Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus: Findings from a population-based household survey in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis (TB) are common infections in South Africa. We utilized the opportunity of care provision for HIV-TB co-infected patients to better understand the relationship between these coinfections, determine the magnitude of the problem, and identify risk factors for HBV infection in HIV infected patients with and without TB in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods This retrospective cohort analysis was undertaken in 2018. In-care HIV infected patients were included in the analysis. Results from clinical records were analysed to determine the prevalence, incidence, persistence and factors associated with HBsAg positivity in HIV-infected patients with or without TB co-infection. Results A total of 4292 HIV-infected patients with a mean age of 34.7 years (SD: 8.8) were included. Based on HBsAg positivity, the prevalence of HBV was 8.5% (363/4292) [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.7–9.3] at baseline and 9.4% (95%CI: 8.6–10.3%) at end of follow-up. The HBV incidence rate was 2.1/100 person-years (p-y). Risk of incident HBV infection was two-fold higher among male patients (HR 2.11; 95% CI: 1.14–3.92), while severe immunosuppression was associated with a greater than two-fold higher risk of persistent infection (adjusted risk ratio (RR) 2.54; 95% CI 1.06–6.14; p = 0.004. Additionally, active TB at enrolment was associated with a two-fold higher risk of incident HBV infection (aHR 2.38; 95% CI: 0.77–7.35). Conclusion The provision of HIV care and treatment in high HBV burden settings provide a missed opportunity for HBV screening, immunization and care provision.

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High rate of occult hepatitis B virus infection in hemodialysis units of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa

Journal of Medical Virology ◽

10.1002/jmv.25510 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 91 (10) ◽

pp. 1797-1803 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nokukhanya Msomi ◽

Kwazi Ndlovu ◽

Jennifer Giandhari ◽

Eduan Wilkinson ◽

Raveen Parboosing ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

High Rate ◽

Hepatitis B Virus Infection ◽

Occult Hepatitis ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

B Virus ◽

Occult Hepatitis B

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The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in HIV-positive and HIV-negative infants: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

African Journal of Laboratory Medicine ◽

10.4102/ajlm.v5i1.283 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Nokukhanya Mdlalose ◽

Raveen Parboosing ◽

Pravi Moodley

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

B Virus ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Hbv Prevalence ◽

Blood Spot ◽

Hiv Negative

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) amongst South African infants and children has been reported in the pre-HIV era. Despite the reported high prevalence of HIV in the general population of South Africa, the rate of HIV/HBV co-infection amongst infants and children remains poorly reported.Objectives: We describe the prevalence of HBV infection amongst HIV-positive and HIV-negative infants by molecular methods of diagnosis using dried blood spot samples.Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2011 and December 2011 in an academic referral laboratory offering viral diagnostic services to the entire KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. A total of 322 study samples were collected from discarded residual dried blood spot samples following routine infant diagnosis of HIV. Equal proportions of HIV-positive and HIV-negative infant specimens were studied. Statistical differences in the prevalence of HBV between the HIV-positive and HIV-negative samples were calculated using the Pearson chi-square test, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Further testing for HBV DNA using a nested polymerase chain reaction method was performed.Results: The overall prevalence of HBV was 10%. In the HIV-positive group, 21 of 161 infants tested positive for HBV compared with 12 of 161 HIV-negative infants who tested positive for HBV. The proportion of infants infected with HBV was marginally higher amongst HIV positiveinfants (13.0%; 95% CI 6.8–19.9) compared with HIV-negative infants (7.5%; 95% C I2.5–13.7; P = 0.098), though not statistically significant.Conclusion: The finding of a 10% HBV prevalence in this infant cohort is clinically significant. The non-statistically significant difference in HBV prevalence between the HIV-positive and HIV-negative infants suggests that high prevalence of HBV infection in children may be a problem independent of HIV.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Statins decrease the risk of decompensation in hepatitis B virus- and hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis: A population-based study.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.727423169.793545260 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Tilman Sauerbruch

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Population Based ◽

Population Based Study ◽

B Virus

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Burden of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) in Rural and Peri-Urban KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Findings from a Population-Based Household Survey

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3487816 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Ayesha Kharsany ◽

Lyle R. McKinnon ◽

Lara Lewis ◽

Cherie Cawood ◽

David Khanyile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Household Survey ◽

Population Based ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Kwazulu Natal

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Universal infant immunization and occult hepatitis B virus infection in children and adolescents: A population-based study

Hepatology ◽

10.1002/hep.27650 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 1183-1191 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Hong-Yuan Hsu ◽

Mei-Hwei Chang ◽

Yen-Hsuan Ni ◽

Cheng-Lun Chiang ◽

Jia-Feng Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Population Based ◽

Hepatitis B Virus Infection ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Occult Hepatitis ◽

B Virus ◽

Occult Hepatitis B ◽

Universal Infant

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Hepatitis B virus-related mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing long-term low-dose glucocorticoid treatment: A population-based study

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association ◽

10.1016/j.jfma.2017.07.004 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 117 (7) ◽

pp. 566-571 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sheng-Shun Yang ◽

Chin-Tun Hung ◽

Shu-Fen Li ◽

Horng-Mo Lee ◽

Yueh-Chin Chung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Low Dose ◽

Population Based ◽

Glucocorticoid Treatment ◽

Population Based Study ◽

B Virus ◽

Related Mortality

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Prevalence of anti-HBc total positivity in an impoverished Urban Community in Banglades

Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin ◽

10.3329/bmrcb.v43i2.35185 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 63-70

Author(s):

Dilip Kumar Ghosh ◽

Chanchal Kumar Ghosh ◽

Mukta Nath ◽

Syed Alamgir Safwath ◽

Santosh Kumar Saha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Urban Community ◽

Total Positivity ◽

Population Based ◽

Hepatitis B Vaccination ◽

Systematic Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Core ◽

B Virus

The infection with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global health problem. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are rapidly spreading in developing countries due to the lack of health education, poverty, illiteracy and Hepatitis B vaccination. No widespread population based data of HBV is available in the country's aspect. So, a population-based serological survey was done to determine the prevalence of the Hepatitis B core antibody total (IgM+IgG) in an impoverished Urban Community in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 healthy individuals and age between 18-60 years from the urban slum in Dhaka city. The study was implemented through collaboration with Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Dhaka from January 2013 to June 2013. The study participants were selected through systematic sampling procedure and blood tested for anti-HBc. Anti-HBc estimations were carried out by VITROS Immune diagnostic assay. The study was pertained Ethical permission from Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) and every participant was informed regarding their written informed consent. Among the 384 respondents, 183(47.6%) individuals were positive for the core antibody of hepatitis B virus (anti-HBc). The anti HBc positive group consisted almost of equal number of male 93, (24.2%) and female 90 (23.4%). There was a significantly increasing prevalence of the core antibody among young adults and middle age of the respondents (28.7%). Major risk factors for exposure to Hepatitis B appeared to be Ear-nose-body piercing, Circumcision by Hajam, unsafe blood transfusion and unsterile dental intervention. High prevalence of hepatitis B Core antibody (47.6%) indicates that the members of this urban community are highly exposed to hepatitis B virus.

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Hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of data published between 2010 and 2019

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-06800-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Busayo I. Ajuwon ◽

Isabelle Yujuico ◽

Katrina Roper ◽

Alice Richardson ◽

Meru Sheel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Population Based ◽

North West ◽

B Virus ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an infectious disease of global significance, causing a significant health burden in Africa due to complications associated with infection, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. In Nigeria, which is considered a high prevalence country, estimates of HBV cases are inconsistent, and therefore additional clarity is required to manage HBV-associated public health challenges. Methods A systematic review of the literature (via PubMed, Advanced Google Scholar, African Index Medicus) was conducted to retrieve primary studies published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019, with a random-effects model based on proportions used to estimate the population-based prevalence of HBV in the Nigerian population. Results The final analyses included 47 studies with 21,702 participants that revealed a pooled prevalence of 9.5%. A prevalence estimate above 8% in a population is classified as high. Sub-group analyses revealed the highest HBV prevalence in rural settings (10.7%). The North West region had the highest prevalence (12.1%) among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones/regions. The estimate of total variation between studies indicated substantial heterogeneity. These variations could be explained by setting and geographical region. The statistical test for Egger’s regression showed no evidence of publication bias (p = 0.879). Conclusions We present an up-to-date review on the prevalence of HBV in Nigeria, which will provide critical data to optimise and assess the impact of current prevention and control strategies, including disease surveillance and diagnoses, vaccination policies and management for those infected.

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