Author(s)

Didier K. Ekouevi^1,2,3*, Anne Thomas³, Dieudonné Sewu³, Late Lawson-Ananissoh⁴, Boris Tchounga⁵, Mounerou Salou⁶, Guillaume Ketoh¹, Mireille David⁶, Patrick A. Coffie^5,7, Datouda Redah⁴

¹Département de Santé Publique, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo.
²Centre Inserm Unité 1219, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
³Centre Africain de Recherche en Epidémiologie et en Santé Publique (CARESP), Lomé, Togo.
⁴Service de Gastro-Entérologie, CHU Campus, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo.
⁵Program PACCI/LIA Inserm, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
⁶Laboratoire BIOLIM, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo.
⁷Département de Dermatologie et Infectiologie, Université Felix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Objective: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa where more than 80 million subjects are chronic carriers. However, screening is not systematic in the population and prevalence data are scarce, especially among the youth population. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HBV and its correlates among first-year University students at the University of Lomé. Study design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2015 and January 2016 at the University of Lomé during the annual checkup offered to newly enrolled students. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics and sexual behaviors, and rapid tests were used for the detection of Antigen HBS (HBsAg) and HIV in each participant. A logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with HBsAg positivity. Results: A total of 800 students (56.2% were men) were screened among 1505 students who participated in the study. The median age was 20 years (IQR: [18 - 21]). The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 4.6% (95% CI: [3.2 - 6.3]): 5.8% among men and 3.1% among women (p = 0.04). The prevalence of HIV was 0.8; 95%CI [0.3% - 1.6%] and one case (0.1%) of coinfection HIV and HBV was identified. Factors associated with HBsAg positivity were male gender [adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.02 - 5.00, p = 0.0447] and ever having a sexual relationship [aOR = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.11 - 5.78, p= 0.0264]. Conclusion: This study among university students demonstrates that the prevalence of HBV is high among this population and that there is a need for prevention programs to target this vulnerable population. This is an additional argument toward HBV screening and treatment among students during annual health check.

Hepatitis B, Prevalence, West-Africa, Students

Ekouevi, D. , Thomas, A. , Sewu, D. , Lawson-Ananissoh, L. , Tchounga, B. , Salou, M. , Ketoh, G. , David, M. , Coffie, P. and Redah, D. (2017) Prevalence of Hepatitis B among Students from the University of Lomé, Togo in 2015. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 7, 262-272. doi: 10.4236/ojepi.2017.73020.