Hepatitis B and C Seroprevalence in Leprosy Patients

Abstract

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 Elazığ 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

Key words: Leprosy, Cellulary Immunity, Seroprevalance, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C

Keywords

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Öz

Amaç: Lepra bulaşıcı kronik granülomatöz bir hastalıktır ve sıklıkla göz ve iç organları etkilemektedir. Lepra immün yanıtın derecesine göre sınıflandırılabilir. Bu hastalık, hücresel immünite defekti ile ilgili bir hastalıktır. Bu nedenle, hastanemizde takip edilen lepra hastalarında kronik hepatit B ve C koenfeksiyonlarını inceledik. Yöntemler: Elazığ Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Lepra Ünitesi’nde Haziran ve Aralık 2011 yılları arasında tedavi olan elli hasta bu çalışma için değerlendirmeye alındı. Hepatit B ve Hepatit C antijen ve antikorlarının saptanması için Macro ELISA testi kullanıldı.Bulgular: Hastanemiz Lepra ünitesinde bulunan elli hasta çalışmaya alındı. HBsAg pozitifliği 8% oranında saptandı. On altı hastada anti HCV pozitifliği saptandı. Anti HCV pozitifliğinin tüberküloid lepra formunda olan 14 hastanın 7’sinde (%50) ve lepromatöz lepra formunda olan 33 hastanın 9’unda (%27.2) olduğu gözlendi. Sonuç: Sonuç olarak; özellikle lepramatöz lepra formunda olan lepra hastaları immünolojik olarak Hepatit B ve Hepatit C koenfeksiyonlarına duyarlıdır. Bu nedenle; klinisyen bu tür hastalarda koenfeksiyonlar açısından dikkatli olmalıdır ve hastalara, bu hastalığın bulaşmasında rol alan riskli davranışlara ilişkin eğitim verilerek bilgi düzeyleri artırılmalıdır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Lepra,Selüler İmmünite, Seroprevelans, Hepatit B, Hepatit C

Kaynakça

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