RESUMO
In Egypt, viral hepatitis is the major cause of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis. The aim of this work is to estimate the frequency of hepatitis virus infections among military persons with chronic liver disease. One hundred and ten male military personnel having chronic liver disease [CLD] were subjected to laboratory investigations including hepatitis viral markers, abdominal ultrasonography and liver biopsy. They were divided into three groups according to results of hepatitis B virus [HBV] and hepatitis C virus [HCV] seromarkers. Group I comprised 31 patients [28.2%] who had evidence of HBV infection, group II comprised 53 patients [48,2%] who had evidence of HCV infection, and group III comprised 26 patients [23.6%] who had evidence of both HBV and HCV infection. Age group
RESUMO
It is evident that HBV infection is quite prevalent in Egypt and is a public health problem. This study was conducted on a group of pesticide applicators from different Egyptian governorates: 159 Subjects from upper Egypt [South]. 152 Subjects from lower Egypt [North], and 87 Subjects as control. Hepatitis B seromarkers [HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs] were detected by using ELISA technique, besides doing some liver function tests [SGOt, SGPT and S. Cholinesterase]. Abdominal ultrasonography was done for 246 subjects to evaluate thickness of portal tracts [hepatic schistosomiasis] and the other echo pattern of the liver. The frequency of carriers [HBsAg] was 7.4%; immune [antiHBs and anti-HBc] was 51%, remote post exposure [anti-HBs] was 13.8%. and window phase [anti-HBc] was 7.7%.Results showed that both the carrier infection rates increased with age between 20-39 years, however, the rates decreased with ages >40 years. The carrier rate among bilharzial liver cases [57.89%] was higher than in non-bilharzial liver cases [12.11%]. On the other hand, the infection rate was higher in non-bilharzial liver cases [54.64%] than in bilharzial liver cases. The percent of coarse liver pattern [by ECHO] among carriers [10.53%] was higher than that for the non-infected subjects [2.27%]. This denotes the pathological effect of hepatitis B virus on the liver