CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HEPATITIS B VIRAL INFECTION IN NORTHEASTERN THAILAND

Hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection is a common disease world wide. A study of clinico-epidemi- ology of HBV infection was conducted in 381 patients who seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Northeastern Thailand, during August 1997 to December 1998. 293 males, 88 females and their mean age was 30.96 ±12.78 years with a range from 15 to 77 years. The clinical features of acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carci- noma (HCC) and asymptomatic carrier were 2.36, 34.12, 4.99, 1.05 and 57.48% of cases. Possible routes for HBV transmission were family history of hepatitis, tattooing, intravenous drug addict and blood trans- fusion in 20.3, 11.3, 8.2 and 6.9% of cases, respectively. Signs of chronic liver disease were common in liver cirrhosis and HCC. Acute fulminating hepatitis was not found in this study.