Dual Positivity of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Anti-Hepatitis C Virus Antibody and Associated Factors Among Apparently Healthy Patients of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Objective:The prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic population was studied, along with the prevalence of various STD agents, in an attempt to identify possible STD markers for the hepatitis C virus and help delineate the role of hepatitis C as an STD. The hepatitis C antibody rates found in the STD clinic were also compared with those found among patients attending a local OB/GYN clinic and those enrolled in a blood donor program, all from the same geographical area.Methods:A total of 150 women attending an STD clinc were examined for each of the following agents:Chlamyadia trachomatis,Neisseria gonorrhoeae, syphilis, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antibody, and hepatitis C virus antibody. Additionally, several patients who signed informed consent to be evaluated for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody were tested by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) screen method. The prevalence of each agent was then compared with the other agents.Results:The overall prevalence rates detected were as follows: hepatitis B 16%, hepatitis C 4%, chlamydia 18.7%, gonorrhea 7.4%, syphilis 0.7%, and HIV 0%. Hepatitis C antibody was detected in 4% of patients in the STD clinic, 0.76% of volunteer blood donors from central Pennsylvania, and 0% of patiants studied from the Harrisburg Hospital (Harrisburg, PA) prentatal population.Conclusions:This screening study reveals an association between attending a Harrisburg, PA, area STD clinic and having an increased prevalence of hepatitis C antibody, but larger matched control studies will be needed to help clarify sexual transmission as a mode of transmission for the hepatitis C virus.

Download Full-text

Decreasing Prevalence of Transfusion Transmitted Infection in Indian Scenario

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1155/2014/173939 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Tulika Chandra ◽

S. Nishat Fatima Rizvi ◽

Devisha Agarwal

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Surface Antigen ◽

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen ◽

Transmitted Disease ◽

Transmitted Infection ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Transfusion Transmitted Infection ◽

Screening Procedures

Transfusion transmitted infections are major problem associated with blood transfusion. Accurate estimates of risk of TTIs are essential for monitoring the safety of blood supply and evaluating the efficacy of currently employed screening procedures. The present study was carried out to assess the percentage of voluntary donors and replacement donors and to find out prevalence and changing trends of various TTIs blood donors in recent years. A study was carried out on blood units of voluntary and replacement donors which were collected from January 2008 to December 2012. On screening of 180,371 replacement units, seropositivity of transfusion transmitted disease in replacement donors was 0.15% in HIV, 1.67% in hepatitis B surface antigen, 0.49% in hepatitis C virus, 0.01% in VDRL, and 0.009% in malaria. Of 11,977 voluntary units, seropositivity of transfusion transmitted disease in voluntary donors was 0.08% in HIV, 0.24% in hepatitis B surface antigen, 0.001% in hepatitis C virus, 0.008% in VDRL (sexually transmitted disease), and 0.01% in malaria. From results it has been concluded that prevalence of transfusion transmitted infection (HIV, HBV, HCV, VDRL, and malaria) was more in replacement donors in comparison to voluntary donors. Extensive donor selection and screening procedures will help in improving the blood safety.

Download Full-text