Hepatitis B Viral Infection and its Associated Factors among Population Aged at Least 15 Years in Three Selected Cities of Burundi

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a common cause of viral hepatitis and affects 257 million people worldwide. Hepatitis B virus disease is a potentially life-threatening liver infection and a major global health problem that puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. The present study sought to investigate the proportion of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and associated factors for its transmission among people aged at least 15 years in three selected cities of Burundi attending the HBV screening campaign.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional design by selecting conveniently 629 consenting participants aged at least 15 years during the screening campaign in three selected cities of Burundi namely Gitega, Rumonge and Cankuzo in June 2022. During the campaign, a structured questionnaire was administered by trained healthcare workers to collect socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics, as well as the history of exposure to HBV. HBV screening tests were performed with Cypress Diagnostics HBsAg Cards (Hulshout, Belgium). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with HBV infection in the screened participants.
Results: The study included 629 participants, 8.43% of whom tested positive for hepatitis B viral infection, with a mean age of 37.84 (SD=13.9) years. The participants were predominantly found in the over 50 years age group (31.1%) and the 18-30 years age group at 26.69%, the married (70.6%), the female (57.71%), and the farmers (60.25%), Rumonge city dwellers (33.39%), and those with a primary school level (36.25%). In this study, the associated factors with viral hepatitis B infection were residence in Cankuzo (OR=2, CI= 1-4, p=.04), and history of sharing sharp materials (OR=1.8, CI=1-3.3, P=.03).
Conclusion: HBV infection was significantly associated with residence in Cankuzo and sharing sharp materials. HBV infection is endemic in these three provincial cities namely Cankuzo, Gitega and Rumonge. Given the various ways for HBV infection to occur within a general population, control of hepatitis B and its associated factors is one of the highest priorities in order to mitigate its transmission and monitor continuous exposure among Burundian population. There needs to be more help in the form of screening, immunizations for adults and other preventative measures, as well as treatment for the patients.