Hepatitis B antigenaemia

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection is a global health issue including Pakistan, causing considerable morbidity and mortality from its chronic sequelae including chornic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer particularly when HBV infection is acquired early in life. The present study was undertaken with the object to find out the current HBV infection rate and any age and sex differentiation in the population of Faisalabad. This studied was carried out at Madina Teaching Hospital, Faisalabad, from May 2005 to April 2007. A descriptive, hospital based study. Blood was collected by approved medical techniques for HBsAg immunochromatographic devices were used to screen blood. HBs antigen positivity in Faisalabad is currently 1.55%. A significant majority of reactive cases belonged to the male gender [72.91%] and the young age groups 2-4 [43.75%]. Upon analyzed the results of this study, it was revealed that the number of HBV infected subjects isolated is rather low in this area but the given figure is still notable in view of its high prevalence in the young age group