Prevalence of HBe Ag and LFT Survey in HBsAg Positive Blood Donors in Kerman

The hepatitis-B virus (HBV) is one of the most common chronic pathogens in the world. More than ۲ billions of world population have been exposed to this virus and ۳۵۰ millions of them (۵% of world population) are chronic carriers of HBV. One of the most common routes of transmission of this virus is blood products and transfusion . For this reason blood transfusion organization controls all of the blood products for HBsAg . In HBV chronic carriers the state of viral replication should be determined by suitable antigenic markers such as HBeAg. So people who are HBeAg positive and have elevated liver functien test (LFT) be recognized and treated as chronic hepatitis. The aim of this study was to determine people who are HBeAg positive, elevated LFT in HBsAg individuals, and recognition of chronic hepatitis patients in Kerman during the year of ۱۳۷۸. This study was conducted on ۳۰۰ HBsAg people who were between ۱۷-۶۵ years of age. According to the results ۲۹ persons (۹.۶%) were HBeAg positive with no significant correlation between the two Measurement of LFT at the same time showed that ۱۲ HBeAg positive persons( ۱۴.۴%) had higher serum AST levels (≥۴۷ IU/L) and ۱۳ of them (۴۴.۸%) had higher serum ALT levels (>۴۷IU/L) .Overall in ۱۰ HBeAg positive persons both AST and ALT were elevated but only in ۱۹ HBeAg negative persons (۷.۱%) both ALT and ALT showed elevation. Generally HBeAg positivity is considered a risk factor for elevated aminotransferase levels (P<۰.۰۰۰۰۱). The liver synhetic function tests including PT, serum albumin , total protein and bilirubin did not have any statistically difference in HBeAg positive and negetive patients (P>۰.۰۵).The results indicated that in HBsAg blood donors chronic hepatitis is prevalent in a significant number but severe liver disease is absent .

Keywords:

Prevalence , HBsAg , HBeAg , Liver function test , Blood donors , Kerman