Hepatitis B and C: A Growing Concern in Ethiopia

Hepatitis is when your liver gets upset and inflamed. This can happen for many reasons, like Infections from viruses and bacteria, or even from drinking too much alcohol or taking certain drugs. The most famous troublemakers among viruses are Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Out of these, Hepatitis B and C are the big boys causing most of the problems. They spread easily through things like blood transfusions, unprotected sex, or even from mom to baby during childbirth.

#A Big Problem Worldwide

Hepatitis is a global issue and can lead to serious health problems. It can cause liver damage, which is fancy talk for liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, and even liver cancer. Sadly, it kills over 1.4 million people each year. Hepatitis B and C are responsible for about 96% of these deaths. Currently, there are around 257 million people living with Hepatitis B and 10 million with Hepatitis C. Out of these, about 80 million have serious infections that need attention. When not treated, about 30% of people with chronic Hepatitis B and 20% of those with chronic Hepatitis C might end up with liver cirrhosis or cancer, which is quite scary since liver cancer is among the most common types of cancer and a major cause of cancer-related deaths.

Worldwide, Hepatitis B infections vary a lot. Some places have high rates (more than 8%), while others have lower rates. Hepatitis C also follows a similar trend, with places having varying levels of infection. Most people infected with these viruses are found in low- and middle-income countries.

For example, in Africa, Hepatitis B has a prevalence of 6.1%, leading to nearly 88,000 deaths each year. Interestingly, how common the virus is can also change based on things like gender and where you live.

#Focus on Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, researchers have been looking at how Hepatitis B and C are spreading in different areas. The findings suggest that viral hepatitis continues to be a significant problem for public health. One study found that liver disease led to about 12% of hospital admissions and around 3% of hospital deaths were tied to Hepatitis B and C infections.

However, information on how the infections are changing over time is lacking. So, a study aimed to look into Hepatitis B and C trends among Patients at Ambo General Hospital from 2018 to 2021.

#How the Study Was Done

This study looked at patient data from Ambo General Hospital collected over a period of about four years. The hospital serves a city with a population of about 64,684 people, and there are only two public Hospitals in the area. The researchers focused on patients suspected of having Hepatitis B or C who had been tested between January 2018 and December 2021.

#Who Was Included

To be part of this study, patients had to be suspected of having Hepatitis B or C, and their test results had to be properly recorded. Sadly, if the information was incomplete, those records were tossed out.

#Getting the Data

Three laboratory technicians gathered data from the hospital's records, looking at patients suspected of having Hepatitis B or C. They pulled together information like age, sex, and the results of the tests.

#Analyzing the Numbers

Using a computer program, researchers ran the numbers to see if any of the factors, like age or sex, had an impact on Hepatitis infections. They even used another program to check the trends over the years.

#Keeping it Ethical

All steps in the study were done according to the approved guidelines from local health authorities to ensure that everything was ethical and respectful of patients' rights.

#Who Tested Positive?

A total of 5,675 patients were tested for Hepatitis, and of those, 637 (about 11.2%) were male while 5,038 (about 88.8%) were female. The most commonly tested age group was between 15 and 34 years old, making up 86.2% of the participants.

#How Many Had the Virus?

The study found that 6.4% of people tested positive for Hepatitis B, which means 365 out of 5,674 had the virus. For Hepatitis C, the positivity rate was lower at 2.1%, with just 11 out of 524 testing positive. Among the males, 12.1% had Hepatitis B, while only 5.72% of females tested positive. The rates for Hepatitis C were 5.7% in males and just 1.0% in females.

Old folks between 45 and 54 years old had the highest rates of Hepatitis B, while those aged 35 to 44 had a higher prevalence of Hepatitis C. Interestingly, the years 2018 and 2020 saw the highest percentages of infections for both Hepatitis B and C.

#What Affects Hepatitis B Rates?

Analyzing the data showed that being male was linked to a higher chance of having Hepatitis B. Age didn’t seem to make a difference in this analysis.

#The Hepatitis C Situation

When looking at Hepatitis C, only males had a notable link. But being male wasn’t significantly tied to having the virus according to the numbers.

#Looking at Trends

The prevalence of Hepatitis B and C varied year by year. In 2018, the rate for Hepatitis B was 7.1%, which dropped slightly in the following years. Hepatitis C, on the other hand, had a lower rate initially, peaking at 5.5% in 2020 before dropping again.

#What It All Means

Overall, the study found that Hepatitis B is more common than Hepatitis C in the tested population. There were more males than females who tested positive for both viruses. The older age group showed higher rates for Hepatitis B, while younger individuals had higher rates for Hepatitis C.

The fluctuating rates over the years highlight the need for continuous monitoring and access to testing and diagnosis. The health authorities should pay attention to this issue to help control the spread of these viruses.

More screenings, prevention strategies, and public awareness about Hepatitis are crucial to address this health challenge. After all, keeping our livers healthy is no laughing matter!