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Table 1 Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence in Malawi: published data from 1990 to 2018

From: Epidemiology of hepatitis B, C and D in Malawi: systematic review

Population

Ref

Year

Location

Laboratory method

Prevalence (n/total)

Prevalence (%), (95% CI)

General Populations

 Pregnant women

[20]

1989–1994

QECH, Blantyre

MONOLISA HBsAg ULTRA (Biorad)

0/70

0.0 (0.0, 5.2)

 Pregnant women, at delivery

[18]

1993–1995

Shire Valley

Bioelisa HBsAg (Biokit, S.A.)

12/100

12.0 (7.0, 19.8)

 Pregnant women

[20]

2004–2008

QECH, Health Centres Blantyre

MONOLISA HBsAg ULTRA (Biorad)

16/134

11.9 (7.5, 18.5)

 Male workers at sugar estate

[17]

1998

Nchalo

Auszyme monoclonal EIA (Abbott)

40/280

14.3 (10.7, 18.9)

 Community, rural adults

[20]

2001

Mwanza District

MONOLISA HBsAg ULTRA (Biorad)

7/98

7.1 (3.5, 14.0)

 Non-pregnant women (intravaginal MTZ gel RCT)

[20]

2003–2005

QECH, Blantyre

MONOLISA HBsAg ULTRA (Biorad)

8/137

5.8 (3.0, 11.1)

 HIV-negative partners in a serodiscordant couple

[19]

2007–2010

Blantyre Lilongwe

HBsAg ELISA NS

26/433

6.0 (4.1, 8.7)

 Blood donors

[21]

2001

Ntechu

HBsAg ELISA NS

13/159

8.2 (4.8, 13.5)

HIV-positive populations

 HIV-positive pregnant women, at delivery

[18]

1993–1995

Shire Valley

Bioelisa HBsAg (Biokit, S.A.)

8/50

16.0 (8.3, 28.5)

 HIV-positive pregnant women

[20]

2000–2004

QECH, Blantyre

MONOLISA HBsAg ULTRA (Biorad)

6/156

3.8 (1.8, 8.1)

 HIV-positive pregnant women

[22]

2004–2009

Lilongwe

Vitros Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics)

103/2049

5.0 (4.2, 6.1)

 HIV-positive pregnant women

[23]

2008–2009

Blantyre

Murex HBsAg Version 3 with Confirmatory Assay (Murex Biotech)

27/309

8.7 (6.1, 12.4)

 HIV positive: male workers at sugar estate

[17]

1998

Nchalo

Auszyme monoclonal EIA (Abbott)

32/189

16.9 (12.3, 22.9)

 HIV-positive adults

[24]

2005

QECH, Blantyre

Bioelisa HBsAg (Biokit, S.A.)

20/300

6.7 (4.4, 10.1)

 HIV positive adults, ART starters

[25]

2007–2009

QECH, Blantyre

Bioelisa HBsAg (Biokit, S.A.)

133/1117

11.9 (10.1, 13.9)

 HIV-positive adults in sero-discordant couple

[19]

2007–2010

Blantyre Lilongwe

HBsAg ELISA NS

26/432

6.0 (4.1, 8.7)

 HIV-infected children

[26]

2008–2010

Lilongwe

Genetic Systems HBsAg 3.0 (Bio-Rad)

2/91

2.2 (0.6, 7.7)

  1. Abbreviations: QECH Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre. This is a tertiary referral hospital, MTZ metronidazole, RCT randomised controlled trial. Biorad: HBsAg ELISA, Biorad, Hercules, CA, USA; Bioelisa: HBsAg 3.0 Biokit SA Barcelona, Spain; Ortho Clinical Diagnositics: Raritan, New Jersey, United States: Siemens: ADVIA Centaur, Siemens, Munich, Germany; Abbott: Murex HBsAg, Abbott, Illinois, USA; HBsAg ELISA NS- manufacturer not specified