Viral Hepatitis
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2006; 12(42): 6792-6796
Published online Nov 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i42.6792
Seroprevalence and genotyping of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV among healthy population and Turkish soldiers in Northern Cyprus
Mustafa Altindis, Sebahattin Yilmaz, Tansel Dikengil, Hamit Acemoglu, Salih Hosoglu
Mustafa Altindis, Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Kocatepe University School of Medicine, Afyon, Turkey and 12th period soldier in Military Hospital, Kyrenia, Cyprus
Sebahattin Yilmaz, Akcicek Government Hospital, Kyrenia, Cyprus
Tansel Dikengil, Nalbantoglu General Hospital, Nicosa, Cyprus
Hamit Acemoglu, Department of Public Health, Dicle University Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Salih Hosoglu, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Disease, Dicle University Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Mustafa Altindis, MD, PhD, Dumlupinar mah, Alimoglu apt No 25, Afyon 03200, Turkey. maltindis@gmail.com
Telephone: +90-272-2142069 Fax: +90-272-2133066
Received: July 27, 2006
Revised: September 22, 2006
Accepted: September 29, 2006
Published online: November 14, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To compare the prevalence of hepatitis viral markers among soldiers from Turkey, blood donors from Northern Cyprus, and soldiers from Northern Cyprus.

METHODS: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HCV and anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence, HBV DNA, HCV RNA and HCV genotyping among soldiers from Turkey (groupI), civil blood donors from Northern Cyprus (group II), and soldier candidates from Northern Cyprus (group III) were studied and compared to one another. In total, 17 545 cases (13 546 males and 3999 females with a mean age of 34.5 ± 10.3 year, groupI= 11 234, group II = 5057, and group III = 1254) were included into the study.

RESULTS: Among all cases, HBsAg positivity rates were 2.46%, anti-HCV was 0.46% and anti-HIV was 0.00%. HBV DNA was 2.25%, HCV RNA was 0.33% in all groups. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.16% in groupI, 3.00% in group II and 2.71% in group III. There was a significant difference between groupIand group II (χ2 = 6.11, P = 0.047 < 0.05). Anti-HCV positivity rates were 0.45% in groupI, 0.45% in group II, and 0.56% in group III. Genotypes of HCV were 1b and 1a in groupI, 1b, 1a and 2 in group II, and 1b, 1a in group III. HBsAg carrier rates were 2.20% in females and 2.53% in males. Anti-HCV prevalence was 0.38% in females and 0.48% in males. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.53% in individuals younger than 50, and 1.47% in older than 50. There was a significant difference between the two groups (χ2 = 23.48, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Prevalences of HBsAg, HCV and HIV infections in Northern Cyprus population are similar to those of Turkey.

Keywords: Cyprus; Donor; Healthy adults; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Human immunodeficiency virus