Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus in a Tea Garden of Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION

The overall health status of workers of tea garden of Bangladesh is below the national standard. Also, almost nothing has been reported about status of hepatitis virus infection among these population and there is also a lack of consensus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Several health-related facts, especially those of liver diseases, were collected from 130 workers of tea garden via questionnaire. Sera were also collected from these subjects to assess positivity of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype was also done using genotype-specific primers in HBsAg-positive sera.

RESULTS

Out of 130 tea garden workers, 5 were positive for HBsAg; however, none was reactive to anti-HCV. Genotyping of HBV deoxyribonucleic acid of 4 sera samples revealed that 2 belonged to genotype A, 1 to genotype C, and 1 to genotype D. Various risk factors were documented in HBV-infected subjects by analyzing the questionnaire.

CONCLUSION

Hepatitis B virus in considerable high percentage is prevalent among workers of tea garden in Bangladesh, and immediate vaccination against HBV should be employed. Also, health education system should be accentuated in specific population like tea garden workers. Al Mahtab M, Akhter S, Mollick KU, Uddin MH, Khan SI, Akbar SMF. Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus in a Tea Garden of Bangladesh. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2017;7(1):107-110.