While HBV vaccination initiatives in industrialised nations have reduced the danger of transmission, the majority of underdeveloped countries have low immunisation rates. National regulations and vaccination programmes for health care personnel are also lacking in many nations.
Data from the year 2020
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey on health care professionals in Beira City between June and August 2020. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires and provided blood samples. The patient population's median age was 39.1 years.
The researchers also looked for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HBV core antigen (anti-HBc), antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs), and HBV viral load in plasma samples (HBV DNA).
The study comprised 315 health care employees, 39.7% (n = 125) of whom were nurses. 5.1% (n = 16; 95% CI, 2.9-8.1%) of this group had HBV infection (HBsAg and/or HBV DNA positive). In addition, the 18-29 age group had a higher prevalence of HBV infections (9.8%; n = 6; 95% CI, 3.7-20.2%).
Furthermore, 40.9% (n = 129) reported having been immunised against HBV.
Occult HBV infections (HBV DNA positive and HBsAg negative) were found in 0.3% (n = 1; 95% CI, 0.0 to 1.8%) of participants, with 27.9% (n = 88; 95% CI, 23.1-33.2%) susceptible (negative for all markers), 6.3% (n = 20; 95% CI, 3.9-9.6%) immune due to natural infection (anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive only), and 60% (n = (anti-HBs positive only).
The overall HBsAg prevalence was 4.8% (n = 5; 95% CI, 2.7-7.7%). This was also greater among laboratory workers (7.7%; n = 2; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-25.1%).
"This study found a high intermediate prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among healthcare workers in Beira City, Central Mozambique, with one-third susceptible to HBV infection," the authors said. "In Mozambique, there is a need to adopt a national hepatitis B screening and immunisation plan among healthcare personnel."
An estimated 296 million people are currently infected with chronic HBV, with 1.5 million new infections happening each year. Sub-Saharan Africa and the Western Pacific account for more than two-thirds of all new infections.
