Caruana Sonia R, Kelly Heath A, De Silva Sabine L, Chea Ley, Nuon Sophy, Saykao Pao, Bak Narin, Biggs Beverley-Ann
Department of Medicine (RMH/WH), University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria.
Aust N Z J Public Health. 2005 Feb;29(1):64-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2005.tb00751.x.
Infection with hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses is relatively common throughout South-East Asia and chronic infection can lead to severe consequences. This study assesses knowledge about HBV and HCV and estimates the seroprevalence of markers for these viruses in immigrants from Laos and Cambodia.
Ninety-five Laotian (aged 18-82 years) and 234 Cambodian (15-92 years) immigrants participated in separate community-based surveys conducted during 1998 and 2002, respectively. Participants completed a questionnaire on health status and level of knowledge about viral hepatitis. Blood samples were collected and tested for the presence of HBV and HCV markers.
Nine per cent of Laotian and 8% of Cambodian participants were infected with HBV. While 49% of Laotian and 64% of Cambodian participants showed evidence of previous exposure to HBV, 30% and 9%, respectively, were vulnerable to infection. The seroprevalence of antibodies to HCV was 3% in the Laotian and 8% in the Cambodian participants. Between one-fifth and one-third of the Laotians and Cambodians who had heard of HBV and HCV knew of possible transmission routes for the viruses. Most of those with HBV or HCV infection were unaware they were infected.
These findings indicate a significant prevalence of undetected HBV and HCV infections and an urgent need for the provision of culturally relevant information about viral hepatitis in immigrants of South-East Asian origin.
乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）和丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染在东南亚地区较为常见，慢性感染可能导致严重后果。本研究评估了对HBV和HCV的认知情况，并估计了来自老挝和柬埔寨移民中这些病毒标志物的血清流行率。
95名老挝移民（年龄18 - 82岁）和234名柬埔寨移民（15 - 92岁）分别参与了在1998年和2002年进行的基于社区的独立调查。参与者完成了一份关于健康状况和病毒性肝炎知识水平的问卷。采集血样并检测HBV和HCV标志物的存在情况。
9%的老挝参与者和8%的柬埔寨参与者感染了HBV。虽然49%的老挝参与者和64%的柬埔寨参与者有既往接触HBV的证据，但分别有30%和9%的人易感染。老挝参与者中抗HCV抗体的血清流行率为3%，柬埔寨参与者中为8%。在听说过HBV和HCV的老挝人和柬埔寨人中，五分之一到三分之一的人知道这些病毒可能的传播途径。大多数HBV或HCV感染者并未意识到自己被感染。
这些发现表明未被检测出的HBV和HCV感染率很高，迫切需要为东南亚裔移民提供与文化相关的病毒性肝炎信息。
