Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 27, 2025
Author Spotlight: Advancements and Challenges in Hepatitis B Virus Detection
Published on: December 15, 2023
Hepatitis B and C prevalence in waste pickers: a global meta-analysis
Gabriel Souza-Silva1, Tara Rava Zolnikov2, Paula Ladeira Ortolani1
1Research and Development Department, Ezequiel Dias Foundation 30510-010, Brazil.
Background:
The objective of this research was to use a meta-analysis to understand the prevalence of hepatitis B or C in waste pickers worldwide.
Methods:
Epidemiological studies on hepatitis B and C in waste pickers were included adopting a systematic review with meta-analysis. Each selected article had its quality scored by all authors, evaluated according to the Loney's criteria, and evaluated for quality and bias verified with a funnel plot.
Results:
After employing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, there were 12 studies used for this meta-analysis. The rate of hepatitis B seropositivity was 0.15 (95% CI 0.10-0.20), and hepatitis C was 0.08 (95% CI 0.04-0.12). This information suggests that waste pickers are exposed to many risks associated with poor quality of life working conditions as well as low health literacy rates.
Conclusion:
The results of this meta-analysis confirm the vulnerability of waste pickers to hepatitis B and C infection and reinforce the importance of using personal protective equipment and immunizing workers.
