Hepatitis B and C virus infection in an urban slum of Northern India.
A community based cross sectional study was conducted in an urban slum amongst males to assess the magnitude of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among males between 20-50 years of age. All of the 288 males who were contacted had agreed to participate in the study. However, the information could be collected from a total of 260 subjects, using a pretested, pre-coded schedule included sociodemographic characteristics. Serological tests were done for Hepatitis B and C. The data were analyzed using EPI-INFO 3.2.2. Proportion of persons tested serologically positive for Hepatitis B and C in the present study was observed to be 10.38% and 1.15%, respectively. Higher proportion for hepatitis B and C was observed amongst those Muslims, below 35 years of age, stay in the area for less than 5 years, Illiterates, unstable occupation, staying away from home and those with no history of blood transfusion or donation; however the difference was not statistically significant. There is a need to carry out more community based studies amongst such populations at risk in order to assess the true prevalence and risk factors for appropriate intervention.
Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi-110 002.
Yogesh
Y
Uppal
Suneela
S
Garg
Sumit
S
Malhotra
M M
MM
Singh
V K
VK
Gupta
Bibhabati
B
Mishra
S V
SV
Singh
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population