RESUMO
The prevalence of HBsAg positivity, liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is studied in 139 patients at the Clinical Research Centre of KEMRI. The prevalences were found to be 15.1%, 9.3 % and 10 % respectively. 14% of the HBsAg positives were also E antigen positive. The positivity of HBsAg in HCC was 42.9% only 15.4% in LC and 57.1% HCC had AFP compared to only 15.4% in LC. It is suggested that the findings support an association of Hepatitis B virus with LC and HCC.
RESUMO
Blood samples were obtained from blood donors and patients with chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from provincial hospitals and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). Patients with chronic liver disease (CH, LC and HCC) underwent abdominal ultrasound screening as well. The blood samples were screened for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti hepatitis C virus (Hep CV) antibodies and alpha fetoprotein (AFP). A total of 44665 blood samples from blood donors were screened for HBsAg between July 1991 and January 1993. Of these 4.1% were found to be HBsAg positive. A total of 983 samples were taken from chronic liver disease patients out of which 22.2% were found to be HBsAg positive. Sixty-three patients were found to have liver cirrhosis and 53 patients had HCC on ultrasound screening. Anti Hep CV antibodies were found in 4.3% (5/116) of patients with LC and HCC. AFP levels were found to be significantly higher in HCC patients than in LC patients, levels of above 200 ng/ml being diagnostic of HCC. Follow up of high risk patients, i.e. those with HBsAg positive, chronic liver disease, by ultrasound screening and AFP detection may be useful in the early detection of HCC.
