Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infection, pre and post-tonsillectomy at Benha teaching hospital

ABSTRACT

The high Incidence of viral hepatitis among Egyptian populations compared with other developing countries deserve to pay the attention to search for the predisposing factors especially in our locality at Kaliobia. To evaluate the importance of pre-operative testing of hepatitis B and C in decreasing the incidence of their transmission. Prospective open, trial. Pre-and post-tonsillectomy [six months follow up] screening for hepatitis surface antigen [HBs Ag], hepatitis B core antigen [HBcAg-IgM] and antibodies for hepatitis C were done for 100 patients[age range4-18ys] attending E.N.T. department at Benha Teaching Hospital one seropositive case for hepatitis B representing 1% and four seropositive cases for hepatitis C representing 4% of all cases, were detected. Follow up screeing for sero negative cases of hepatitis B and C, six months post-operatively, were negative. Seropositive cases showed moderate elevation of aminotransferase enzymes [SGOT and SGPT] up to 4 months follow up. Tests for hepatitis B and C virus infection must be included in the routine laboratory investigations at Benha Teaching Hospital pre-tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy as well as pre any operative interference to detect the occult positive cases regardless of the additional cost. Prophylactic guidelines of hepatitis nosocomial transmission should be respected especially in preoperative seropositive cases