RESUMO
Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is considered one of the most paternally transmissible viruses. Therefore, education about its risk factors and transmission is vital in decreasing the prevalence of the disease burden in Sudan. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relative risk factors of HBV and its impact on the society. Materials And Methods: A facility-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among those who were incidentally detected with HBV surface antigen (HbsAg) and their contact family members by ICT and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in Tropical Diseases Teaching Hospital, Omdurman locality, Khartoum state, Sudan. Results: The study recruited 112 participants, among whom 63 individuals incidentally attended for screening for HBV and this led to contact tracing of 49 individuals (contact relative group). Among 63 patients of the incidental group, there were 83.9% males and 16.1% females. In the contact tracing group consisting of 49 individuals, there were 83.3% males and 16.7% females (odds ratio [OR] = 1.375, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.14-13.6; P = 0.000). All the participants were screened for HBsAg. HBV was found to have a significant association with male gender (OR = 1.375, 95% CI = 0.14-13.6; P = 0.000), marital status (OR = 627.084, 95% CI = 48-8195; P = 0.000), working as police officers (OR = 524.2, 95% CI = 43.5-6314; P = 0.000), residing in Khartoum (OR = 520.173, 95% CI = 43-6290; P = 0.000), being illiterate (OR = 558.4, 95% CI = 47.7-6544.7; P = 0.000), vaccination status (OR = 625.4, 95% CI = 48.9-7996.3; P = 0.000), and with some concomitant diseases (OR = 559.193, 95% CI = 47.7-6561.5; P = 0.000). Conclusion: The HBV is still considered a very critical, highly infectious disease; therefore, primary care physicians have an important role in the investigation, prevention, and health education, in order to prevent the viral spread.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis E virus is a zoonotic virus with a worldwide epidemic outbreak. The aim of the study was to identify relative risk factors and co-infections concerning the seropositive HEV IgG among blood donors and haemodialysis (HD) patients in the central blood bank and renal dialysis centre in Wad Medani city, Gezira State, Sudan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study that included 600 participants, among them 180 showed strong seropositive HEV IgG. The structured questionnaire was used to collect data of the participants' demographics, disease risk factors and HEV IgG co-infections with HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis. RESULTS: Among the 180 strong seropositive HEV IgG respondents, 84 were blood donors and 96 were haemodialysis patients. The gender and age (18-30 years) had a significant association with the virus exposure (P = 0.000, P = 0.000). Importantly, a significant association of HEV prevalence due to the localities effect exhibited with the highest rate among South Gezira (OR = 38, CI = 14.1-107; P = 0.000). This also observed in Wad Medani, Umm Algura, East Gezira and Managil localities (P = 0.000). The effect of the animal contact on HEV distribution exerted the significant association among the respondents for blood donors and haemodialysis patients in univariate (OR = 4.09, 95% CI 1.5-10.9; P = 0.005) and multivariate (OR = 3.2, CI = 1.1-9.4; P = 0.027) analysis. CONCLUSION: The relative risk factors of the HEV seroprevalence were gender, age, locality and animal contact. Besides the need of a regular survey for the virus seroprevalence, primary health care physicians can play pivotal role in health education, especially in rural areas of Sudan. In addition, primary health care physicians in Sudan are expected to establish strategies and plans to eradicate and minimise the health impact of HEV.
