Author/Authors :
Hussein Nawfal R نويسنده Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Duhok, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq , Mohammed Abdullah Ibrahim نويسنده Medical Lab, Technology Department, Shekhan Technical
College of Health, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq , Mohammed Younus Omar نويسنده Directorate of Preventive Health Affairs, Duhok, Kurdistan
Region, Iraq , Taher Azad M نويسنده Directorate of Preventive Health Affairs, Duhok, Kurdistan
Region, Iraq , Salim Ashti A نويسنده Directorate of Preventive Health Affairs, Duhok, Kurdistan
Region, Iraq , Shahab Farhad I نويسنده Directorate of Preventive Health Affairs, Duhok, Kurdistan
Region, Iraq
Abstract :
Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are public health problems worldwide.
Population mobility such as that occurs in war may play a role in
changing the prevalence of infectious diseases. Objectives This study
was conducted to determine the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV among
Syrian refugees in Iraq and compare it to native Iraqis. Methods In this
cross-sectional study, 880 Syrian refugees and 2975 native Iraqi
volunteers were recruited. Subjects were tested for evidence of
hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HCV antibody (Ab) and HIV Ag and
Ab. Results From a total of 880 refugees, 34 cases (3.86%) were positive
for HBsAg. None of the recruited samples was positive for HCV. For the
indigenous people, 2975 subjects agreed to contribute in the project.
Among them, 30 (1.09%) were positive for HBsAg and only one was positive
for HCV. All the examined samples were negative for HIV in both
populations. Conclusions While the prevalence rates of HCV and HIV are
low and almost the same, the prevalence of HBV among the refugees is
nearly fourfold higher than that found in indigenous population. This
may put extra burden on health institutions in the host country.
