4.0;95% CI=1.21,13.23). Contact to jaundiced patients (P=0.01), having multiple sexual partners (P=0.001), and hepatitis C virus co- infection (P=0.008) were significantly associated with Hepatitis B virus infection among Chronic liver disease patients.

Conclusions: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among Chronic liver disease patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital was high. Male gender, having multiple sexual partners, contact to jaundiced patients, and hepatitis C virus co-infection were predominant factors for hepatitis B virus infection among chronic liver disease patients. Therefore, Proper health education and media campaign should be conducted with the general population to inform them about the risk factors of HBV infection and its routes of transmission. Further multicenter studies of high-risk behavior could also be encouraged.

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