Assessment of prevalence and risk factors associated with Hepatitis B virus infection among blood donors in Mogadishu Somalia

Background The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through contaminated blood or bodily fluids. Globally, over
81 million blood units are donated annually, a crucial therapeutic procedure without alternatives. However, bloodborne infections, including HBV, pose a significant hurdle to safe transfusions, especially in HBV-endemic regions like
Somalia with limited screening. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection and
identify risk factors associated with it among blood donors in Mogadishu, Somalia.Method A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2023. Research tools included a 5-ml blood sample and a structured questionnaire. The presence or absence of HB markers was
determined using a multi-HB rapid test and CDC’s HB marker interpretation guideline. Logistic regression was used
in univariate and multivariate models to identify risk factors associated with HBV infection, with significance set at a
p-value<0.05 in the final model. Result A total of 494 blood donors were recruited for this study; 93.9% were male, with a mean age of 31.5 (SD=8.11). The prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among blood donors was 9.7%, with a 95% CI of
7.1–12.3. In multivariable logistic regression, those with a monthly income of less than 200 USD (AOR=5.20, 95%
CI=1.61–16.79), those with an income between 200 and 400 (AOR=3.59, 95% CI=1.38–9.34), Jobless blood donors (AOR=3.78, 95% CI=1.17–12.20), those in business occupations (AOR=3.35, 95% CI=1.24–9.08), those with a history of STDs (AOR=4.83, 95% CI=2.03–11.50), those without a history of HB vaccine (AOR=13.81, 95% CI=2.46–77.41), those with a history of tooth extraction (AOR=6.90, 95% CI=2.66–17.88), and those who shared sharp equipment (AOR=2.90, 95% CI=1.07–7.82) were more likely to become infected with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) compared to their counterparts. Conclusion This study highlights a high prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Implementation efforts against HBV infection should specifically focus on low-income individuals, the jobless, and donors with a history of STD to mitigate the burden of HBV infection and promote safer blood donation. In addition, discouraging the sharing