Guest guest Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Volume 49, Issue 6, December 2003: pp. 371-374 Article Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and Delta Virus Infections in Bangladesh Md. Hasan Zaki1, L. Darmstadt2,3, Abdul Baten1, Chowdhury R. Ahsan1 and Samir K. Saha2,4,5 1Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The s Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA 3Office of Health, Save the Children Federation, Washington, DC, USA 4Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Bangladesh Institute of Child Health, Dhaka, Bangladesh 5Popular Diagnostic Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most prevalent public health problems worldwide, and causes 1 million deaths annually. In Bangladesh, information about prevalence of HBV infection is scarce, and there is no available data on HDV infection. We determined rates of HBsAg and anti-HBc seropositivity in asymptomatic, healthy children (n = 181) and adults (n = 354) presenting to referral facilities in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and tested a separate group of HBsAg-positive patients (n = 180) for prevalence of HDV. Testing of serum was also performed for signs of liver disease. Overall, seropositivity of HBsAg and anti-HBc in studied subjects was 3 per cent (16/534) and 21.1 per cent (113/534), respectively. Prevalence of HBsAg was highest in the 5- to 9-year-old (8.5 per cent, 7/82) and 10- to 14-year-old (5.9 per cent, 2/34) age groups. Unlike HBsAg, prevalence of anti-HBc was lower in children (14.9 per cent in those below the age of 15) than adults (24.4 per cent in those aged 20-34 years) (p < 0.05). Most HBsAg-positive individuals were symptomatic (n = 125, 69.4 per cent). A high rate (24.4 per cent, 44/180) of simultaneous infection with HDV was observed among HBsAg-positive subjects, with higher rates in older individuals. Anti-HDV seropositivity rate was similar among asymptomatic (21.8 per cent, 12/55) and symptomatic (25.6 per cent, 32/125) HBsAg carriers. Our data suggest that Bangladesh is of moderate endemicity for HBV infection, and has relatively high rates of co-infection with HDV. Control HBV and HDV infection in Bangladesh may be best achieved by targeting preschool children, which could fit readily within the existing EPI schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Volume 49, Issue 6, December 2003: pp. 371-374 Article Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and Delta Virus Infections in Bangladesh Md. Hasan Zaki1, L. Darmstadt2,3, Abdul Baten1, Chowdhury R. Ahsan1 and Samir K. Saha2,4,5 1Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The s Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA 3Office of Health, Save the Children Federation, Washington, DC, USA 4Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Bangladesh Institute of Child Health, Dhaka, Bangladesh 5Popular Diagnostic Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most prevalent public health problems worldwide, and causes 1 million deaths annually. In Bangladesh, information about prevalence of HBV infection is scarce, and there is no available data on HDV infection. We determined rates of HBsAg and anti-HBc seropositivity in asymptomatic, healthy children (n = 181) and adults (n = 354) presenting to referral facilities in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and tested a separate group of HBsAg-positive patients (n = 180) for prevalence of HDV. Testing of serum was also performed for signs of liver disease. Overall, seropositivity of HBsAg and anti-HBc in studied subjects was 3 per cent (16/534) and 21.1 per cent (113/534), respectively. Prevalence of HBsAg was highest in the 5- to 9-year-old (8.5 per cent, 7/82) and 10- to 14-year-old (5.9 per cent, 2/34) age groups. Unlike HBsAg, prevalence of anti-HBc was lower in children (14.9 per cent in those below the age of 15) than adults (24.4 per cent in those aged 20-34 years) (p < 0.05). Most HBsAg-positive individuals were symptomatic (n = 125, 69.4 per cent). A high rate (24.4 per cent, 44/180) of simultaneous infection with HDV was observed among HBsAg-positive subjects, with higher rates in older individuals. Anti-HDV seropositivity rate was similar among asymptomatic (21.8 per cent, 12/55) and symptomatic (25.6 per cent, 32/125) HBsAg carriers. Our data suggest that Bangladesh is of moderate endemicity for HBV infection, and has relatively high rates of co-infection with HDV. Control HBV and HDV infection in Bangladesh may be best achieved by targeting preschool children, which could fit readily within the existing EPI schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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