Pattern of hepatitis B and C infections among patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E virus infections are major global health problems. These viral infections affect a million of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic diseases. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections lead to chronic diseases and are the most common causes of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Methods: A cross sectional observation study was conducted from March 2013 to August 2013 among clinically suspected out patients and the patients undergoing surgery at Om Hospital and Research Centre with the aim to assess the burden of Hepatitis B and C viral infections. A total of 307 patient sera were tested serologically using Enhanced Chemiluminescence Immunoassay automated system (Vitros ECI) to detect HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies.

Results: Out of 307 serum samples, the overall seropositivity rate for HBs-Ag and anti-HCV antibodies were 2.1% and 0.33% respectively. Positivity rate for both types of infection was found to be higher among male patients, although the P value > 0.05 indicated that there is no significant relationship. Furthermore, the positivity rate of Hepatitis B infection was higher among the patients of age group 46- 55 years, and that for Hepatitis C was higher among the age group 36-45 years, with P>0.05 suggesting no significant relationship between the age group and infection.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated Hepatitis B and C viruses to be endemic necessitating implementation of the preventive measures and screening of population at risk to identify the burden of the disease in the society