The Burden and Awareness of Hepatitis B Virus Infection among the Patient Attending OPD in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bihar

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection prevalence is believed to be elevated in Bihar, India; however, state-wide prevalence data are not available. An understanding of HBV prevalence, risk factors and genotype distribution can be used to plan control measures in Bihar. Material & Method: A prospective, OPD-based serosurvey was conducted from January 2024 to June 2024 at BMIMSH Pawapuri, Bihar. Children aged >=5 years and adults were eligible to participate. Demographic and risk behavior data were collected, and serological specimens were obtained and tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Result: 5,546 OPD patients participated in the study shows HBV prevalence of 2.29%. HBsAg positivity was most prevalent in the 40–49 year-old and 30–39 year-old age groups (29.92% and 24.41% respectively). The mean age of positive patients was 44.8 years with the majority (approx 30%) of positive cases in the 40–49 years age group. Sex wise distribution shows that there was slight female preponderance. Out of total number of positive cases (127), 71 (55.90%) were females and 56 (44.09%) were males. Among all positive cases having a history of Diabetes, hypertension, Chronic Renal Failure and Cancer were 3.15%, 3.94%, 0.79% and 0.79%. Conclusion: The study findings, including the overall prevalence of chronic HBV infection, associated risk factors and demographic characteristics can guide prevention and control efforts, including treatment provision. In addition to high-risk populations, efforts targeting rural areas and adults aged 40 would be the most effective for identifying infected individuals.