ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025
Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B among health facility staff in Salima district, Malawi - a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsHepatitis B (HBV) poses a significant public health challenge in Malawi with a pooled prevalence of 8% in the general population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among healthcare workers in Salima District, Malawi, and assess the severity of positive cases.
methodsIn September 2020, a cross-sectional study was conducted in all public health facilities across Salima District and screened 854 healthcare workers for hepatitis B virus (HBV) using antigen point-of-care tests. Data on demographics and risk history were collected. Those who tested positive were linked to care, and further assessments were carried out by medical officers. Family members of positive cases were also screened for HBV. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, with categorical variables presented as frequencies and percentages, and quantitative variables as means with standard deviations. The relationship between demographic factors and HBV prevalence was analyzed using unadjusted prevalence ratios (PR).
resultsThe prevalence of HBV infection among healthcare workers was 2.93% (25 infections, 95% CI: 1.90-4.29%). Infections were more common among males (95% CI: 0.81-5.98%), married participants (95% CI: 0.13-1.07%), and those unvaccinated against HBV. Environmental health personnel (95% CI: 0.78-69.46%) exhibited the highest chronic HBV prevalence. All positive cases were enrolled in the HBV clinic within two weeks of diagnosis, and none had signs of severe liver disease. DISCUSSION: Despite lower prevalence than the general population, HBV infection rates remain concerning among healthcare workers, particularly those in non-clinical roles. The lack of vaccination history is a notable risk factor for infection.
conclusionThe study underscores the elevated prevalence of HBV infection among healthcare workers in the Salima District, emphasizing the importance of vaccination and prompt linkage to care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.