Abstract
OBJECTIVES: to study the frequency and clinical presentations of hepatitis B and C virus co-infection in tertiary care hospital.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This descriptive case series study was conducted in Medical “B” Unit of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan from January 2011 to January 2012. Overall 52 patients with positive HbsAg and anti HCV antibodies were included in the study after fulfilling inclusion criteria. Clinical, demographic, laboratory data and results of the liver and abdominal ultrasound were also documented. Furthermore, both qualitative and quantitative Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were performed. Data was analyzed through SPSS version 16. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: Of 52 patients 32 (61.5 %) were male and 20 (38.5 %) were female. Mean age in years was 40 + 10.125 SD. The percentage of HCV infection was 24 %, while the percentage of HBV infection was 38.8 5 %. Amongst the PCR positive patients 23/47 (44.2 %) had dominant HBV infection whilst, 24/27 (46.2 %) patients had dominant HCV infection. Hepatoma was reported in 3 patients (5.77%). The common mode of transmission was surgery, history of some dental procedures and blood transfusion. The effect of HBV/HCV co-infection and development of chronic liver disease (CLD) was significant (p<0.05).

Key words: Co-infection; Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B and C virus co-infection, hepatocellular carcinoma, chronic liver disease