title: Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in the normal population and high risk groups in north Kerala.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim is to assess the prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections among normal healthy persons and high risk groups in the northern part of Kerala state in South India as there is insufficient published literature related to this subject.
  
  
  METHODS
  HBsAg and AntiHCV screening were done in normal persons and in high risk groups. Normal persons screened included voluntary blood donors, those attending mandatory medical check up for jobs in middle east Asia and pregnant women. High risk groups were health care workers, intravenous drug abusers, commercial sex workers and male homosexuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBsAg and anti HCV antibody test results in the various groups were as follows. Voluntary blood donors--HBsAg was positive in 0.71 % and anti HCV was positive in 0.33%; job seekers to middle east Asia had 0.89% and 0.12% prevalence of HBV and HCV respectively. Among the pregnant women, 0.21% were HBsAg positive. Among the high risk groups, none of the health care workers were HbsAg positive and 0.79% were antiHCV positive. Among the IV drug abusers 2.7% were HBsAg positive and 51.89% were positive for antiHCV. In commercial sex workers, 3.47 % were HBsAg positive and 2.6 % were antiHCV positive. In male homosexuals, 4.49% were HBsAg positive and 3.37% were antiHCV positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in the normal population of Calicut in the northern part of Kerela is 0.52% and 0.24%. Compared to other areas of India, the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C are low in the normal population of Calicut. Among the high-risk groups, IV drug users have a high prevalence of AntiHCV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Medical College, Calicut 673 008, Kerala. drsandeshk@gmail.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sandesh
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Varghese
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harikumar
authors.forename: Philomina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beena
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bindu
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tony
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harish
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sunilkumar
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies