Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in blood donors and high risk groups in Hajjah, Yemen Republic.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in blood donors, hospital employees, patients suspected to have liver disease, and hemodialysis patients.


METHODS
This study was conducted from April 1997 through to September 1999 as a hospital based study in Hajjah, Republic of Yemen. All healthy blood donors, hospital employees, suspected hepatitis patients and patients in the hemodialysis unit were included in this study. The hepatitis B antigen (HbsAg) measured in IMX system (Abott) using the monoclonal anti-HBs assays. The Hepatitis C screened by the same system using HCV version 3.0 [Third generation (Recombinant HCr43, c200, c100-3, NS5)].


RESULTS
The screened blood donors for HbsAg and HCV were 7868 and 2434 with a prevalence of 9.8% for hepatitis B antigen and 1.1% for anti-hepatitis C virus. Two hundred of the hospital employees were screened with a prevalence rate of 1.5% and 0.5% for hepatitis antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus. The patients referred selectively for testing the hepatitis B antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus were 1229 and 749, the prevalence rate of HbsAg was 14.9% and 8.8% for anti-HCV, double infection (both hepatitis B virus and HCV) recorded in 8 patients forming 3.2% of the positives (in 0.4% of the total).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence was high in Hajjah governorate, Republic of Yemen in both the healthy blood donors and in the risky groups except the hospital employees.
Haidar
Nassir A
NA
Department of Pediatrics, Saudi Hospital at Hajjah, PO Box 80011, Hajjah, Republic of Yemen. alo@y.net.ye
D001782:Blood Donors; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015006:Yemen
D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies