A ten year serological survey of hepatitis A, B and C viruses infections in Nepal.
BACKGROUND
In 1987, we reported that the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Nepal was low, as compared to hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection, and that no human T-lymphotropic type-1 (HTLV-1) infection was found in Nepal.


OBJECTIVE
To determine changes in the prevalence of HAV, HBV, and HCV infections between 1987 and 1996 in inhabitants of Bhadrakali (suburban) and Kotyang (rural) villages in Nepal.


METHODS
We did a cross-sectional survey of 458 inhabitants of two Nepalese villages, to assess the prevalence of antibody to HAV (anti-HAV), antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HCV (anti-HCV), and antibody to HTLV-I (anti-HTLV-I).


RESULTS
Anti-HAV was detected in 454 (99.1%), HBsAg in 5 (1.1%), anti-HBc in 33 (7.2%) and anti-HCV in 8 (1.7%) of serum samples tested in 1996. Statistically significant differences by gender or age group were nil. The prevalence of HCV infection was significantly higher in 1996 than in 1987 after adjusting for age of subjects living in the two villages (p < 0.01). The prevalence of HBsAg was significantly higher in 1996 than 1987 in Bhadrakali after adjusting for the factor of age (p < 0.05). Between 1987 and 1996, evidence for HTLV-1 positive residents was nil.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that HAV has been endemic in Nepal for long time while not of HBV, and that HCV infection tends to be increased recently.
Sawayama
Y
Y
Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Hayashi
J
J
Ariyama
I
I
Furusyo
N
N
Kawasaki
T
T
Kawasaki
M
M
Itoh
K
K
Acharya
G P
GP
Kashiwagi
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D018881:Suburban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies