A Study on Prevalence of Hepatitis B among Adult Population in Kashmir

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus is a small DNA virus that belongs to Hepadnaviridae family. Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is a major global health problem. It can cause chronic liver disease and chronic infection and put people at high risk of death from cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. More than 400 million people have chronic (long-term) liver infections. About a million people die every year due to the acute or chronic consequences of hepatitis B. High rates of chronic infections are found in the Amazon and the southern parts of eastern and central Europe. In the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, an estimated 2–5% of the general population is chronically infected. Not many community based studies are available from our country and none from the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of Hepatitis-B among adult population in South Kashmir.

METHODS: This community based, cross sectional study was conducted in four districts of South Kashmir over a period of one and half years by using HEPACARD kit (immunochromatography method), product code HB010020, HB010100, manufactured by J. MITRA & CO. PVT. The HEPACARD kit has a sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 97.8%.

RESULTS: Out of 5533 subjects screened for HBsAg, 2976 were males and 2557 were females. Out of total 5533 subjects, 133 tested positive for HBsAg, constituting a total prevalence of 2.40%. Out of 2976 males, 66 (2.21%) tested positive for HBsAg and among 2557 females, 67(2.62%) tested positive for HBsAg.

CONCLUSION: Overall prevalence of Hepatitis B was 2.4% in this study from South Kashmir; 2.21% in males and 2.62% in females. JMS 2017;20(2):82-89