Abstract:
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic
disease. The virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and
delivery, as well as through contact with blood or other body fluids, including sex with an
infected partner, injection-drug use that involves sharing needles, syringes, or drugpreparation
equipment and needle sticks or exposures to sharp instruments. This
descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted during January 2020 to December 2020
to detect Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) serologically and related risk factors among butchers
in Khartoum State. Ninety (n=90) blood specimens were collected from each eligible
participant, and structured questionnaire was used to collect data from them. Enzyme
Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique was used to detect Hepatitis B surface
antigen (HBsAg).
Out of 90 butchers, the study found the sero-positivity represent 3/90(3.3%). The seropositivity
was more common in age group 20-29 years and there was 2(2.2%) between
20-29 years and 1(1.1%) between 40-49 years. Among the butchers infected with
Hepatitis B, 2(2.2%) were single and 1(1.1%) were married, 2(2.2%) were in primary
school level 1(1.1%) were university level, 2(2.2%) were had previous occupation
butcher and 1(1.1%) were previous occupation other than butcher, 2(2.2%) were had an
experience less than one years, 3(3.3%) had cut by shared knife, 1(1.1%) had surgical
operation, 2(2.2%) had no history of blood transfusion, 1(1.1%) had previous history of
jaundice and all positivity of hepatitis B were not vaccinated.
There were significant association between seropositivity of HBsAg and years of
experience but there were no significant association between sero-positivity of HBsAg
and age group, education level, occupation, marital status, previous history of jaundice,
cut by shared knife, shared knives, previous surgical operation, blood transfusion and
vaccination.
This study concluded that; hepatitis B infection was few among butchers in Khartoum
State.
