Abstract:

Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) are major viral infections affecting the liver and contribute significantly to global morbidity and mortality. Healthcare workers (HCWs) and medical students are particularly vulnerable to these infections due to frequent exposure to blood, sharp instruments, and bodily fluids during clinical practice. Identifying the burden of these infections among these groups is important for strengthening infection prevention policies and targeted interventions. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among three cohorts: HCWs with at least one year of clinical experience, first-year medical and paramedical students with minimal clinical exposure, and final-year medical, nursing, and paramedical students with multiple clinical placements. Participants were screened for HBV and HCV serological markers using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique and panel rapid test kits, and potential risk factors were collected. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to get proportions and binary logistic regression for associations. A total of 374 participants were included, 51.3% HCWs and 48.7% students. The overall seroprevalence of HBV was 4.8% (95% CI:2.9-7.4), with the highest prevalence observed among final-year students (9.3%, 95% CI:8.8-9.9), compared with 3.7% (95% CI:1.0-7.1) among first-year students and 3.6% (95% CI:1.5-7.3) among HCWs. The overall prevalence of HCV was 2.1% (95% CI:0.9-4.2), with slightly higher prevalence among students (2.7%;95% CI:0.3-9.3) than among HCWs (1.6%;95% CI:0.3-4.5). No demographic or occupational factors were significantly associated with HBV or HCV seropositivity. This study demonstrated a relatively low seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among healthcare workers and medical and paramedical students. Strengthening screening, vaccination programs, and infection prevention strategies is essential to protect these high-risk groups.

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