DETECTION OF HBV CO-INFECTION WITH HDV AND HCV IN NON HOSPITILIZED PATIENTS.

Abstract

Infection with.B viml hepatitis is a critical public health i suc in both under-developed and developed countries which affected approx-immely 3.5 billion people throughout the world nnd nddiLionully ~ 400 million are chronic carriers. In Pakistnl1, differe nt kino of published work about HBV infection have been found which grossly discuss HB V issues of epidemiology and ratc of prevalence. A1 though all I.hesc doclimcllled da la refl ect quite d ifferent picture a rlhe disease. The current study bri cOy desc ribe the inc idence rate. risk faclors correloted with IIBV transmission among the male and femnle popu lation of dirferent uge groups. chronic and acute status of HBV and comparison of different ge.netic and serological marker of HBV prevalent in KPK popuJalion. Patient sera were subjected to IlBsAg. Anti-HBcroe total. Anti-HBcore IgM. Anti-HeV and anti-HDV screening by ELISA and finally HBsAg positive samples were funher processed for polymerase chain reaction. Out of tOlal 212 HBsAg ELISA positive samples 53.77% (114) are rnaJe and 46.22% (98) female. Out of212 HBsAg positive pmienlS 184 (86.79 %) 3r~ fou nd positive with anti-HBcore total which indicate the rate o[ chronic infection. 25.0 % (n 53) are Ibulld positive for hepatitis B core 19.M which reOects acule l-mV infection. Simllnrly IIB V DNA is detected in 24.52 % (n 52) of patient. with active DNA replication. Although HBV co-infection with HDV and HCV is found ill 9.90 % aud 7.54 % of pa li unts respecti ve ly, Ihe highest incidence rrequency 0[ 70.75% is Ibund in the. age group of 5·JO years while a lower rate of incidence 0.94% flnd 5,66% is found in the age group of below 5 years and above 50+. The observed prevule.nce is age and gender· dependent which might be due to their increasing exposures to general risk laclOfS. To prevent the lfllnsmission of B viral infection considemble awareness about lhe possible common ri k raclOrs and inunuruzation extension is rreommended. peR based test can detect low level of viraemia in noo·replicative HBV disease, The HBV co·infection with Hev and HOY is not uncommon in Pakistan that tends to increase over lime.