Article Category:
Research Article

Seroprevalence of Viral Hepatitis B and C and Knowledge of the Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women Attending Prenatal Care in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Junior Mudji Hôpital Evangélique de Vanga, Kwilu, Democratic Republic of Congo;
Département de médecine de famille et soin de santé Primaire, Université Protestante au Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo;

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Blaise Madinga Hôpital Evangélique de Vanga, Kwilu, Democratic Republic of Congo;
Département de médecine de famille et soin de santé Primaire, Université Protestante au Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo;

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Yves Horsmans Hepato-Gastroenterology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-0804
Volume/Issue:
Volume 104: Issue 3
Page(s):
1096–1100
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ABSTRACT

Viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) can significantly influence maternal and child health. Although HIV infection, malaria, and syphilis in pregnant women are likely to be systematically screened for and managed according to national guidelines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is no plan for HBV and HCV. Furthermore, there is no documentation regarding pregnant women’s knowledge about HBV and HCV. This situation has motivated the researchers to undertake the current study, which was designed to estimate the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV. We have also assessed knowledge of the HBV infection among pregnant women who consulted for antenatal care for the first time at Vanga Evangelical Hospital in Vanga. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 457 pregnant women who attended antenatal care. Sociodemographic, obstetric, and previous medico-surgical data, as well as information related to women’s HBV knowledge, were collected using a questionnaire. Rapid tests were used to detect HBV surface antigen and HCV antibodies. Most pregnant women were aged 20–24 years. Only 6.8% of respondents had knowledge of HBV, and the main source of this knowledge was health facilities (4.6%). Only 0.7% reported having been tested, whereas 98.5% said that they had not been offered a test. Overall, 18 (3.9%) participants were HBV positive and 22 (4.8%) were positive for HCV. There is limited knowledge about HBV and HCV among pregnant women in rural Vanga. All pregnant women should be screened during antenatal care, and a well-implemented program of management is needed.

Author Notes

Address correspondence to Yves Horsmans, Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Ave. Hippocrate 10, Brussels BE-1200, Belgium. E-mail: yves.horsmans@uclouvain.be

Authors’ addresses: Junior Mudji and Blaise Madinga, Hôpital Evangélique de Vanga, Kwilu, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Département de médecine de famille et soin de santé Primaire, Université Protestante au Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, E-mails: mudjijunior@gmail.com and madingasima@gmail.com. Yves Horsmans, Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, CliniquesUniversitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium, E-mail: yves.horsmans@uclouvain.be.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2021
Received:
04 Jul 2020
|
Accepted:
25 Oct 2020
|
Published Online:
04 Jan 2021
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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