Abstract - Hepatitis B and C Seroprevalence in Leprosy Patients

摘要

Objective Leprosy is a contagious chronic granulomatous disease and commonly affects the eyes and the internal organs. Leprosy can be classified according to the level of immune response. Leprosy is a disease that is associated with defects in cellular immunity. This is why we have investigated the leprosy patients that were referred to our hospital for chronic hepatitis B and C co-infections. Methods Fifty patients who were treated in the leprosy unit of Elazye Research and Training hospital between the dates of June-December 2011 were enrolled to this descriptive study. Macro ELISA assay was performed for Hepatitis B,C and HIV. Results Fifty patients who were treated in the leprosy unit of our hospital participated in the study. A total of 8% HBsAg presence was noted. A total of 16 Anti HCV presence was noted in the patient group. Anti HCV positivity was deter­mined at seven of 14 patients with tuberculoid form leprosy (50%) and nine of 33 lepromatous leprosy form (27,2%). Conclusion In conclusion, leprosy patients, especially lepromatous leprosy group, are immunologically vulnerable to HBV and HCV co-infections. Thus, physicians should be aware of HBV coinfections in these patients and education should be given to patients to increase their knowledge regarding risky situations for transmission of the disease. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2015;5(3) 114-118 Müge Özgüler, Elazyg Education and Research Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases, 23100 Elazyg, Turkey , Hepatitis B and C Seroprevalence in Leprosy Pat, Müge Özgüler, Elazyg Education and Research Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases, 23100 Elazyg, Turkey  J Microbiol Infect Dis 2015;5(3) 114-118 doi 10.5799/ahinjs.02.2015.03.0188 Volume 05, Number 03 (2015)