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221052

Incidence of hepatitis B and C viruses among the scavengers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Article

Last updated: 22 Jan 2023

Subjects

-

Tags

Infectious diseases

Abstract

Background:  Poor economic situations in developing nations had made scavenging a mean of livelihood for millions of youth and women across the globe. Lack of proper source segregation of wastes in developing countries has increased the potential for the transmission of pathogens like hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Objectives. This study aimed to assess the potential risk in waste scavenging work and seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses and its relationship with wastes scavenging among wastes scavengers in Kwara State. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the scavengers working for major scrap dealers in the three senatorial districts of Kwara State. Consequently, to accomplish the objectives, both primary and secondary data sources were used. The primary data were collected via questionnaires, interviews, blood test and field observations. Whereas the secondary data were extracted from different published and unpublished materials. Two hundred fourty (240) respondents were administered with questionnaires and undergone hepatitis surface antigen test for both hepatitis B and C in nine of the sixteen local government area in the state. The data were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS version 23) for descriptive and inferential at 5% level of significance. The prevalence of an HBV and HCV infection biological markers (HBsAg and HCsAg) (hepatitis B surface antigen and anti HCV antibodies) and their associations with exposure to bio-medical waste, socio-demographic factors, and history of occupational injuries was examined.  Results. The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infection among the scavengers were found to be 8.3% and 5% respectively indicating that scavengers are at risk of HBV and HCV infection. Conclusions. It was discovered that there are incidences of hepatitis B and C virus co-infection among scavengers. Also, awareness and compliance to the usage of  personal protective equipment (PPE) was found to be an important factor for protection scavengers against the virus. Therefore, vaccination against HBV, enforcement of usage of PPE, good hygiene practices, regular trainings on occupational safety, proper monitoring by regulatory agency and inclusion of scavengers in mandatory health insurance scheme will help to control risk of HBV and HCV infection among scavengers.

DOI

10.21608/mid.2022.118313.1241

Keywords

Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, scavengers, seroprevalence, personal protective equipment

Authors

First Name

Morufu

Last Name

Raimi

MiddleName

Olalekan

Affiliation

Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, Bayelsa State. Nigeria.

Email

ola07038053786@gmail.com

City

Yenagoa

Orcid

0000-0001-5042-6729

First Name

Yusuf

Last Name

Raufu

MiddleName

Olanrewaju

Affiliation

Department of Environmental Health Science, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria

Email

deentech06@gmail.com

City

Malete

Orcid

-

First Name

Adewoye

Last Name

Olayinka

MiddleName

Solomon

Affiliation

Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho

Email

soadewoye@lautech.edu.ng

City

Ogbomosho

Orcid

-

First Name

Morufu

Last Name

Raimi

MiddleName

Olalekan

Affiliation

Department of Environmental Health Science, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria

Email

henry.sawyerr@kwasu.edu.ng

City

Malete

Orcid

-

Volume

3

Article Issue

4

Related Issue

37291

Issue Date

2022-10-01

Receive Date

2022-01-25

Publish Date

2022-10-01

Page Start

899

Page End

909

Print ISSN

2682-4132

Online ISSN

2682-4140

Link

https://mid.journals.ekb.eg/article_221052.html

Detail API

https://mid.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=221052

Order

16

Type

Original Article

Type Code

1,157

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Microbes and Infectious Diseases

Publication Link

https://mid.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

-

Details

Type

Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023