Prevalence of hepatitis b virus infection among patients in the laboratory of jazeera specialist hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, between 2020 - 2024.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection among patients attending Jazeera Specialist Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, between January 2022 and December 2024.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using laboratory records of 18,745 patients tested for HBsAg. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-Square tests were employed to evaluate prevalence patterns and infer associations between HBV status and variables such as gender, age, marital status, district of residence, and year of testing.

RESULTS

The overall HBV prevalence was 3.1 % (n = 576), classifying the region as being under intermediate endemicity. Males exhibited a higher positivity rate (4.4 %) compared to females (2.5 %) (χ² = 51.665, p < .001). Age-stratified analysis showed the highest infection rate among older adults aged 51-70 (6.5 %), followed by middle-aged adults aged 31-50 (5.3 %) (χ² = 250.314, p < .001). Marital status was significantly associated with HBV positivity, with singles demonstrating a 3.6 % positivity versus 2.6 % among married individuals (χ² = 19.798, p < .001). Notable geographic disparities were observed; districts such as Dharkeynley and Dayniile recorded higher positivity rates (5.4 % and 4.0 %, respectively) (χ² = 95.462, p = .001). Annual positivity varied, peaking in 2020 (3.9 %) and remaining statistically significant across years (χ² = 22.923, p = .028).

CONCLUSIONS

HBV remains a substantial health concern in Mogadishu, particularly among males, older adults, and residents of specific districts. The findings emphasise the urgent need for demographically targeted HBV prevention strategies, including vaccination, public health education, and enhanced district-level screening initiatives.