Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38743051›Full record

SynthesisInfectious diseases (London, England)2024

Prevalence and trends of hepatitis B and C virus biomarkers in Zimbabwe: comparative analyses of a nation's blood-donor surveillance data and meta-analyses of population studies.

Simbarashe Mabaya, Edmore Munongo, Tonderai Mapako, Lucy Marowa, Alex N Gasasira, Jotam G Pasipanodya, Menard Mutenherwa

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Infectious diseases (London, England), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Cost-Effectiveness of Screening and Treating Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Zimbabwe.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Simbarashe MabayaWorld Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Edmore MunongoWorld Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Tonderai MapakoNational Blood Service Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Lucy MarowaNational Blood Service Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Alex N GasasiraWorld Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Jotam G PasipanodyaDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases/Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Menard MutenherwaNational Blood Service Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Funding

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAMT32GM007569 · NIGMS · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Bjorn C Knollmann · 1985 to 2026
$12.4M
NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM007569World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe disproportionate burden of viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B virus (HBV) is experienced by people living in low-resourced sub-Saharan Africa, where the estimated prevalence is 3-7 times the global average. Therefore to inform policy, we describe the seroprevalence and trends of hepatitis C (HCV) and HBV biomarkers: anti-HCV antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), respectively, in Zimbabwe.

methodsWe analysed data from 181,248 consecutive blood-donors, examined between January 2015 through December 2018. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive literature review using PubMed and African Journals Online databases, meta-analysing selected papers from Zimbabwe, published between 1970 and 2020, that met specific criteria.

resultsOverall age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) for anti-HCV was 8.67 (95%CI, 0.25-17.09) per 100,000, while that for HBsAg was 2.26 (95%, 1.89-2.63) per 1000 blood-donors, per year. Meta-analysis of 9 studies comprising 220,127 persons tested for anti-HCV revealed ASPR of 0.05% (95% 0%-0.19%) in blood-donors and 1.78% (95%CI, 0.01%-5.55%) in the general population, for an overall pooled ASPR of 0.44 (95%CI, 0.19%-0.76%). 21 studies comprising 291,784 persons tested for HBsAg revealed ASPR of 0.65% (95%CI, 0.31%-1.00%) in blood-donors and 4.31% (95%CI, 1.77%-6.50%) in the general population for an overall pooled ASPR of 4.02% (95%CI, 3.55%-4.48%), after HBV vaccine introduction. HBsAg prevalence was significantly higher before HBV vaccine introductions.

conclusionsThe prevalence of HBV is decreasing, consistent with the introduction of HBV vaccination, while HCV prevalence is increasing in Zimbabwe. This highlights the need for Improved blood-donor screening and more informative biomarker studies, particularly among repeat donors and children.

Indexed as

BiomarkersBlood DonorsHepatitis BHepatitis B Surface AntigensHepatitis CHepatitis C AntibodiesHepacivirusHepatitis B virusHumansPrevalenceSeroepidemiologic StudiesZimbabweBiomarkersHepatitis B Surface AntigensHepatitis C Antibodiesage-standardized prevalenceanti-hepatitis C viruscrude prevalencehepatitis B surface antigenHepatitis B vaccinehepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus co-infectionZimbabwe blood transfusion screening

Identifiers

PMID38743051
PMCPMC11575482

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.