of hepatitis B and C virus infection in patients attending tertiary care hospital, New Delhi

Background: Hepatitis is a serious public health problem worldwide and major causes of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection accounts for 40-50% of HCC and 20-30% cases of cirrhosis in India. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection accounts for 12-32% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 12-20% of cirrhosis. Materials and method: It is a prospective study conducted in the department of Microbiology at tertiary care hospital, New Delhi over a period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018.About 5ml of blood was aseptically collected by venepuncture from each subject. All serum samples were tested for HBsAg and IgM anti-HCV by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA).Those samples which were reactive by CLIA were again tested by rapid card test principle of which is immunochromatography. Results: Out of 3566 patients screened for HBsAg,126 patients were reactive to HBsAg, this includes 80 (3.58%) males and 46 (3.46%) females. Out of3524 patients were screened for anti-HCV, 157 patients were reactive to anti-HCV, this includes 96 (4.33%) males and 61 (4.67%) females. The distribution of HBsAg according to age showed that those between 21-30 years had higher prevalence of 7.39% followed by 11-20 years 5.38%, 70-81 years 3.82%, 41-50 years 3.11%, 31-40 years 3.06%, 51-60 years 2.57%, 61-70 years 1.74%, 1-10 years 0%, 81-90 years 0% and 91-100 years 0%.The distribution of anti-HCV according to age showed that those between81-90 years had highest prevalence of 7.41% followed by 31-40 years 4.95%, 51-60 years 5.30%,41-50 years 5.16%, 31-40 years 4.95%, 61-70 years 4.09%,21-30 years 3.75%, 11-20 years 2.16%, 71-80 years 1.57%, 1-10 years 0% and 91-100 years 0%. Conclusion: Keeping in view, the increasing burden of this disease, there is need to increase the public awareness as to how the infection can be prevented by taking simple precautions.