Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B among healthcare workers in Connaught Hospital, Sierra Leone
Abstract
Globally, around 80% of individuals exposed to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) develop chronic infection; while 3–11% will develop liver cirrhosis within 20 years. HBV transmission is increasingly driven by intravenous drug use1. Medical injections and transfusions are predominant sources of HBV infection in many countries. The emergence of IDU in settings where the prevalence of HBV is high (Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia) presents an additional public health threat. This study is described the distribution of HBV seroprevalence according to age groups, sex, occupation and educational status among healthcare workers working at the Connaught Hospital in Sierra Leone. This is a cross sectional study that analyzed the laboratory records of 79 HBV infected healthcare personnel in order to determine the seroprevalence of HBV by sex, occupation type, educational levels and age groups. The study participants are confirmed HBV positive cases who were tested between the periods May 2017 to August 2018. All study participants are healthcare workers at Connaught Hospital in Sierra Leone and belong to varying age groups and educational background. The median age of HBV cases was 34 (IQR= 38 – 29). Majority (37/79) of HBV cases belongs to the age group 25-35 years; only few (5/79) belongs to the age group 20-25 years. Our finding shows that there are more men than women infected with HBV. This could be due to the fact that most men don’t practice safe sex.
How to Cite This Article
Alicia Rebecca Yambasu, Jia Kangbai, Samuel Karim, Exton Mohamed Zoker, Isha Harry Kamara, Mamawoh Karimu (2023). Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B among healthcare workers in Connaught Hospital, Sierra Leone . International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation (IJMRGE), 4(4), 94-100.