Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in selected general hospitals of Mekelle and Eastern Zone of the Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) share common transmission risk factors and remain major causes of maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries. However, updated local data on the burden of HBV and HIV in North Ethiopia are limited. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of HBV and HIV and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in selected general hospitals of Mekelle and the eastern zone of Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

METHODS

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2024 to April 2025 in selected general hospitals of Mekelle and the eastern zones of Tigray. Sociodemographic risk factor data and blood samples were collected from 238 pregnant women. Rapid diagnostic tests were used to detect HBV and HIV, with confirmation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The overall seroprevalence of HBV and HIV were 9.7% and 4.2%, respectively. Variables like older age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-9.46, P = 0.047), history of liver disease (AOR = 23.67, 95% CI: 3.55-158.01, P = 0.001), history of abortion (AOR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.06-0.98, P = 0.047), nose piercing (AOR = 3.80, 95% CI: 1.33-10.88, P = 0.013), and history of sexually transmitted infections (AOR = 6.03 95% CI: 1.56-23.35; P = 0.009) had significant associations with seroprevalence of HBV, while knowledge about transmission of HIV (exact odds ratio = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.02-0.72, P = 0.0219) was the only variable significantly associated with seroprevalence of HIV in this study.

CONCLUSION

The overall seroprevalence of HBV and HIV among pregnant women attending antenatal care was high. Therefore, it is essential to implement effective prevention strategies to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of these viral infections.