Published Paper Details:

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus in Africa is high due to the increase in risky activities such as needle stick injury, unprotected sex, transfusion of unscreened blood in some hospitals and injected drug users. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital (KIU-TH) in Ishaka sub-county, Bushenyi district in western Uganda between December, 2014 and January, 2015. The purpose of the study was to determine the sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection among preclinical students of Kampala International University western campus (KIU-WC) and also, to know medical students who were infected before enroll in medical school and those who will be found negative; they will be vaccinated before going into the clinical areas. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) research participants were recruited for the study using a standard and systematic sampling technique. Samples were collected from preclinical students of Medicine and surgery, Medical laboratory sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy department. All samples collected into a plain tube were allowed to clot and centrifuged to obtain serum; this is because, serum is the most preferred sample in serological testing for antigen and antibody dependent. Samples were tested for HBsAg with SD BIOLINE USA immune chromatographic rapid test strips with high sensitivity of 99.8% and specificity of 100%. Data on risk factors were collected using a structured closed ended questionnaire. The prevalence of HBV infection in this study was 4% which is lower among the preclinical students of KIU. The significance risk factors in this study were needle stick injury with p-value of 0.04 which is less than the alpha of (0.05) contact with blood is significance at p-value 0.01 and transfusion of blood at significance level of 0.01. There is need for preclinical student to know their HBV status and those tested negative be vaccinated and this will give a clear source of HBV infection among medical students.