Hepatitis B and C Viruses incidence, the Risk Factors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, is low in Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, P.O Box 9004, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Aim: Risks of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following hepatitis B (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are well known. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis B and C virus infections in blood donors at Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia
Methods: The study was conducted on random blood samples collected from healthy blood donor volunteers, who were referred to Blood Transfusion Centers found at Aseer region, during the period March 2012 to February 2013. All the collected blood units were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HBc, HCV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 and 2, human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) I/II, venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) and malaria. All donated blood were checked for HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA and HIV-RNA by nucleic acid test (NAT) technology.
Results: Of 7267 (26 (0.36%) females and 7241 (99.64) males) blood donors screened, with median age of 28 (female) and 30 years (males), 71 (0.98%) were HBsAg positive of them 66 (0.91) were positive to HBV-DNA, 449 (6.18%) were anti-HBc positive of them 78 (1.07%) were positive to HBV-DNA. Cases positive to both HBsAg and HBc-Ab were 69 (0.95%) all of them were positive to HBV-DNA. There were 5 (0.069%) cases positive for HCV, none of them showed mixed infection with HVB. All positive cases for HBsAg, HBc-Ab and HCV were shown to be among male volunteers.     
Conclusion: Prevalence of HCV in Asser region is very low. In the time that HBsAg is low, prevalence of HBcAb is relatively moderate. Expected incidence of heptatocellular carcinoma due to infection with HCV is much lower than HBV.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics