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Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem and account for a substantial proportion of liver diseases worldwide. Aim:The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of Hepatitis B and C virus infection among undergraduate students of Babcock University. Methodology: The blood samples of 200 participants (96 males and 104 females) were randomly collected and screened using rapid serological methods. HBV markers were determined using a HBV 5 in 1 Panel cassette (Innovita Biological Technology Co., Ltd., China); while antibody to HCVOriginal Research Article was detected using anti-HCV test strip (Blue Cross Bio-Medical Co., Ltd., China). The demographic and clinical information of the participants were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: Out of the 200 participants screened, 3 (1.5%) were positive for HBsAg, 10 (5.0%) were positive for HBsAb, 3 (1.5%) were positive for HBcAb, 2 (1.0%) were positive for HBeAb and none (0%) was positive for HBeAg. 2 (2.1%) of the 96 males screened were positive for HBsAg, while only one (1%) out of the 104 females screened was positive for HBsAg. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the number of male and female students positive for HBsAg. On the basis of age distribution, data show that 3 (2.7%) out of the 110 students that were 16-20 years old were positive for HBsAg, while students in the other age groups were negative for HBsAg. Risk factors associated with infection include: tattooing, history of blood transfusion and shared sharp objects. Interestingly, zero prevalence rate (0%) of HCV mono-infection, as well as HBV/HCV co-infection was recorded in this current study. Conclusion: The outcome of this study showed that a low prevalence rate of HBV mono-infection exists among undergraduate students of Babcock University, therefore the on-going public health campaign programme against Hepatitis B and C should be sustained
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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection in patients on chronic hemodialysis. METHODS: We measured antibody to HCV using second generation enzyme immunoassay(ELISA) test or radioimmunoassay(RIA) and hepatitis B surface antigen, serum values of AST, ALT in 224 patients of six urban hemodialysis units. We also investigated some clinicai parameters such as age, sex, duration and frequency of hemodialysis, the amount of blood transfusion, and hemodialysis of infected patients on separate machines. RESULTS: 1) 33 of 224 patients(14.7%) were positive for HCV antibody. 2) The prevalence of HCV antibody were most significantly correlated with duration of hemodialysis and less significantly with frequency of hemodialysis, amount of blood transfusion but not correlated with age, sex and level of liver enzyme. 3) The prevalence of HCV antibody was significantly higher in a center which did not separate dialysis machine for HCV antibody positive patients than centers which did. CONCLUSION: Th prevalence of HCV antibody was most signficantly correlated with duration of hemodialysis. We suggest that environmental factor of hemodialysis unit may play major role in HCV infection of hemodialysis patients. So the importance of separate dialysis machine from HCV antibody positive patients should be emphasized.