Prevalence of HBeAg, anti-HBe serological markers and HBV-DNA in asymptomatic carriers in Ethiopia

Abstract

Data on the distribution of HBV-DNA and other serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection in a population of asymptomatic carriers in Ethiopia are reported. As compared to data from other countries of similar or lower levels of endemicity, it has been found that HBV-DNA prevalence and its correlation with HBeAg/anti-HBe status is similar to that of northern Europe. HBV-DNA is present in 84% of HBe Ag-positive sera but in only 4% of anti-HBe-positive sera, where the lowest concentration of DNA (less than 5 pgr/20 microliters) was found. The trend of increasing prevalence of serological markers with age seems to indicate a considerable horizontal transmission still present in this age range (18-30). In keeping with data of other authors a 3% of HBV-DNA positivity in anti HBc only positive sera was found. No regional or ethnical differences of HBV-DNA positive sera across the country were observed. There is also no evidence of any correlation between HBV-DNA prevalence and HBsAg subtypes ad and ay.

Hepatitis viruses in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Then later the magnitude of the peak HBsAg prevalence (10.8%) was available in 1986 and 1989 [25, 26] and then decreased to 6.2% in 2003 [27] and 5.3% in 2007 [28] from the community based studies (Fig. 2a).…”

“…2a-d) showed 6.3% (IQR = 5.2–10.8) over the last five decades.

Fig. 2HBsAg prevalence among the community based studies ( a ) [24–26, 52, 59, 76, 85, 87, 88], blood donors ( b ) [8, 9, 13–17, 57, 89, 90], various groups of the society (healthcare workers, outpatient department attendants, medical waste handlers, pregnant women, HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) clients, commercial sex workers) ( c ) [10, 29–41] and Ethiopian Jews immigrants to Israel ( d ) [54, 91–96]

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“…population, children & ANC attendants39636 (9.1)221 (67.2) a -19(55.9) d 15(44.0) g [85]1984NationwideGeneral population50031 (6.2)152 (30.4)16 (3.2)10(32.3) e 8(25.8) e [52]1987A. AbabaHealth workers43239 (9.02)200 (46.3)316 (73.1)--[29]1989NationwideGeneral population5265569 (10.8)61.4 b 132 (2.5)298(57.1) f 99(19.0) f [26]1994A.AbabaGeneral population4736292 (6.2)1796(40.7) c 1734 (36.6)-71/279 (25.4)[27]1995A.AbabaChronic liver disease patients23865 (27.0)131 (55.0)---[49]1998Immigrants to IsraelFamilial members50684 (16.6%)---17/84(20.2)[95]2007A. AbabaHIV patients & VCT clients62029 (4.7)-277 (44.7)-3/29(10.3)[42]2010Gamo HPInpatients department clients55626 (4.7)-7 (1.4)--[33]2011A.AbabaHIV patients50015(3.0)58(11.6)--3(0.6)[53]

a ANC-Antenatal Care.

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<p>Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Associated Factors Among Adults in Southwest Ethiopia: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study</p>

“…12 Community-based seroepidemiological surveys are few in Ethiopia and the available studies indicate the varied distribution of HBV infection across geographical regions of the country. [13][14][15] In addition, previous community-based studies were old and did not show the current burden of the virus. 13,14 Knowledge on the prevalence of HBV infection in the general population is significant for health-care workers and policymakers since the risk of health-care workers to occupational exposure with infected body fluids depends upon the prevalence of HBV in the general population.…”

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: transmission patterns and vaccine control

“…There is a body of literature on hepatitis B in Ethiopia relating its public health importance [17][18][19], and giving information on the pattern of HBV markers in various geographical locations, age and social groups, and risk categories [9,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Our study builds upon this earlier work, providing significantly more detailed and representative data on HBV marker seroprevalence for the capital city of Addis Ababa.…”