Seroprevalence and genotyping of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV among healthy population and Turkish soldiers in Northern Cyprus

AIM: To compare the prevalence of hepatitis viral markers among soldiers from Turkey, blood donors from Northern Cyprus, and soldiers from Northern Cyprus. METHODS: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HCV and anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence, HBV DNA, HCV RNA and HCV genotyping among soldiers from Turkey (group I), civil blood donors from Northern Cyprus (group R), and soldier candidates from Northern Cyprus (group M) were studied and compared to one another. In total, 17545 cases (13546 males and 3999 females with a mean age of 34.5 +/- 10.3 year, group I = 11234, group II = 5057, and group III = 1254) were included into the study. RESULTS: Among all cases, HBsAg positivity rates were 2.46%, anti-HCV was 0.46% and anti-HIV was 0.00%. HBV DNA was 2.25%, HCV RNA was 0.33% in all groups. Hl3sAg positivity rates were 2.16% in group I, 3.00% in group II and 2.71% in group M. There was a significant difference between group I and group II (chi(2) = 6.11, P = 0.047 < 0.05). Anti-HCV positivity rates were 0.45% in group I, 0.45% in group II, and 0.56% in group M. Genotypes of HCV were 1b and 1a in group I, 1b, la and 2 in group II, and 1b, 1a in group III. HBsAg carrier rates were 2.20% in females and 2.53% in males. Anti-HCV prevalence was 0.38% in females and 0.48% in males. Hl3sAg positivity rates were 2.53% in individuals younger than 50, and 1.47% in older than 50. There was a significant difference between the two groups (chi(2) = 23.48, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Prevalences of Hl3sAg, HCV and HIV infections in Northern Cyprus population are similar to those of Turkey. (C) 2006 The WJG Press. All rights reserved.