Abstract:
Background: Untreated chronic viral hepatitis can progress to life-threatening complications.
Ethiopia is considered as hyper endemic region with HBV infection according to WHO ,
nevertheless, the clinical and public health burdens due to viral hepatitis in general are still given
no emphasis in the country’s health system including vaccinations and treatment for adults. This
study is aimed to determine the prevalence and assess the associated risk factors of hepatitis
virus infection among clients attending outpatient clinic of Hamdi medical and surgical specialty
center, Harar town, Ethiopia.
Objective: The purpose of the study is to determine the seroprevalence and associated factors of
hepatitis B virus infection among adult attendants of Hamdi medical and surgical specialty
center, Harar town, Eastern Ethiopia, 2019.
Method and materials: Institution based cross sectional study design was used. Structured
closed ended questionnaire was used to collect data using interviewer administered
technique.Univariate and multivariate logistuc regression used to assess associated factors with
seropositivity for HBV infection. The study was conducted between December 2019 and January
2020.
Results: A total of 320 adult patients attending at Hamdi medical and surgical specialty center
outpatient department were enrolled in the study. The overall seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus
infection detected was 10.6%. Sixty two (19.4%) of the participants gave history of sexually
transmitted infection. There was a statistically significant association between, history of any
contact with jaundiced patient, tattooing, history of sexually transmitted infection with
Seropositivity for HBV infection. Those participants having previous history of contact with
jaundice patient were about five times more seropositive for HBV infection when compared
with those with out any contact history (AOR: 5.59, 95% CI:(1.59, 19.6), p= 0.007).
Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HBV infection is high. History of any contact with jaundiced
patient, tattooing and sexually transmitted infection were associated with seropositivity for HBV
infection.
