Seroprevalences of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus among Participants of an Asian Health Fair in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia

Abstract

In Canada, the seroprevalences of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are believed to vary significantly among different ethnic groups and at-risk populations. Data regarding the prevalence of HBV and HCV in Southeast Asian Canadians may vary significantly from the general population. Because this population may be less likely to participate in epidemiological studies, it is possible that HBV and HCV seroprevalences are under-reported. The authors of this study correlated questionnaire answers regarding vaccination status to serological profiles collected from an Asian health fair in British Columbia to assess the seroprevalences of HBV and HBC in this population.

Differences in risk factors for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus infection by ethnicity: A large population-based cohort study in British Columbia, Canada

“…Indeed, East Asian and South Asian immigrants in BC listed provider reluctance to screen for HBV among the barriers to HBV testing within the province, in addition to stigma, cultural misconceptions, lack of knowledge, language barriers, and immigration-related restrictions (Yau et al, 2016;Zibrik et al, 2018). This is concerning given the significant discordance between self-reported immune status for HBV and the serological profiles among Asians in BC (Ip et al, 2015). Similar barriers to HBV, HCV and HIV testing have been noted among visible ethnic minorities in North America, Europe, and Australia (Feldman et al, 2017;Greenaway et al, 2018;Guirgis et al, 2012;Lee et al, 2017;Seedat et al, 2014;Sweeney et al, 2015;Vedio et al, 2017).…”

Hepatitis B virus testing and linkage to care in a Canadian urban tertiary referral centre: a retrospective cohort study

“…18,19 Interestingly, many developed countries similarly report suboptimal diagnostic and management rates for chronic HBV infection. [20][21][22][23][24] It is also noteworthy that 19 (1.6%) of our 1214 subjects were found to be coinfected with HCV (i.e., positive for anti-HCV and HCV RNA), another major risk factor for chronic liver disease.…”