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INTRODUCTION: The overall health status of workers of tea garden of Bangladesh is below the national standard. Also, almost nothing has been reported about status of hepatitis virus infection among these population and there is also a lack of consensus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Several health-related facts, especially those of liver diseases, were collected from 130 workers of tea garden via questionnaire. Sera were also collected from these subjects to assess positivity of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype was also done using genotype-specific primers in HBsAg-positive sera. RESULTS: Out of 130 tea garden workers, 5 were positive for HBsAg; however, none was reactive to anti-HCV. Genotyping of HBV deoxyribonucleic acid of 4 sera samples revealed that 2 belonged to genotype A, 1 to genotype C, and 1 to genotype D. Various risk factors were documented in HBV-infected subjects by analyzing the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis B virus in considerable high percentage is prevalent among workers of tea garden in Bangladesh, and immediate vaccination against HBV should be employed. Also, health education system should be accentuated in specific population like tea garden workers.How to cite this article: Al Mahtab M, Akhter S, Mollick KU, Uddin MH, Khan SI, Akbar SMF. Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus in a Tea Garden of Bangladesh. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2017;7(1):107-110.
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INTRODUCTION: Decompensated cirrhosis is associated with significantly high mortality resulting from hepatic failure, and liver transplantation seems to be the only viable indication for its management. The objective of this study is to assess if granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a stimulatory of stem cell in vivo, may be of any benefit for patients with decompensated cirrhosis of liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients with decompensated cirrhosis of liver were recruited in this prospective study. They received injection of G-CSF (30 IU) over a period of 6 weeks (12 injections) in addition to standard of care. RESULTS: Patients were followed up at the end of treatment and at 12 weeks of treatment. Treatment was well tolerated, and no significant adverse event was recorded in any patient. Fifteen out of 17 (88%) patients were alive at last follow-up. Although serum bilirubin, albumin, and prothrombin time improved in some patients, statistically significant improvement of Child-Pugh score could not be documented. CONCLUSION: The study establishes the safety of G-CSF therapy in patients with decompensated cirrhosis of liver. Besides, such therapy may also have survival benefit, although long-term follow-up is needed to assess its real utility in clinical perspectives.How to cite this article: Al Mahtab M, Alam SMN, Moben AL, Raihan R, Alam MA, Rahim MA, Uddin MH, Akbar SMF. Therapy Targeting Stem Cell in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis of Liver in a Tertiary Treatment Care Center of Bangladesh. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2017;7(1):113-115.