PLoS ONE (Jan 2024)

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in Kenya: A study nested in the Kenya Population-based HIV Impact Assessment 2018.

  • Raphael O Ondondo,
  • Jacques Muthusi,
  • Violet Oramisi,
  • Daniel Kimani,
  • Missiani Ochwoto,
  • Peter Young,
  • Catherine Ngugi,
  • Anthony Waruru,
  • Jane Mwangi,
  • Ann Chao,
  • Megan Bronson,
  • Trudy Dobbs,
  • Lucy Ng'ang'a,
  • Nancy Bowen,
  • Appolonia Aoko,
  • Paige A Armstrong,
  • Rashid Aman,
  • Marc Bulterys

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310923
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 11
p. e0310923

Abstract

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BackgroundSub-Saharan Africa region bears the highest chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection burden worldwide. National estimates of HBV burden are necessary for a viral hepatitis program planning. This study estimated the national prevalence of HBV infection in Kenya among people aged 15-64 years.MethodsOf 27,745 participants age 15-64 years in the Kenya Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (KENPHIA) 2018 household survey, we analyzed data for all persons living with HIV (PLHIV; n = 1,521) and a random sample of HIV-negative persons (n = 1,551), totaling to 3,072 participants. We tested whole blood samples for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using Determine™ HBsAg rapid test and used population projections to estimate national disease burden. Pearson chi square was performed and the weighted prevalence proportions presented.FindingsOf the 3,072 participants,124 tested HBsAg positive, resulting in a weighted national HBV prevalence of 3.0% (95% CI: 2.2-3.9%). This translated to an HBV infection burden of 810,600 (95% CI: 582,700-1,038,600) persons age 15-64 years in Kenya. Distribution of HBV prevalence varied widely (pInterpretationHBV prevalence among persons aged 15-64 years in Kenya was 3.0%. Higher prevalence was documented among persons without formal education, in the lowest wealth quintile, and those living in Kenya's North-Eastern, Rift Valley-North and Nyanza regions. Targeted programmatic measures to strengthen interventions against HBV infections including newborn vaccination and treatment of infected adults to limit mother-to-child transmission, would be helpful in reducing burden of HBV-associated viral hepatitis.