HEPATITIS B AND C

PREVALENCE IN SOUTH PUNJAB POPULATION

Abstract

Background: Pakistan is a developing country of 180 million people with low
health and educational standards. According to the Human Development Index of the United
Nations, it is ranked 146th out of 187 countries. Objective: To know the actual disease burden
of Chronic Hepatitis Viruses B and C in Southern Punjab. Study Design: Cross-sectional,
Observational study. Setting: Ibn-e-Sina Hospital and Research Centre. Period: March 2010 to
February 2014. Methodology: A total of 26800 people from general population were included
in the present study. Free vaccination camps were established in rural and urban union councils
with the help of local politicians, in Schools, Madrassahs and Industrial units and a permanent
camp was established in Ibn-e-Sina Hospital. People of all age groups and either sex were
vaccinated. Results: A total of 26800 individuals were screened, (mean: 36.47 ± 13.81). 2090
(7.8%) tested positive for Anti-HCV. Among these 68.6 % (n=1433) were males while 31.4%
(n=657) were females. 616 (2.3%) tested positive for HBsAg of which 401 (65.2%) were male
and 215 (34.8%) were female. 75 subjects (0.28%) were positive for both HBsAg and Anti-HCV.
Conclusion:- We as a community need to be more vigilant as the disease burden of HBsAg is
not decreasing in the general population and the Burden of Anti-HCV is one of the highest in
the world.