Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus among barbers at south Khartoum

Abstract EN

Background: Barbers deal with sharp equipment all the time with a wide variety of clients leaving them at greater risk of exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and other harmful blood-borne pathogens.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and knowledge of barbers on HBV and HCV among barbers at South Khartoum-Sudan.

Justification: Many hepatitis-infected individuals do not know their status and many barbers do not know that they could be transmitting or acquiring diseases during their work and how to protect themselves and their clients from contracting the diseases.

Sharing contaminated sharp equipment increase the risk of transmission of HBV and HCV.

Increasing the knowledge and awareness of HBV and HCV transmission routes among barbers will help in the prevention and control of new infections.

Methods: The current was a work-place based descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at South Khartoum.

A structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data.

Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was done to determine the presence of HBsAg and anti-HCV among 89 barbers.

The results: Among 89 barbers enrolled in this study, HBsAg was detected in 9 (10.1%), and anti-HCV was detected in 3 (3.4%).

The HBsAg and anti-HCV positive rates were significantly higher in the age group of participants between 26 - 30 years.

No participant has both positive results of HBsAg and HCV together.

Conclusion: High prevalence of HBV and HCV and low knowledge of viral hepatitis infections were found among barbers.

Barbers in this area need to be educated on viral hepatitis and related diseases to reduce the acquisition of these infections.