Determination of the Magnitude of Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Healthcare Workers in St Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious global health problem, with 2 billion people
infected worldwide, and 350 million suffering from chronic HBV infection. About 3 million
healthcare workers face occupational exposure to bloodborne viruses each year in which about 2
million to hepatitis B virus infections. This study was conducted to determine the magnitude and
associated risk factors of Hepatitis B viral infections in healthcare workers.
Objective of the Study: This study was initiated to determine the magnitude and associated risk
factors of Hepatitis B viral infections in healthcare workers in St Paul Hospital Millennium
Medical College Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted in St Paul Hospital
Millennium Medical College, among healthcare workers from November 2013 – May 2014. A
convenient sampling method was utilized to get the required sample size. A structured
questionnaire was used to capture individual socio-demographic characteristics and associated
risk factors. Five ml blood was collected, centrifuged and the serum was analyzed for the
serologic markers of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs using Chemiluminescent Microparticle
Immunoassay. Descriptive and logistic regression models were used for analysis.
Results: Among the 313 healthcare workers, the seroprevalence of current hepatitis B viral
infection was 2.6%; while prevalence of life time exposure was 25.6%. Prevalence of needle
stick and sharp injuries were 33.9% and 35.5% respectively. While, exposure to blood and body
fluids were 57.2% and 44.4% respectively. Consistent use of gloves was reported by 49.8% of
HCWs. Doctors practiced 71.4% of consistent use of glove, while laboratorians were the least
likely to consistently use gloves (40.0%). Only 1.6% of HCWs had completed scheduled
vaccination against HBV and 73.8% of HCWs were susceptible to infection. Exposure to blood
(COR: 9.351, 95% CI: 1.164 – 75.095, p < 0.012), jaundiced and diagnosed liver disease (COR:
3.096, 95% CI: 1.051 – 9.120, p < 0.032), and HBV vaccination (2 = 11.145, p < 0.002), were
independent risk factors that were potentially associated with hepatitis B viral infections.
Conclusions: The prevalence of current hepatitis B virus infection and life time exposure to
hepatitis B viral infection among health care workers was high. Exposure to potentially
infectious body fluids, needle stick and sharp injuries was also high. Whereas a small proportion
of healthcare workers are vaccinated against hepatitis B virus infection. Besides the doctors,
nurses and medical laboratory professionals; cleaners, porters and general service providers were
also at a comparably high or more risk of HBV infection as they interact with patients and
clinical wastes. Emphasis to continuous medical education and training on infection prevention
and safety precautions, vaccination package to HCWs, compliance with universal precautions,
access to safer injection technologies and post-exposure management are strongly recommended
to improve safety of HCWs and quality of patient care.
Keywords: Hepatitis B Virus, HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs Seroprevalence, Vaccination, Risk
Factors, HealthCare Workers.
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Keywords
Hepatitis B Virus, HBsAg, anti-HBc, Anti-HBs Seroprevalence, Vaccination, Risk Factors