TITLE:
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies among Drug Users in Burkina Faso
AUTHORS:
Sylvie Zida, Kadari Cissé, Odette Ky-Zerbo, Dinanibè Kambiré, Serge Théophile Soubeiga, Simon Tiendrebéogo, Fatou Sissoko, Issa Sory, Célestine Ki-Toé, Solange Dioma, Djeneba Zorom, Adama Ouédraogo, Cedric Dimitri Axon Hien, Mahamoudou Sanou, Seni Kouanda, Henri Gautier Ouédraogo
KEYWORDS:
Drug Users, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Prevalence, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.14 No.1,
January
30,
2024
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The epidemiology of both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among drug users (DUs) is little known in West Africa. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses among drug users in Burkina Faso. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional biological and behavioral survey conducted between June and August 2022, among drug users in Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso, the two main cities of Burkina Faso. A respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used to recruit drug users. Hepatitis B surface antigen was determined using lateral flow rapid test kits and antibodies to hepatitis C virus in serum determined using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Data were entered and analyzed using Stata 17 software. Weighted binary logistic regression was used to identify the associated factors of hepatitis B and C infections and a p-value Results: A total of 323 drug users were recruited with 97.5% males. The mean age was 32.7 years old. The inhaled or smoked mode was the most used by drug users. The adjusted hepatitis B and hepatitis C prevalence among study participants were 11.1% and 2.3% respectively. The marital status (p = 0.001), and the nationality (p = 0.011) were significantly associated with hepatitis B infection. The type of drug used was not significantly associated with hepatitis B infection or hepatitis C infection. Conclusion: The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies among DUs are comparable to those reported in the general population in Burkina Faso. This result suggests that the main routes of contamination by HBV and HCV among DUs are similar to those in the population, and could be explained by the low use of the injectable route by DUs in Burkina Faso.