title: [An experience of hepatitis B control in a rural area in Far North Cameroon].
abstract: Experience of four years of control of the transmission of hepatitis B in a rural area in Far North Cameroon is presented: (i) prevention of mother to child transmission, (ii) HBsAg screening before blood transfusion, (iii) detection of HIV/HBV co-infections, (iv) protection of healthcare workers. The prevalence of HBsAg is very high in the four populations studied: 18.2% of pregnant women, 16.9% of candidate for blood donation, 14.4% of people living with HIV and 18 % of healthcare workers. Despite limited resources, effective actions are possible. Prevention of mother to child transmission of HBV with vaccination at birth has been set up, with bottlenecks - similar to those observed in HIV - but decreasing over the study. The screening of all potential blood donors has been reached over the years for HIV, HBsAg and HCV, which has led to the eviction of one out of five potential blood donors. Screening of healthcare workers reminded us that adult protection is based on a very early vaccination and not when hiring, even if it is possible to diagnose rare adults eligible for vaccination by research of anti-HBc antibody. A program of hepatitis B control, essential in Africa, appears feasible in rural areas in a framework of an overall improvement in care delivery.
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, centre hospitalier de Rodez, avenue de l'Hôpital, 12000 Rodez, France, Hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loriette
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire, hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birguel
authors.affiliation: Maternité, hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Damza
authors.affiliation: UPEC, hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ratoua
authors.affiliation: Administration, hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karsikam
authors.affiliation: Hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sobnangou
authors.affiliation: Médecin chef, hôpital de Tokombéré, BP 74, Maroua, Cameroun.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aurenche
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de virologie d'Angers, CHU d'Angers, Angers, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lunel-Fabiani
authors.affiliation: Service de virologie, hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Huraux
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002163:Cameroon; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D012423:Rural Health
keywords: Cameroon; MTCP; PLWH; blood safety; hepatitis B; screnning