Author/Authors :
Belbacha, I. National Institute of Hygiene - AIDS and Hepatitis Unit, Department of Immunology and Virology, Morocco , Cherkaoui, I. National Institute of Hygiene - Department of Epidemiology, Morocco , Akrim, M. National Institute of Hygiene - Molecular Biology Laboratory, Morocco , Dooley, K.E. Johns Hopkins University - Center for Tuberculosis Research, School of Medicine - Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Infectious Diseases, United States of America , El Aouad, R. National Institute of Hygiene, Morocco
Abstract :
A cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was conducted in the Rabat–Salé–Zemmour–Zaër region of Morocco in 2007 among 267 barbers and 529 clients, all men with no history of hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination. The overall prevalence of HBV seropositivity was 28.1% in barbers and 25.1% in clients; 1.9% and 1.7% respectively had active HBV (HBsAg positive). Risk factors for HBV included older age, low educational level, urban living, being married, history of transfusion, lack of current heterosexual relationship and liver-associated symptoms. Observations showed that HBV seropositivity was lower in clean barbershops and those using alum as an antispetic. The rate of PCR-confirmed hepatitis C virus (HCV) was only 1.1% and 1.3% in barbers and clients respectively, and was associated with increased age, drug use, history of surgery and symptoms of liver disease. Less than 1% of barbers were aware of HBV or HCV as causative agents of liver disease or jaundice.
