Study on the frequency of hepatitis B and C infection in chronic psychiatric patients in Hamedan in 2006-2007.

OBJECTIVE To study on the frequency of hepatitis B and C infections in chronic psychiatric patients in Day Night Patient Care Centres in Hamedan in 2006-2007. METHODS This is a cross sectional study done on 170 patients with chronic mental disorders admitted in patient care institutions of Hamedan in 2006-2007. Positive tests for HCV-Ab were confirmed by RIBBA test. RESULTS Of 170 patients, 56% were males and 44% were females, (age range 15-71 years). Hepatitis B and C infection was found only in males, with Hepatitis B in 1.8% patients. All of Hepatitis B cases two thirds of Hepatitis C cases were institutionalized in one of the centers. CONCLUSIONS Overall frequency of Hepatitis B and C infections in chronic psychiatric patients in care centers is more than the general population and centralization of these cases in one center causes transmission of infection if the standard precautions are not observed.