title: Prevalence of hepatitis B, C, and D virus markers in Yemeni patients with chronic liver disease.
abstract: A serological survey for hepatitis B, C, and D markers was carried out in the Yemen Republic. Serum samples from 243 pregnant females, 294 male blood donors, and 108 patients with chronic liver disease were examined. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was found in 18.5% healthy individuals and 24.1% patients with chronic liver disease (P = 0.03). Evidence of any marker for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was found in 59.8% healthy individuals and 75.9% of patients with chronic liver disease (P = 0.0016). HBeAg was detected in 32.1% of the HBsAg-positive pregnant females, indicating that vertical transmission probably plays a part in forming the pool of HBV carriers. Vaccination against HBV as part of the extended programme of immunisation (EPI) is recommended. Antibodies to hepatitis D were found in only 2 of 100 HBsAg-positive sera. Antibodies to hepatitis C (anti-HCV) were found in 2.1% healthy individuals and 21.5% patients with chronic liver disease (P = 0.0001). These results indicate that hepatitis B is hyperendemic in the Yemen Republic but that hepatitis D is very uncommon. The prevalence of anti-HCV is higher than in Europe and similar to neighbouring Arab countries. Infection with both HBV and HCV are important causes of chronic liver disease in the Yemen Republic.
authors.affiliation: Al-Thawra Hospitals Taiz, Yemen Republic.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: el Guneid
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gunaid
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Zureikat
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Murray-Lyon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015006:Yemen / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens