ABSTRACT
Background: Hepatitis virus infections have many serious consequences like chronic hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cancer. Serological test is thus necessary to identify hepatitis virus in the body. An observational study was conducted with an objective to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies by rapid card tests and to find the prevalence of co-infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses from January 2019 to June 2019.Methods: Blood samples were received from patients irrespective of age and sex, constituted the material for the present study. All samples were tested on hepacard and tri-dot card for the detection of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus and results were interpreted as per Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.Results: Out of 3488 samples, 254 samples were positive for hepatitis virus infection. Out of these 254 samples positive for hepatitis viruses, 22 (0.6%) patients were positive for hepatitis B virus and 232 (6.6%) patients were positive for hepatitis C virus. Only 2 (0.7%) of these patients showed co-infection with both viruses.Conclusions: Male patients showed more positivity of hepatitis virus as compared to females. Patients were more from outpatient department (OPD) as compared to inpatient department (IPD). Hepatitis virus infection was found to be highest in the age group 21-40 and lowest in the age group above 80 years. Both the co-infected patients were males and from IPD.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver dysfunction and reactivation of hepatitis virus are well-described complications in cancer patients who receive cytotoxic chemotherapy and may result in varying degrees of liver damage. However, there has been just few reports on such complications and on the preemptive use of lamivudine in Korea. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infection and the incidence of liver dysfunction in patients with malignancies who receive chemotherapy, to determine the reactivation rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in those patients, to evaluate the effect of preemptive use of lamivudine in patients with HBV infection. METHODS: Among 1,477 patients who received chemotherapy due to various malignancies from January 2000 to June 2005, 668 patients with incomplete viral studies or hepatitis related malignancy were excluded. A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of remaining 809 patients. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of hepatitis B or C virus in patients receiving chemotherapy was 6.55% (53/809). The incidences of liver dysfunction was not significantly different between hepatitis virus positive group and negative group. Reactivation rate of hepatiris B or C virus after chemotherapy was 15% (6/40). In all patients who received lamivudine therapy, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase level were normalized and HBV DNA negativity achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of hepatitis virus in patients receiving chemotherapy did not significantly influence the development of severe liver dysfunction, owing probably to the lamivudine therapy. Further prospective studies are required to ascertain the reactivation of hepatitis virus in patients receiving chemotherapy and the need for prophylactic lamivudine therapy in HBV positive patients.