Research Article

The prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C Infection in Najaf Governorate during the year 2022

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how common HBV and HCV infections were in the Najaf Governorate. between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2023. Data on 369 patients with viral hepatitis C and B infections were gathered from three facilities in the Al-Najaf Governorate (Al-Sadr Hospital, German Hospital, and Blood Bank) in both urban and rural areas. The patients ranged in age from 1 to 80 years, and they were both male and female. According to the current study’s findings, 221 (59.9%) of the 369 individuals with viral hepatitis had hepatitis B virus, and 148 (40.1%) had hepatitis C virus, as illustrated in Figure 1. 166 (45%) of the male population had viral hepatitis B, and 92 (24.9%) of the male population had viral hepatitis C. In turn, 55 (14.9%) of the female population had viral hepatitis B, and 56 (15.2%) of the female population had viral hepatitis C. The results of the current study showed that patients in the Najaf Governorate are more likely to develop cirrhosis if they are at risk of contracting viruses like HBV and HCV. This emphasizes the necessity of recognizing viruses. On a regular basis, particularly among restaurant and health-care workers, as well as school and college students. The study also found that these viruses spread more in cities than in rural areas, particularly among those over the age of forty. The study also found that males were more affected than females.