Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C infections among young adult males in Pakistan

This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at 2 military hospitals in Pakistan from January 2004 to December 2005. Young adult males with age range 17–22 years from different districts of Pakistan were screened for hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV). Out of 5707 young men tested, 95 (1.70%) were positive for anti-HCV and 167 (2.93%) for HBsAg. Although both viruses were distributed evenly through-out Pakistan, seroprevalence was higher in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh than in North-West Frontier province and Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir provinces. Health education to the general public, including barbers, would be an important tool for control/preventive measures.