Determination of the Magnitude of Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Healthcare Workers in St Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Creators: name: Taddesse, Gizachew
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2014

description: Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious global health problem, with 2 billion people infected worldwide, and 350 million suffering from chronic HBV infection. About 3 million healthcare workers face occupational exposure to bloodborne viruses each year in which about 2 million to hepatitis B virus infections. This study was conducted to determine the magnitude and associated risk factors of Hepatitis B viral infections in healthcare workers. Objective of the Study: This study was initiated to determine the magnitude and associated risk factors of Hepatitis B viral infections in healthcare workers in St Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted in St Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, among healthcare workers from November 2013 – May 2014. A convenient sampling method was utilized to get the required sample size. A structured questionnaire was used to capture individual socio-demographic characteristics and associated risk factors. Five ml blood was collected, centrifuged and the serum was analyzed for the serologic markers of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs using Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay. Descriptive and logistic regression models were used for analysis. Results: Among the 313 healthcare workers, the seroprevalence of current hepatitis B viral infection was 2.6%; while prevalence of life time exposure was 25.6%. Prevalence of needle stick and sharp injuries were 33.9% and 35.5% respectively. While, exposure to blood and body fluids were 57.2% and 44.4% respectively. Consistent use of gloves was reported by 49.8% of HCWs. Doctors practiced 71.4% of consistent use of glove, while laboratorians were the least likely to consistently use gloves (40.0%). Only 1.6% of HCWs had completed scheduled vaccination against HBV and 73.8% of HCWs were susceptible to infection. Exposure to blood (COR: 9.351, 95% CI: 1.164 – 75.095, p &lt; 0.012), jaundiced and diagnosed liver disease (COR: 3.096, 95% CI: 1.051 – 9.120, p &lt; 0.032), and HBV vaccination (2 = 11.145, p &lt; 0.002), were independent risk factors that were potentially associated with hepatitis B viral infections. Conclusions: The prevalence of current hepatitis B virus infection and life time exposure to hepatitis B viral infection among health care workers was high. Exposure to potentially infectious body fluids, needle stick and sharp injuries was also high. Whereas a small proportion of healthcare workers are vaccinated against hepatitis B virus infection. Besides the doctors, nurses and medical laboratory professionals; cleaners, porters and general service providers were also at a comparably high or more risk of HBV infection as they interact with patients and clinical wastes. Emphasis to continuous medical education and training on infection prevention and safety precautions, vaccination package to HCWs, compliance with universal precautions, access to safer injection technologies and post-exposure management are strongly recommended to improve safety of HCWs and quality of patient care. Keywords: Hepatitis B Virus, HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs Seroprevalence, Vaccination, Risk Factors, HealthCare Workers.