Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus in Nigeria: a Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and is responsible for a quarter of all cases of liver cancers. Globally, about 71 million people are estimated to have chronic hepatitis C, with nearly 399,000 people dying from this infection, essentially due to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. However, the exact pooled prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Nigeria is unknown, hence the burden of the disease has not been adequately estimated. Methods: A search strategy is developed using MeSH, text words, and entry terms. Nine databases will be searched, including PubMed, African Journals Online (AJOL), Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, and ResearchGate. Eligible studies will be a) observational studies; b) published or retrievable in the English language; c) must have been conducted in Nigeria, and d) must report the main measurable outcome which is the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Nigeria. Searches from databases will be exported into Distiller SR software for screening, selection and extraction of data items based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Both quality scores and the risk of bias for individual studies will be assessed and reported in Distiller SR. Extracted data items will exported into the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software version 3 for for statistical analysis and forest plots. Studies will be assessed for methodological, clinical, and statistical heterogeneity. Funnel Plots will be used for assessing publication bias. Subgroup analysis will be performed using categorical data. The systematic review and meta-analysis will be reported according to the PRISMA 2015 Statement. Discussion: Ethical approval will not be required since this study will be based on published data. This review will provide important data on the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Nigeria and the burden of the disease. The final report of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and the findings will be made available to various policymakers and health experts that manage patients at risk or infected with the hepatitis C virus.Trial Registration Number: This protocol has been registered in PROSPERO; registration number: CRD42020213806

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Seroprevalence of hepatitis c virus infection among blood donors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-05827-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eyasu Alem Lake ◽

Robera Olana Fite ◽

Lielt Gebreselassie Gebrekirstos ◽

Meron Hadis Gebremedhin ◽

Mohammed Suleiman Obsa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Blood Donors ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Google Scholar ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Abstract Background Blood transfusion is one of the routine therapeutic interventions in hospitals that can be lifesaving. However, this intervention is related to several transfusion-related infections. Hepatitis C viral infection is one of the most common causes of transfusion-related hepatitis. Subsequently, this systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among blood donors in Ethiopia. Methods PubMed, Google Scholar, Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI), Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), and Cochrane library, the web of science, African journal of online (AJOL), and Google Scholar was searched. The data were extracted using Microsoft Excel and analyzed by using STATA version 14. Publication bias was checked by funnel plot, contour-enhanced funnel plots, trim and fill analysis and more objectively through Egger’s regression test, with P < 0.05 considered to indicate potential publication bias. The heterogeneity of studies was checked using I2 statistics. Pooled analysis was conducted using a weighted inverse variance random-effects model. Subgroup analysis was done by region and study period. A sensitivity analysis was employed. Result A total of 25 studies with 197,172 study participants were used to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis c virus among blood donors. The overall seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus was 0.819% (95% CI: 0.67–0.969; I2 = 92.3%). Regional sub-group analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of hepatitis c virus infection among blood donors found to be 0.563% in Somali, 1.08% in Oromia, 0.847% in Amhara, and 0.908% in south nations nationalities and peoples region. Conclusion The pooled seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among blood donors in Ethiopia found to be low. Moreover, there should be systematic strategies that enhance donor screening and retention of safe regular donors.

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