Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections: A Five-Year Retrospective Study Among Blood Donors in Saboba District in the Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

\n Background and Objectives: Chronic hepatitis B and C infections are capable of progressing to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Globally, it has been estimated that over 2 billion and 170 million people are living with hepatitis B and C infections, respectively. Ghana remains one of the highly endemic countries challenged by continues spread of these viral agents in Africa. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and trend of Hepatitis B and C coinfections among blood donors in Saboba District of the Northern Region of Ghana. Methods: A five-year hospital based retrospective study was carried out among 8,605 blood donors comprising 8517 males and 88 females using data on blood donors from Saboba Assemblies of God Hospital located in the Saboba District in the Northern Region of Ghana from 2013 to 2017. Blood bank records on HBV and HCV potential blood donors who visited the hospital to donate blood was retrieved. Donor demographic details, i.e. age and gender were also recovered. Donors who were registered to the hospital but were not residents of the Northern Region were excluded from the study. Donors with incomplete records were also excluded from the study. The data was managed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet 2016 and analysed using GraphPad Prism statistical software. Results: The overall prevalence of asymptomatic viral hepatitis B and C infection in the general adult population was 9.59% and 12.71%, respectively, with an HBV/HCV coinfection rate of 2.23%. The number of donors generally declined with advancement in years from 2038 (23.68%) since 2013 to as low as 1169 (13.59%) in 2016, except for 2017 where a sharp increase of 1926 (22.38%) was observed. The first and second highest proportions of donors fell within the age categories of 20-29 [51.53% (4434)] and 30-39 [32.90% (2831)]. Seroprevalence rate of HBV, HCV and HBV/HCV coinfection rates were generally higher among the female group than observed among the male category. The year-to-year variation in HBV, HCV and HBV/HCV infection was statistically significant. The highest year-to-year HBV seropositivity rate was 11.48% in the year 2013, while that for HCV and HBV/HCV coinfection was 16.24% and 5.85% respectively both documented in the year 2014. HBV and HBV/HCV coinfection rate was highest among donors aged <20 years old, while HCV seroprevalence was highest among donors aged 50-59 years old. Conclusion: Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among donors in the Saboba District of the Northern Region of Ghana is endemic. The HBV/HCV coinfections rate also raises serious concern owing to its high prevalence rate among the younger age. Intensive public health education coupled with mobile screening and mass vaccination of seronegative individuals is advised so as to help curb further spread of the infection and in effect help safeguard the health status of potential donors in the district.