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Morgan CE, Ngimbi P, Boisson-Walsh AJN, Ntambua S, Matondo J, Tabala M, Kashamuka MM, Emch M, Edwards JK, Powers KA, James L, Mbonze N, Mampunza S, Yotebieng M, Thompson P, Parr JB. Hepatitis B Virus Prevalence and Transmission in the Households of Pregnant Women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae150. [PMID: 38623568 PMCID: PMC11017325 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The World Health Organization Africa region has high regional hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence, and evidence suggests more frequent horizontal HBV transmission than other regions. Context-specific epidemiological studies are needed to inform additional HBV prevention measures. Methods In the cross-sectional Horizontal and Vertical Transmission of Hepatitis B (HOVER-HBV) study, we introduced HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) screening alongside existing HIV screening as part of routine antenatal care in high-volume maternity clinics in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. We recruited households of pregnant women ("index mothers") who were HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative, defining households as index-positive and index-negative, respectively. Household members underwent HBsAg testing and an epidemiological survey. We evaluated HBsAg prevalence and potential transmission correlates. Results We enrolled 1006 participants from 200 households (100 index-positive, 100 index-negative) across Kinshasa. HBsAg-positivity prevalence was more than twice as high in index-positive households (5.0% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.8%-7.1%]) as in index-negative households (1.9% [95% CI, .6%-3.2%]). HBsAg-positivity prevalence was 3.3 (95% CI, .9-11.8) times as high among direct offspring in index-positive versus index-negative households. Factors associated with HBsAg positivity included older age, marriage, and having multiple recent partners or any new sexual partners among index mothers; and older age, lower household wealth, sharing nail clippers, and using street salons among offspring in index-positive households. Conclusions Vertical and horizontal HBV transmission within households is ongoing in Kinshasa. Factors associated with infection reveal opportunities for HBV prevention efforts, including perinatal prevention, protection during sexual contact, and sanitation of shared personal items.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille E Morgan
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Patrick Ngimbi
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Protestante du Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Alix J N Boisson-Walsh
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sarah Ntambua
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Protestante du Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jolie Matondo
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Protestante du Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Martine Tabala
- L‘École de Santé Publique, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Michael Emch
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jessie K Edwards
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kimberly A Powers
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Linda James
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nana Mbonze
- L‘École de Santé Publique, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Samuel Mampunza
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Protestante du Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Marcel Yotebieng
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Peyton Thompson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jonathan B Parr
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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