Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus in Euthyroid Patients

X Xu¹, KM Sajid², X Zhai³, W Yao⁴, S Mir⁵, R Mahmood⁴, AK Khan⁵, MHHB Asad⁶, K Farzana⁷, G Murtaza⁶, T Li³

¹Zhengzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Zhengzhou, China; ²Multan Institute of Nuclear Medicines and Radiology, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Pakistan; ³Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing; ⁴China Development Bank, Beijing, China; ⁵Department of Chemistry; ⁶Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology 22060, Abbottabad; ⁷Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan.

For correspondence:- Li Email: gmdogar356@gmail.com Tel:+00923142082826

Received: 26 May 2014 Accepted: 13 September 2014 Published: 19 October 2014

Citation: Xu X, Sajid K, Zhai X, Yao W, Mir S, Mahmood R, et al. Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus in Euthyroid Patients. Trop J Pharm Res 2014; 13(10):1703-1706 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v13i10.19

© 2014 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of hepatic infections, viz, hepatitis B (HBV) virus and hepatitis C virus (HCV), in the euthyroid population of Southern Punjab Province of Pakistan.

Methods: A total of 120 euthyroid patients (36 male and 84 female) with a mean age of 30.7 ± 0.09 years) were included in this study. HBV and HCV, as well as the thyroid hormones, namely, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were detected in the serum of the subjects using commercial kits.

Results: Out of 120 subjects 4 (3.3 %) were positive for HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) and 18 (15 %) for anti-HCV. HCV infection was approximately 4 times higher than HBV infection (p = 0.00028). Prevalence of HBsAg in males (8 %) was significantly higher than in females (1.2 %, p = 0.006345) whereas prevalence of HCV in males (16.7 %) was not significantly different from that in females (14.2 %, p = 0.521303). HCV (16.7 %) was significantly higher than HBV infection (8.33 %, p = 0.0102) in male sufferers. Similarly, among females patients, the incidence of HCV (14.2 %) was significantly higher (p = 0.000011) than HBV infection (1.2 %).

Conclusion: The prevalence of HCV is higher than that of HBV in the studied population; furthermore, this prevalence of HCV is higher than values reported in other studies. The high level of HCV infection in the studied population is of concern, indicating the need for preventive measures to be put in place.

Keywords: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Prevalence, Euthyroid