Euroasian journal of hepato-gastroenterology

Register      Login

SEARCH WITHIN CONTENT

FIND ARTICLE

Volume / Issue

Online First

Archive
Volume  14 (2024)
Volume  13 (2023)
Volume  12 (2022)
Volume  11 (2021)
Volume  10 (2020)
Volume  9 (2019)
Volume  8 (2018)
Volume  7 (2017)
Volume  6 (2016)
Volume  5 (2015)
Volume  4 (2014)
Volume  3 (2013)
Volume  2 (2012)
Volume  1 (2011)
Related articles

VOLUME 14 , ISSUE 1 ( January-June, 2024 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

Hepatitis B Risk Factors are Frequently Present in Children at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi

Nazish Butt, Lubna Kamani, Hanisha Khemani

Keywords : Blood-borne transmission, Hepatitis B virus, Horizontal transmission, Perinatal transmission

Citation Information : Butt N, Kamani L, Khemani H. Hepatitis B Risk Factors are Frequently Present in Children at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2024; 14 (1):16-19.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1418

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 12-06-2024

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: Infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) poses a serious threat to global public health. More than 300 million instances of chronic hepatitis are brought on by it, which is the primary cause of liver disease. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors of HBV in children at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan from January 2019 to April 2022. A total of 134 children aged below 16 years with HBV were recruited in this study. Demographic information was recorded. Screening for HBV was done in all patients. Investigations including liver biochemistry, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HBV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were conducted in the hospital along with a complete blood count and ultrasound whole abdomen. All information was collected on a predesigned proforma and evaluated using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), version 25.0, software. Results: The mean age of patients was 11.02 ± 2.19 years. There were 57.46% males. The frequent risk factor was vertical transmission in 47% of children followed by blood transfusion in 23.9% of children, horizontal transmission in 13.4% of children, and prior history of surgical or dental intervention in 17.2% of children. Conclusion: In this study, vertical transmission was the most common route of transmission of HBV. Additionally, 11% of family members were HBV positive. None had concomitant hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HDV infection. All pregnant females should be screened. Children on chronic blood transfusion therapy should be screened annually. Additionally, birth-dose HBV vaccination should be implemented as a key step in HBV prevention among Pakistani children.

HTML PDF Share
  1. Weinbaum CM, Mast EE, Ward JW. Recommendations for identification and public health management of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatology 2009;49(Suppl. 5):S35–S44. DOI: 10.1002/hep.22882.
  2. Perz JF, Armstrong GL, Farrington LA, et al. The contributions of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections to cirrhosis and primary liver cancer worldwide. J Hepatol 2006;45(4):529–538. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2006.05.013.
  3. Ola SO, Odaibo GN. Alfa-feto protein, HCV and HBV infections in Nigerian patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Niger Med Pract 2007;51:33–35. DOI: 10.4314/nmp.v51i3.28903.
  4. Ndububa DA, Ojo OS, Adetiloye VA. Chronic hepatitis in Nigerian patients: A study of 70 biopsy-proven cases. West Afr J Med 2005;24:107–111. DOI: 10.4314/wajm.v24i2.28177.
  5. Musa BM, Bussell S, Borodo MM, et al. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria, 2000–2013: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Niger J Clin Pract 2015;18:163–172. DOI: 10.4103/1119-3077.151035.
  6. Beebe A, Quattlebaum T, Gicquelais RE, et al. Hepatitis C in Arkansas: Updates on epidemiology, testing and treatment. J Ark Med Soc 2015;111(12):248–251. PMID: 25966598.
  7. Jafri W, Jafri N, Yakoob J, et al. Hepatitis B and C: prevalence and risk factors associated with seropositivity among children in Karachi, Pakistan. BMC Infect Dis 2006;6(101). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2334-6-101.
  8. Islam MS, Miah MR, Roy PK, et al. Genotypes of hepatitis C virus infection in Bangladeshi population. Mymensingh Med J 2015;24(1):143–151. PMID: 25725681.
  9. Hashmi MA, Anwar A. Viral hepatitis b and c infection in children. Pak Armed Forces Med J 2018;68(3):627–633.
  10. Khan MA, Ali AS, Hassan ZU, et al. Seroprevalence of hepatitis B in children. Pak Paed J 2018;22:75–77.
  11. Hyder SN, Hussain W, Aslam M, et al. Seroprevalence of anti-HCV in asymptomatic children. Pak J Pathol 2001;12(3):89–93.
  12. Tahir A, Malik FR, Ahmad I, et al. Aetiological factors of chronic liver disease in children. J Ayub Med Coll Abottabad 2011;23(2):12–14. PMID: 24800332.
  13. Schillie S Walker T, Veselsky S, et al. Outcomes of infants born to women infected with hepatitis B. Pediatrics 2015;135(5):e1141–e1147. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-3213.
  14. Zibbell JE, Iqbal K, Patel RC, et al. Increases in hepatitis C virus infection related to injection drug use among persons aged ≤30 years Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia 2006–2012. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64(17):453–458. PMID:25950251.
  15. Aman K, Al-Dubai SA, Aman R, et al. Prevalence and associated factors of hepatitis C virus infection among renal disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis in three health centres in Aden, Yemen: A cross-sectional study. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl 2015;26(2):380–385. DOI: 10.4103/1319-2442.152555.
  16. Hyder Q, Burhan-ul-Haq M, Rashid R, et al. Non-conventional transmission of hepatitis C: A true possibility ignored. J Pak Med Assoc 2009;59(7):430–433. PMID: 19579727.
  17. Anwar A, Hashmi MA. Viral hepatitis B and C infection in children. Pak Armed Forces Med J 2018;68(3):627–633.
  18. Khan A, Aqeel M, Tariq SM, et al. Frequency of hepatitis B surface antigen and its association with possible risk factors in hospitalized pediatric patients. Pakistan Paediatric Journal 2009;33(1):39–43.
  19. Aziz S, Rajper J, Noorulain W. Treatment outcome of HCV-infected paediatric patients and young adults at Karachi, Pakistan. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2012;24(3–4):56–58. PMID: 24669610.
  20. Tahir A, Malik FR, Ahmad I, et al. Aetiological factors of chronic liver disease in children J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2011;23(2):12–14. PMID: 24800332.
  21. El-Shabrawi MH, Kamal NM. The burden of pediatric hepatitis C. World J Gastroenterol 2013;19(44):7880–7888. DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i44.7880.
  22. Rukunuzzaman M, Afroza A. Risk factors of hepatitis B virus infection in children. Mymensingh Med J 2011;20(4):700–708. PMID: 22081192.
  23. Reker C, Islam KM. Risk factors associated with high prevalence rates of hepatitis C infection in Egypt. Int J Infect Dis 2014;25:104–106. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.02.003.
  24. Tovo PA, Calitri C, Scolfaro C, et al. Vertically acquired hepatitis C virus infection: Correlates of transmission and disease progression. World J Gastroenterol 2016;22(4):1382–1392. DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22. i4.1382.
  25. Pan CQ, Duan Z, Dai E, et al. Tenofovir to prevent hepatitis B transmission in mothers with high viral load. N Engl J Med 2016;374:2324–2334. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1508660.
  26. Cleveland JL, Gray SK, Harte JA, et al. Transmission of blood-borne pathogens in US dental health care settings: 2016 Update. J Am Dent Assoc 2016;147(9):729–738. DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2016.03.020.
  27. Bellos I, Pandita A, Panza R, et al. Maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women infected by SARS-CoV-2: A meta-analysis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2021;256:194–204. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.11.038.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.