Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study

Objectives This study describes the burden of the hepatitis B, C and HIV co-infections and assesses associated risk factors.Setting This analysis used data from a viral hepatitis screening campaign conducted in six districts in Rwanda from April to May 2019. Ten health centres per district were sele...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Neil Gupta, Jean Damascene Makuza, Sabine Umuraza, Janvier Serumondo, Sabin Nsanzimana, Marie Paul Nisingizwe, Jean Olivier Twahirwa Rwema, Donatha Dushimiyimana, Dominique Savio Habimana, Alida Ngwije, Muhamed Semakula
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-07-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e036711.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850137753835012096
author Neil Gupta
Jean Damascene Makuza
Sabine Umuraza
Janvier Serumondo
Sabin Nsanzimana
Marie Paul Nisingizwe
Jean Olivier Twahirwa Rwema
Donatha Dushimiyimana
Dominique Savio Habimana
Alida Ngwije
Muhamed Semakula
author_facet Neil Gupta
Jean Damascene Makuza
Sabine Umuraza
Janvier Serumondo
Sabin Nsanzimana
Marie Paul Nisingizwe
Jean Olivier Twahirwa Rwema
Donatha Dushimiyimana
Dominique Savio Habimana
Alida Ngwije
Muhamed Semakula
author_sort Neil Gupta
collection DOAJ
description Objectives This study describes the burden of the hepatitis B, C and HIV co-infections and assesses associated risk factors.Setting This analysis used data from a viral hepatitis screening campaign conducted in six districts in Rwanda from April to May 2019. Ten health centres per district were selected according to population size and distance.Participants The campaign collected information from 156 499 participants (51 496 males and 104 953 females) on sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics. People who were not Rwandan by nationality or under 15 years old were excluded.Primary and secondary outcomes The outcomes of interest included chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, HIV infection, co-infection HIV/HBV, co-infection HIV/HCV, co-infection HBV/HCV and co-infection HCV/HBV/HIV. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess factors associated with HBV, HCV and HIV, mono and co-infections.Results Of 156 499 individuals screened, 3465 (2.2%) were hepatitis B surface antigen positive and 83% (2872/3465) of them had detectable HBV desoxy-nucleic acid (HBV DNA). A total of 4382 (2.8%) individuals were positive for antibody-HCV (anti-HCV) and 3163 (72.2%) had detectable HCV ribo-nucleic acid (RNA). Overall, 36 (0.02%) had HBV/HCV co-infection, 153 (0.1%) HBV/HIV co-infection, 238 (0.15%) HCV/HIV co-infection and 3 (0.002%) had triple infection. Scarification or receiving an operation from traditional healer was associated with all infections. Healthcare risk factors—history of surgery or transfusion—were associated with higher likelihood of HIV infection with OR 1.42 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.66) and OR 1.48 (1.29 to 1.70), respectively, while history of physical traumatic assault was associated with a higher likelihood of HIV and HBV/HIV co-infections with OR 1.69 (95% CI 1.51 to 1.88) and OR 1.82 (1.08 to 3.05), respectively.Conclusions Overall, mono-infections were common and there were differences in significant risk factors associated with various infections. These findings highlight the magnitude of co-infections and differences in underlying risk factors that are important for designing prevention and care programmes.
format Article
id doaj-art-0a6a3033ad2b4f2482f5af8d0ddced4e
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2020-07-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-0a6a3033ad2b4f2482f5af8d0ddced4e2025-08-20T02:30:45ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-07-0110710.1136/bmjopen-2019-036711Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional studyNeil Gupta0Jean Damascene Makuza1Sabine Umuraza2Janvier Serumondo3Sabin Nsanzimana4Marie Paul Nisingizwe5Jean Olivier Twahirwa Rwema6Donatha Dushimiyimana7Dominique Savio Habimana8Alida Ngwije9Muhamed Semakula10Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA1 Institute of HIV, Diseases Prevention and Control, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, Rwanda2 Hepatitis Unit, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, Kigali, Rwanda3 Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, RwandaRwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, RwandaThe University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Teaching and Learning, Baltimore, Maryland, USAIHDPC, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, Kigali City, RwandaInstitute of HIV Disease Prevention and Control, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, RwandaClinton Health Access Initiative, Kigali, Rwanda10 Rwanda Biomedical Center, Ministry of Health, Kigali, RwandaObjectives This study describes the burden of the hepatitis B, C and HIV co-infections and assesses associated risk factors.Setting This analysis used data from a viral hepatitis screening campaign conducted in six districts in Rwanda from April to May 2019. Ten health centres per district were selected according to population size and distance.Participants The campaign collected information from 156 499 participants (51 496 males and 104 953 females) on sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics. People who were not Rwandan by nationality or under 15 years old were excluded.Primary and secondary outcomes The outcomes of interest included chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, HIV infection, co-infection HIV/HBV, co-infection HIV/HCV, co-infection HBV/HCV and co-infection HCV/HBV/HIV. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess factors associated with HBV, HCV and HIV, mono and co-infections.Results Of 156 499 individuals screened, 3465 (2.2%) were hepatitis B surface antigen positive and 83% (2872/3465) of them had detectable HBV desoxy-nucleic acid (HBV DNA). A total of 4382 (2.8%) individuals were positive for antibody-HCV (anti-HCV) and 3163 (72.2%) had detectable HCV ribo-nucleic acid (RNA). Overall, 36 (0.02%) had HBV/HCV co-infection, 153 (0.1%) HBV/HIV co-infection, 238 (0.15%) HCV/HIV co-infection and 3 (0.002%) had triple infection. Scarification or receiving an operation from traditional healer was associated with all infections. Healthcare risk factors—history of surgery or transfusion—were associated with higher likelihood of HIV infection with OR 1.42 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.66) and OR 1.48 (1.29 to 1.70), respectively, while history of physical traumatic assault was associated with a higher likelihood of HIV and HBV/HIV co-infections with OR 1.69 (95% CI 1.51 to 1.88) and OR 1.82 (1.08 to 3.05), respectively.Conclusions Overall, mono-infections were common and there were differences in significant risk factors associated with various infections. These findings highlight the magnitude of co-infections and differences in underlying risk factors that are important for designing prevention and care programmes.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e036711.full
spellingShingle Neil Gupta
Jean Damascene Makuza
Sabine Umuraza
Janvier Serumondo
Sabin Nsanzimana
Marie Paul Nisingizwe
Jean Olivier Twahirwa Rwema
Donatha Dushimiyimana
Dominique Savio Habimana
Alida Ngwije
Muhamed Semakula
Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study
BMJ Open
title Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study
title_full Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study
title_short Role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis B and C syndemic and HIV co-infection in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study
title_sort role of unsafe medical practices and sexual behaviours in the hepatitis b and c syndemic and hiv co infection in rwanda a cross sectional study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e036711.full
work_keys_str_mv AT neilgupta roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT jeandamascenemakuza roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT sabineumuraza roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT janvierserumondo roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT sabinnsanzimana roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT mariepaulnisingizwe roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT jeanoliviertwahirwarwema roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT donathadushimiyimana roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT dominiquesaviohabimana roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT alidangwije roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy
AT muhamedsemakula roleofunsafemedicalpracticesandsexualbehavioursinthehepatitisbandcsyndemicandhivcoinfectioninrwandaacrosssectionalstudy