title: Identifiable risk factors in hepatitis B and C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both hepatitis B and C are common infections affecting masses and are leading causes of Chronic Liver Disease in Pakistan as well as worldwide. In majority of cases both viral diseases spread by factors that are preventable. The present study is conducted to determine the identifiable risk factors in patients admitted with Chronic Hepatitis B and C.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was carried out for a period of 6 months. All age groups and both sexes were included. The patients were interviewed and the identifiable risk factors were looked for. The standard methods for detection of Hepatitis B and C were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred and ten patients were studied from January to July 2009. Sixty-five patients had Hepatitis C, 35 had Hepatitis B, and 10 had both Hepatitis B and C. Ninety-three patients had a history of injections and transfusions etc., and 38 had surgical scars. Tattoos were present in 42 patients and nose and/or ear piercing marks were present in 28 patients. The number of risk factors increased in co-infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a role of unhygienic health delivery practices, lack of awareness and resources for standard screening protocol for spread of Hepatitis B and C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.lastname: Faiz-Ur-Rehman
authors.forename: Jehangir
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fida
authors.forename: Arshad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parvez
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafiq
authors.forename: Shandana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Syed
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors