FREQUENCY OF HEPATITIS B AND C IN DIFFERENT AREA OF CATCHMENT CENTER IN GADAP TOWN, KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Background: Frequency of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBs Ag) and Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies (anti-HCV) among population of different catchment center in gadap area with their low social economic status. Aim: To study the frequency of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBs Ag) and Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies (Anti-HCV) in different catchment center of Gadap town in 12 kilometer from Baqai Medical University. The design of study will be cross sectional descriptive study. It was held in the Pathological & Molecular Laboratories, Karachi, during the period October, 2011 to May 2012. Materials and Methods: A total of 496 samples were collected. Serum was tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen and for Hepatitis C virus antibodies by ELISA. The results were subjected to chisquare analysis for determination of statistical difference between the values among different categories. Results: Among 496 patients 91(18.3%) were positive for HB s Ag and 171 (34.4%) were positive for Anti-HCV. The frequency of HB s Ag was seen to low as compared to anti-HCV. Discussion: Hepatitis B and C are rapidly spreading in most parts of the world. Pakistan carries one of the world’s highest burdens of chronic hepatitis and mortality due to liver failure and hepatocellular carcinomas. However, national level estimates of the prevalence and risk hepatitis B and hepatitis C are currently not available. Conclusion: High frequency of HCV infection needs implementation of strict screening policy for donors and public awareness campaigns about preventive measures to reduce the spread of this infection as well as other transfusion transmissible infections.