Prevalence of hepatitis B and C in a healthy cohort

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B virus [HBV] and hepatitis C virus [HCV] are the commonest causes of chronic liver disease all over the world including Pakistan. Earlier studies show wide variation in the results regarding the positivity of HBV and HCV infections [total number 665] in different groups of Pakistani populations. Prospective, descriptive. July-September 2004, Combined Military Hospital, Khuzdar and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP], Rawalpindi. Healthy adults belonging to different areas of Pakistan were screened for Hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] and anti-Hepatitis C virus antibodies [Anti-HCV] by rapid method and positive cases were confirmed by ELISA from Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP] Rawalpindi. The sero-positivity of anti-HCV was found to be 3.3% and that of HBsAg was 3%. There was wide variation in prevalence of anti-HCV and HBsAg in different areas of Pakistan. This study indicates that although there is trend toward decline in prevalence of hepatitis B, there is considerable HCV and HBV threat to our population and there is a genuine need for strict adherence to preventive measures: