Abstract:
Background: Hepatitis B virus, a DNA virus of the family Hepadnaviridae is the causative
agent of hepatitis B infection and about 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. Hepatitis
B is a silent killer disease of the liver with many carriers not aware of their clinical status.
WHO estimates in 2015 around 3.5% of the populations were living with chronic HBV
infection in the world. Globally transfusion of contaminated blood causes up to 16 million
new infections with HBV and with each blood unit transfused; there is always a 1%
likelihood of transfusion-linked risks including transfusion-transmitted infections.
Objective: The overall objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated
factors of Hepatitis B Virus among volunteer blood donors in Jimma Zone.
Method: A cross sectional study design was conducted among volunteer blood donors in
Jimma Zone who donate blood for Jimma Blood Bank from March 10- April 20/2018. After
ensuring the completeness of the questionnaire, the data were checked, data entry and
analysis was done by Epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS 20.0 statistical software, respectively.
Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors of
Hepatitis B virus among blood donors
Result: Among a total of 548 volunteer blood donors participated in the study, Majority of
them were found in the age group of 18-24 years 334(60.9%). The overall prevalence of
HBsAg among volunteer blood donors participated in this study was 16 (2.9%) with
12(4.5%) were among male and 4(1.4%) in female. Following the multiple logistic regression
analysis performed using forward stepwise method male sex {AOR=3.28, 95%CI: 1.01-10.68
(p-0.049)}, Age (groups 18-24) AOR=0.17, 95%CI: 0.36-0.78 (p-0.022) number of donation
AOR= 0.25, 95%CI: 0.08-0.76 (p-0.015) and history exposure to unsafe therapeutic drug
injection AOR= 6.98, 95%CI: 1.66-29.29 (p-0.008) had remained statistically significant
factors for hepatitis B viral infections.
Conclusion: The overall prevalence of HBsAg among volunteer blood donors participated in
this study was 16 (2.9%) and first time donation and history of exposure to unsafe therapeutic
drug injection were identified to be (high risk) factors independently associated with positive HBsAg
status.
