Incidental hepatitis B virus in Sudanese patients and relative risk factors: Why more screening is needed in primary care?

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is considered one of the most paternally transmissible viruses. Therefore, education about its risk factors and transmission is vital in decreasing the prevalence of the disease burden in Sudan. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relative risk factors of HBV and its impact on the society. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A facility-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among those who were incidentally detected with HBV surface antigen (HbsAg) and their contact family members by ICT and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in Tropical Diseases Teaching Hospital, Omdurman locality, Khartoum state, Sudan. RESULTS: The study recruited 112 participants, among whom 63 individuals incidentally attended for screening for HBV and this led to contact tracing of 49 individuals (contact relative group). Among 63 patients of the incidental group, there were 83.9% males and 16.1% females. In the contact tracing group consisting of 49 individuals, there were 83.3% males and 16.7% females (odds ratio [OR] = 1.375, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.14–13.6; P = 0.000). All the participants were screened for HBsAg. HBV was found to have a significant association with male gender (OR = 1.375, 95% CI = 0.14–13.6; P = 0.000), marital status (OR = 627.084, 95% CI = 48–8195; P = 0.000), working as police officers (OR = 524.2, 95% CI = 43.5–6314; P = 0.000), residing in Khartoum (OR = 520.173, 95% CI = 43–6290; P = 0.000), being illiterate (OR = 558.4, 95% CI = 47.7–6544.7; P = 0.000), vaccination status (OR = 625.4, 95% CI = 48.9–7996.3; P = 0.000), and with some concomitant diseases (OR = 559.193, 95% CI = 47.7–6561.5; P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The HBV is still considered a very critical, highly infectious disease; therefore, primary care physicians have an important role in the investigation, prevention, and health education, in order to prevent the viral spread.