Seroprevalence and genotyping of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV among healthy population and Turkish soldiers in Northern Cyprus.

Aim: To compare the prevalence of hepatitis viral markers among soldiers from Turkey, blood donors from Northern Cyprus, and soldiers from Northern Cyprus.

Methods: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HCV and anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence, HBV DNA, HCV RNA and HCV genotyping among soldiers from Turkey (group I), civil blood donors from Northern Cyprus (group II), and soldier candidates from Northern Cyprus (group III) were studied and compared to one another. In total, 17545 cases (13546 males and 3999 females with a mean age of 34.5 +/- 10.3 year, group I = 11234, group II = 5057, and group III = 1254) were included into the study.

Results: Among all cases, HBsAg positivity rates were 2.46%, anti-HCV was 0.46% and anti-HIV was 0.00%. HBV DNA was 2.25%, HCV RNA was 0.33% in all groups. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.16% in group I, 3.00% in group II and 2.71% in group III. There was a significant difference between group I and group II (c2 = 6.11, P = 0.047 < 0.05). Anti-HCV positivity rates were 0.45% in group I, 0.45% in group II, and 0.56% in group III. Genotypes of HCV were 1b and 1a in group I, 1b, 1a and 2 in group II, and 1b, 1a in group III. HBsAg carrier rates were 2.20% in females and 2.53% in males. Anti-HCV prevalence was 0.38% in females and 0.48% in males. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.53% in individuals younger than 50, and 1.47% in older than 50. There was a significant difference between the two groups (c2 = 23.48, P = 0.001).

Conclusion: Prevalences of HBsAg, HCV and HIV infections in Northern Cyprus population are similar to those of Turkey.