Awareness and prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria: A national pilot cross-sectional study

Background: There are no national data on hepatitis C virus awareness and burden among pregnant women to justify its routine screening. Objectives: To investigate awareness, seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria. Methods: A total of 159 pregnant women from antenatal clinics across six geopolitical zones in Nigeria consented to anti-hepatitis C virus testing which was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction technique. Confirmed hepatitis C virus positive women were further tested for hepatitis B and HIV. Participants were evaluated for risk factors for hepatitis C virus. Odds ratios, adjusted odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined, and p-values of <0.05 were considered significant. Results: Of 159 participants, 77 (48.4%; 95% confidence interval = 38.2%–60.5%) were aware of hepatitis C virus infection and awareness of hepatitis C virus was associated with young age (odds ratio = 2.21; 95% confidence interval = 1.16–4.21), high educational level (odds ratio = 3.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.63–6.64), and participants’ occupation (odds ratio = 0.51; 95% confidence interval = 0.26–0.99). In multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for confounders, the association between awareness of hepatitis C virus and participants’ young age (adjusted odds ratio = 1.60; 95% confidence interval = 1.09–2.35; p = 0.018) and high educational level (adjusted odds ratio = 1.48; 95% confidence interval = 1.17–1.86; p = 0.001) remained significant. Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence was found to be 1.3% (95% confidence interval = 0.2%–4.5%). All (100.0%, 95% confidence interval = 12.1%–100.0%) the hepatitis C virus-positive participants and 99 (63.1%, 95% confidence interval = 51.3%–76.8%) hepatitis C virus-negative participants had identifiable hepatitis C virus risk factors. Dual seropositivity of anti-hepatitis C virus/anti-HIV and anti-hepatitis C virus/hepatitis B surface antigen each accounted for 0.6%. The most identified risk factors were multiple sexual partners (15.7%), shared needles (13.8%), and blood transfusion (11.3%). There was no significant association between the risk factors and hepatitis C virus positive status. Conclusion: Awareness of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria is low and those aware are positively influenced by young age and high educational level. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection is high and provides preliminary evidence to justify antenatal routine screening.

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Case-control study of risk factors associated with hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in hospitals of Karachi-Pakistan

Tropical Medicine & International Health ◽

10.1111/j.1365-3156.2008.02075.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 754-761 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Uzma R. Khan ◽

Naveed Z. Janjua ◽

Saeed Akhtar ◽

Juanita Hatcher

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Control Study

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Prevalence and risk factors of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in Abuja, Nigeria

Nigerian Medical Journal ◽

10.4103/nmj.nmj_241_19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 61 (5) ◽

pp. 245

Author(s):

ChrisOvoroyeguono Agboghoroma ◽

BinyeremChigbonwu Ukaire

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Antenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus

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Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in the Colombian Caribbean coast: A case-control study

Biomédica ◽

10.7705/biomedica.v36i4.3105 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 564 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ismael de Jesús Yepes ◽

Beatriz Lince ◽

Clara Caez ◽

Giovanni De Vuono

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽

Factores De Riesgo ◽

Control Study

Introducción. Se estima que, aproximadamente, 6,8 a 8,9 millones de personas están infectadas por el virus de la hepatitis C en Latinoamérica, de las cuales menos del 1 % llega a recibir tratamiento antiviral. En los estudios llevados a cabo hasta ahora en Colombia, se ha propuesto determinar la prevalencia de la enfermedad en algunos grupos de riesgo, y no se ha hecho el análisis de otros factores potencialmente implicados en el contagio.Objetivos. Determinar los factores de riesgo tradicionalmente analizados y otros no estudiados antes para la hepatitis C crónica en la Costa Caribe colombiana.Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio de casos y controles (1:3) emparejados por empresa promotora de salud y edad (± 10 años), en el primer nivel de atención de hepatología y gastroenterología. A todos los pacientes positivos en la prueba ELISA se les hizo una prueba confirmatoria de carga viral. En el análisis de regresión logística multivariable se determinaron los factores predictores independientes de infección.Resultados. La transfusión sanguínea (odds ratio, OR=159,2; IC95% 35,4-715; p<0,001) y el antecedente de hospitalización antes de 1994 (OR=4,7; IC95% 1,3-17,1; p=0,018) se determinaron como los dos únicos factores independientes predictores de infección.Conclusión. Es necesario comprobar la reproducibilidad de estos resultados y hacer estudios de costo-efectividad antes de recomendar su utilización en el diseño de nuevas estrategias de cribado.

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Awareness and Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Pregnant Women in Nigeria: A National Pilot Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-336260/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

GEORGE UCHENNA ELEJE ◽

Ayyuba Rabiu ◽

Ikechukwu Innocent Mbachu ◽

Godwin Otuodichinma Akaba ◽

Olabisi Morebise Loto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Educational Level ◽

Young Age ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

High Educational Level ◽

Antenatal Clinics ◽

High Educational

Abstract Background: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) may constitute one of the viral hepatitis with high burden in Nigeria, there is no national data on its awareness and burden among pregnant women to justify its routine screening. Objectives: To investigate awareness, seroprevalence and risk factors for HCV infection among pregnant women in Nigeria.Methods: A total of 159 pregnant women from antenatal clinics across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria consented to anti-HCV testing by third generation ELISA and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction technique. Confirmed HCV positive women were further tested for hepatitis B and HIV. The women were evaluated for the presence of known risk factors for HCV infection. Odds ratios (ORs), adjusted ORs (aORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined and p-values of <0.05 were considered significant.Findings: Of the 159 participants, 77 (48.4%; 95% CI, 38.2% to 60.5%) were aware of HCV infection and awareness of HCV was associated with participants’ young age (OR=2.21; 95%CI=1.16 to 4.21), high educational level (OR=3.29; 95%CI=1.63 to 6.64) and participants’ occupation (OR=0.51; 95%CI=0.26 to 0.99). In multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for confounders, the association between awareness of HCV and participants’ young age (aOR=1.60; 95%CI=1.09 to 2.35; p=0.018) and high educational level (aOR=1.48; 95%CI=1.17 to 1.86;p=0.001)remained significant. HCV seroprevalence was found to be 1.3% (95%CI=0.2% to 4.5%). All (100.0%, 95%CI=12.1 to 100.0%) the HCV-positive participants and 99 (63.1%, 95%CI=51.3% to 76.8%) HCV-negative participants had identifiable HCV risk factors. Dual seropositivity of anti-HCV/anti-HIV and anti-HCV/HBsAg each accounted for 1.3% and none of the participants was triply infected or mono-infected with HCV. The more commonly identified risk factors were multiple sexual partners, 25 (15.7%), shared needles, 22 (13.8%), and blood transfusion, 18 (11.3%). The risk factor variables did not have significant association with HCV positive status.Conclusion: There is lack of awareness regarding HCV infection among pregnant women in Nigeria and awareness is positively influenced by young age and high educational level. The prevalence of HCV is high and provides preliminary evidence to justify routine screening in antenatal clinics. There is also a need for enlightenment programs in communities and antenatal clinics. FundingTETFund National Research Fund 2019 (Grant number TETFund/DR&D/CE/NRF/STI/33).

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