Prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and high risk behavior for blood born infections among general population of Tbilisi, Georgia

Ketevan Stvilia, Maia Meparidze, Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Lali Sharvadze, Lela Dzigua

Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia

The viral hepatitis, first of all hepatitis B and C are among the major public health problems worldwide. An estimated 170 million people live with hepatitis C and 350 million with hepatitis B in the world. Hepatitis B and C are the main factors for development of end stage liver diseases, like chirosis and hepatocelular carcinoma. Even so that several studies have been completed in Georgia asessing the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections among the high risk behavior groups, like IDUs and blood donors, but the population based study was not conducted to get real estimates of the diseases' burden for the country. In 2002 a cross sectional investigation of 933 citizens of Tbilisi, Georgia was completed to measure the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and identify the related risky behavior among them. HBc total was found among 11,4%, HBsAg in 1,7% of investigated population. HCV prevalence was 6,7%. Especially high prevalence of hepatitis B and C was found among the Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) with HBV prevalence of 66% and HCV prevalence 68%. Unsafe sexual practicies were also associated with HBV infection, 15,5% of study participants who reported unsafe sexual behavior were infected with hepatitis B virus and 8,5% with hepatitis C virus. Regarding the hystory of invasive medical procedures and prevalence of viral hepatitis, the following results were recieved: 14,7% of HBV infected and 9,2% of HCV infected people reported dental procedures as a risk factors for the infection, 11,5% and 7,7% had the history of sugeries, and 12% and 8% were relating their infection with gynecological procedures. The rate of blood transfussion associated viral infections was quite high before, but after implementation of the Safe Blood State Program an equal percentage of HBV and HCV infection (6,7%) was detected among the people with history of blood tranfusion.

Keywords:  HCV, HBV, epidemiology, prevalence, high risk behavior