Hepatitis E Prevalence, Knowledge, and Practice of Preventive Measures Among Adolescents In Rural Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background : There is a paucity of data on the knowledge and practice of preventive measures for Hepatitis E infection. Determination of knowledge and practice of preventive measures are necessary for informed health education for the prevention of Hepatitis E infection and other communicable diseases. The study evaluated the prevalence of Hepatitis E, knowledge, and practice of preventive measures for Hepatitis E virus infection among adolescents in rural Nigeria. Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 months among rural Nigerian secondary school adolescents. An interviewer-based questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic profile, knowledge, and practice of preventive measures for Hepatitis E infection. Blood samples collected from participants were analysed for Hepatitis E IgG using Elisa Kits (Sigma Diagnostics, USA). Data were analysed using SPSS software version 20.0. Tests of association were done with a level of significance set at 5%. Results : A total of 9 out of the 414 participants tested positive for Hepatitis E IgG antibodies giving a prevalence of 2.2%. Significant factors for Hepatitis E infection were male gender { P =0.004} and school { P < 0.001}. Most participants (98.6%) had poor knowledge of Hepatitis E infection, 239(57.7%) had good preventive practices, while 175(42.3%) had average preventive practices. Conclusion : Male gender, school, and practice of preventive measures had a significant association with Hepatitis E infection.