Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Infections Among People with Severe Mental Illness in Tehran, Iran

Background: High-risk behaviors in people with severe mental illnesses, such drug injection by shared equipment and unprotected sex, expose them to the risk of blood-borne infections as hepatitis B virus (HBV) C (HCV) infections. Objectives: This study aimed determine prevalence HBV HCV serum markers illnesses Tehran, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, were studied. The participants recruited using a non-random convenience sampling method from Roozbeh Razi hospitals Tehran between December 2019 March 2020. Blood samples evaluated for HCV-Ab, HBs Ag, Ab, HBc Ab an enzyme immunoassay technique. Results: A total 257 study; their mean age was 35.77 years, 70.0% whom male. Bipolar disorder (40.5%) schizophrenia (35.8%) most frequent disorders participants. seromarkers follows: Ag: 0.3% (95% CI: 0.0 - 2.0%), Ab: 7.3% 4.6 11.3%), 18.7% 14.1 24.0%), 3.1% 1.3 6.9%). logistic regression analysis, tattooing (OR = 4.94, 95% 1.73 14.13) (OR= 1.06, 1.01 1.11) associated infection (HBc positivity), only 6.33, 1.19 33.80) significantly exposure HCV. Conclusions: results showed that HBsAg positivity illness not higher than general population Iran; however, more prevalent Preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic interventions are needed