Burden of Hepatitis B Infection among High Risk Populations in Western Kenya

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B infection causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chronic hepatitis B infection has been on the rise since 1990 with the highest prevalence reported in sub-Saharan Africa. Health care workers, intravenous drug users, commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men (MSM) are high risk groups for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Due to similar routes of transmission , Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected individuals are also at high risk for Hepatitis B infection. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence and describe risk factors of Hepatitis B among high-risk groups.