INTRA-FAMILIAL TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS IN ADEN -YEMEN

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major challenge to public health worldwide. Close contacts between susceptible family members and the index cases who live with HBV infection increase the rate intra-familial transmission of HBV. So our study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among family members of confirmed positive HBV patients and to identify the intra and extra-familial risk factors contributing for transmission of HBV infection among those members. Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 family members who belong to the 14 index cases were included in this study, the average was 7.1(100/14) members. HBsAg in both index cases and family members was determined by using ELISA kit. Analysis of the data was performed by using SPSS (Version 21), the quantitative data were expressed as mean values, (SD) because the data was normal distributed. The qualitative data was expressed as percentages and χ2 test was used for comparison of two variables to determine the p- value where <0.05 was considered statistically significant. They were 50 (50 %) males with a total mean± SD of age were 25±15.9 years. The overall prevalence of HBV infection was 19 (19. 0%). The highest rates were 41.2% in age group 30—39 years, 22% males, 26.7% married, 19.4% among those family members who were in close contact with female index cases and 40% father relatives. A statistically significance association between HBV infection and age group 30—39 years (p=0.011). There were no positive cases was found among those members who were vaccinated against HBV and no significant association between HBV infection and either intra or extra risk factors among family members. It can be concluded that Intra-familial transmission of HBV infection was high among family member in Yemen. The highest prevalence was found in age group 30-39 years, males, married and among those family members who were in close contact with female index cases. The most frequent relatives with HBV infection were fathers, while a negative HBV cases was observed among mothers and wives and vaccinated members. There were no significant association between HBV infection and either intra or extra risk factors among family members.