ABSTRACT
Background and aims: pegylation of interferon alfa-2a is a new modality for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. This clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PEG IFN in combination with ribavirin in CHC patients
Methods: fifty-seven patients with HGV RNA in serum, persistently elevated ALT and chronic C hepatitis on liver biopsy enrolled to this study. The patients received PEG IFN 180 micg per week plus ribavirin 10- 15 mg/kg per day
Results: HCV RNA was negative in 37 patients [74%] after three months of beginning of study [EVR] and SVR occurred in 50% of all patients
Conclusion: peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin is safe and effective in treatment of naive patients and relapses
ABSTRACT
Hepatitis B virus, a common cause of viral hepatitis, consumes a large portion of health resources in developing countries. Data obtained from the Survey of Health and Disease in the Islamic Republic of Iran were analysed with respect to hepatitis B-carrier epidemiology. Since the precise mode of transmission of hepatitis B is not well known, the study was designed to evaluate its transmission as a community-acquired disease. HBsAg tests were performed on the sera of 39 841 persons and the impact of several factors on the prevalence rate of HBV carriers was determined. The rate of hepatitis B carriers varied between zero and 3.9% with an average of 1.7%. Older males living in a village with low socioeconomic status, poor sanitation and intrafamily contact are the most important contributors to the rise of hepatitis B infection in the country