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. 2011 Sep;11(9):736-9.
doi: 10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.749.

Hepatitis C and hepatitis B virus infection: epidemiology and risk factors in a large cohort of pregnant women in Lorestan, West of Iran

Seyed Reza Mohebbi  1 , Azar Sanati, Kourosh Cheraghipour, Mohammad Rostami Nejad, Hamid Mohaghegh Shalmani, Mohammad Reza Zali
Affiliations

Hepatitis C and hepatitis B virus infection: epidemiology and risk factors in a large cohort of pregnant women in Lorestan, West of Iran

Seyed Reza Mohebbi et al. Hepat Mon. 2011 Sep.

Abstract

Background: There are little data on the prevalence of serological markers of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses in pregnant women in Iran.

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among pregnant women in Lorestan, west of Iran.

Patients and methods: Serum samples of 827 pregnant women who lived in rural (36.8%) and urban areas (63.2%) of Lorestan were collected during 2007-2008. Data were obtained through questionnaires. Samples were first screened for anti-HCV and anti-HBc by ELISA. Those who were positive for anti-HBc were tested for HBsAg.

Results: Anti-HBc was found in 28 of 827 pregnant women (overall prevalence, 3.4%; 14 of 523 in urban areas, 2.7%; 14 of 304 in rural areas, 4.6%). Of the 28 positive samples, 6(0.7%) were positive for HBs-Ag. Only 2 samples (0.2%) were anti-HCV-positive.

Conclusions: These results underscore the need for prenatal screening for HBV infection in pregnant women and treatment of newborns from HBsAg-positive mothers.More studies are needed to identify risk factors of HCV infection and highlight the importance of HCV screening and treatment programs.

Keywords: Anti-HBc antibody; Anti-HCV antibody; HBs-Ag; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Pregnant women.

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