We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Epidemiology and Risk Factors in a Large Cohort of Pregnant Women in Lorestan, West of Iran.
- Authors
Mohebbi, Seyed Reza; Sanati, Azar; Cheraghipour, Kourosh; Nejad, Mohammad Rostami; Shalmani, Hamid Mohaghegh; Zali, Mohammad Reza
- Abstract
Background: There are little data on the prevalence of serological markers of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses in pregnant women in Iran. Objectives: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among pregnant women in Lorestan, west of Iran. Patients and Methods: Serum samples of 827 pregnant women who lived in rural (36.8%) and urban areas (63.2%) of Lorestan were collected during 2007-2008. Data were obtained through questionnaires. Samples were first screened for anti-HCV and anti-HBc by ELISA. Those who were positive for anti-HBc were tested for HBsAg. Results: Anti-HBc was found in 28 of 827 pregnant women (overall prevalence, 3.4%; 14 of 523 in urban areas, 2.7%; 14 of 304 in rural areas, 4.6%). Of the 28 positive samples, 6 (0.7%) were positive for HBs-Ag. Only 2 samples (0.2%) were anti-HCV-positive. Conclusions: These results underscore the need for prenatal screening for HBV infection in pregnant women and treatment of newborns from HBsAg-positive mothers. More studies are needed to identify risk factors of HCV infection and highlight the importance of HCV screening and treatment programs.
- Subjects
IRAN; HEPATITIS C risk factors; ANALYSIS of variance; CHI-squared test; ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay; FISHER exact test; HEPATITIS B; HEPATITIS C; IMMUNOGLOBULINS; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH funding; CROSS-sectional method; DATA analysis software; DISEASE risk factors
- Publication
Hepatitis Monthly, 2011, Vol 11, Issue 9, p736
- ISSN
1735-143X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.1965