Prevalence, sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for hepatitis C infection among pregnant women in Calabar municipality, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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2023
Hepatitis C viral infection is a blood borne disease caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is significantly associated with morbidities and mortalities in men and women. Infection mostly occurs via contact with blood from transfusion of unscreened blood as well as blood products, illicit parenteral drug use (sharing of injection needles), unsafe health care and injection practices. Women who are pregnant and their unborn babies and infants are among the group of people less commonly talked about when the disease burden of HCV is being discussed in Nigeria. This study therefore aimed to ascertain the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among the pregnant women as well as the risk factors associated with the acquisition of the infection. Four hundred consenting antenatal attendees at the Lagos Island Maternity hospital, Nigeria were recruited and their blood samples were taken for analysis. A pretested and validated semi structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on risk factors for Hepatitis C Virus infection and socio demographic characteristic of participants. Univariate analysis was performed to obtain proportions and frequencies. In order to uncover additional risk variables for HCV infection, bivariate data analysis was carried out. Chi-square test was performed to assess statistical significance which was assumed at 0.05%. The mean age of the study subjects were 30.6 years with a standard deviation of ± 5.0 years. Majority of the study subjects 133 (33.2%) were in the age group of 30-34, most of them 238 (59.5%) had tertiary education, 396 (99.0%) were married, 110 (27.5%) were traders and 329 (82.3%) were of monogamous family setting. There was an overall seroprevalence of 1.5% among the pregnant women with a higher prevalence of 1.25% among pregnant women who had more than one delivery (multiparous women) and 0.25% among pregnant women who had no previous delivery (nulliparous women). The risk factors that were significantly associated with the transmission of HCV infection included "Tattoo/Scarification (P=0.002) and "sharing of sharps and needles" (P=0.015). There is the need for effective public education on the ways of spread of HCV virus, practice of universal precautionary measures, adequate sterilization of instruments, appropriate use of injections, safe disposal of waste and sharps and avoidance of other high risk behavior that may lead to HCV infection. A more lager studies on the epidemiology of HCV infection is needed to inform health policy makers on strategies for prevention, screening, control and treatment of HCV infection.
Asian Journal of Research in Infectious Diseases
Aims: To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Specialist Hospital Yola. Study Design: The prevalence of Hepatitis C was ascertained among pregnant women attending antenatal care in specialist hospital Yola, Adamawa State. Anti HcV antibody in the serum of the pregnant women was detected using a sandwich rapid diagnostic chromatographic test strip. Questioner was used to obtain the demographic data of the pregnant women. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Specialist Hospital Yola where the samples were collected. Samples were processed and the analysis carried out at Microbiology Laboratory of Modibbo Adama University Yola. The study was conducted in March to June of 2021. Methodology: 251 consenting pregnant women of varying age and family background were enrolled in the study, where 15 were randomly selected using a systematic random sampling technique on each antenatal visit. Results: The prevalence of...
Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2016
Aim: This study estimated the hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in a population of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected pregnant women, compared women who were positive or negative for HCV and described risk factors associated with HCV infection. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, case control study was conducted at the University College Hospital, Ibadan among 1821 women. Twenty-six (1.65%) women were HCV positive, 139 (8.83%) were HBsAg positive and 1407 (89.33%) were negative for both viruses. Three patients (0.19%) were positive for both viruses. These patients, i.e., the HBsAg positive women and 246 women with no result, for either virus were excluded from analysis. Data from 1433 pregnant women is presented. Chi square test and student′s t-test examined associations, with level of significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Overall, the mean age of the HCV positive women was lower (26.77 ± 6.53 vs. 28. 95 years ± 5.33; P = 0.04), most women had attained primary (28....
Journal of Infectious Diseases and Therapy, 2016
Hepatitis C and HIV are blood borne infections of the human population including pregnant women globally. These Viruses are of global concern because of the significant challenges they pose to public health with over 36.7 million people leaving with HIV around the whole world. This research determined the prevalence of HCV, HIV and HCV-HIV co infection among pregnant women attending ante-natal in selected hospitals within the Kaduna metropolis. A total of 500 samples were collected from pregnant women on ante-natal in 5 different hospitals within the metropolis. One hundred samples were collected from each of the hospitals visited. Each sample was analyzed for HCV and HIV antibodies respectively using commercially available kits. Results analysis revealed prevalence rates of 1.4% for HCV, 5.80% for HIV and 0.40% HCV-HIV co-infection among the subjects. Chi square statistics for test of independence between 2 variables showed significant associations between HCV positivity and histor...
African Health Sciences, 2015
Background: Viral hepatitis is a serious public health problem affecting billions of people globally with maternal-fetal transmission on the rise. Objectives: This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among pregnant women in the Asante Akim North Municipality, in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Methods: In this cross-sectional study 168 pregnant women were recruited from the Agogo Presbyterian hospital. Blood samples were collected for the detection of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV antibodies. A pretested questionnaire was used to obtain demographic data and identify the risk factors associated with the two infections. Results: Of the 168 participants studied, 16 (9.5%) tested positive for HBV and 13 (7.7%) tested positive for HCV representing 9.5% and 7.7% respectively. A participant tested positive for both HBV and HCV co-infection representing 0.6%. Undertaking blood transfusion, tattooing and sharing of needles were associated with hepatitis C infection (P=0.001). HBV was not associated with any of the risk factors (P>0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C among pregnant women; blood transfusion, tattooing and sharing of hypodermic needles were associated with hepatitis C infection. Measures to reduce the disease and transmission burden must be introduced.
Annals of African Medical Research
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) are blood borne viral infection with huge disease burden on pregnant women and their babies especially in Bauchi, Nigeria. Data on the prevalence rates of these infections would aid the clinical management and public health control of these infections. The study determined the prevalent rates of HIV, HBV and HCV among ante-natal care (ANC) attendees in health facilities in Bauchi State, north-eastern Nigeria. This is a a descriptive study that reviewed data secondarily from 13 health facilities in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Data were collected for a 12-month period from July 2017 - June 2018. The study found the following average prevalence rates among the ANC attendees: HIV (0.71%), HBV (1.57%) and HCV (0.64%). The study found low but significant prevalent rates of HIV, HBV and HCV infections among the ANC attendees. The study recommends for strengthening of preventive and curatives measures against...
Women's Health
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% co...
Journal of Advances in Microbiology
Hepatitis infections are global public health concern more especially hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections which can easily be transmitted from mothers to newborn babies through contact with body secretions. This research was conducted to investigate the prevalence of Viral Hepatitis B and C infections among pregnant women in Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital Lafia, Nasarawa State. Cross sectional study design was carried out from January 2017 to December 2017 among 374 pregnant women. Blood sample was collected from each pregnant woman and screened using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit produced by Nantong Diagnos Biotechnology Co., Ltd., China. Overall prevalence infections of viral hepatitis B and C among the participant was 35(9.4%) and 18(4.8%) respectively. Hepatitis B prevalence was higher than Hepatitis C (P>0.05). Some of the pregnant women were found to be multi-gravida patients ranged from 20-29 years of age with prevalence of 9.6%...
2019
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem which could easily lead to chronic liver disease and Cirrhosis. A study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HCV surface antigen among women attending antenatal at general hospital Bogoro was conducted. A total of 200 samples comprising of all women attending antenatal were screened using HCV antigen-antibody reaction strip between 12 June2 nd September, 2017, samples were screened as they are collected.Out of the screened patients, 13 (6.5%) were positive for HIV infection. The seroprevalence with respect to age group indicates that those within the age of 19 – 25 years and years had the highest prevalence rate of 3.0% and 1.0% respectively. More so, those that fall within the range of 19–25 (3.0%) were more infected compared to their other counterparts. Prevalence according to tribes indicate higher occurance in Sayawa with 3.5% followed by Hausa 1.0%, Boiyawa 1.0% and those with least infections are the Fulani...
African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology, 2016
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to ascertain the seroprevalence and risk factors of HCV antibodies among pregnant women in Anyigba, Kogi State North Central Nigeria. Materials and methods:Blood samples (5mls) were collected from one hundred and thirty consenting pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Grimad hospital and eighty non-pregnant women from the outpatient clinic were screened for the presence of HCV antibodies. This was done by Skytech diagnostic laboratory rapid strip (USA) and confirmed by ELISA method. Results: Out of 130 pregnant women 9(6.9%) were confirmed to be positive to HCV antibodies. Also out of 80 non-pregnant women of the same age group, used as control, 4(5.0%) were positive. Conclusion: A prevalence rate of 6.9% calls for urgent attention by policy makers and healthcare providers to begin massive enlightenment of this problem. All pregnant women should be screened for early detection.