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BackgroundHepatitis delta virus (HDV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection is well known to induce a spectrum of acute and chronic liver diseases which further advance to cirrhosis, fulminant hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).AimThe aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis D virus super-infection among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive individuals in the highly populated province of Pakistan which is not well known.MethodsSera samples were subjected to HBsAg and anti-HDV screening and finally anti-HDV and HBsAg positive coinfected samples were used for HDV active RNA confirmation using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsOut of total 200 HBsAg positive samples by rapid device, 96 (48%) were also found reactive for HBsAg using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Out of these HBsAg ELISA positive samples, 80 (88.8%) were anti-HDV ELISA positive which were then subjected to PCR. The amplification results further confirmed 24 (30%) samples to be HDV RNA positive. HDV super-infection was more common in male patients than female patients (81% VS 19%).ConclusionThe current study shows a high prevalence rate of HDV-HBV co-infection in Pakistan that tends to increase over time.

One of the major health hazards that has erupted in Pakistan within the recent past years and has caused loss of life of many young people is Dengue Fever. Objective: Main objective was to find clinico-pathologic parameters which are essentially associated with complications and contribute to the adverse outcome. Material & Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 106 seropositive cases of dengue fever. Patients were taken from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi from June 2008 to March 2009. Results: The most common hematological abnormalities were thrombocytopenia and leucopenia. Platelets count below 50 × 103/ μL was seen in (78%) cases and 49 % patients had total white cell count below 4 ×103 /μL. Partial thromboplastin time was significantly prolonged in (26%) cases whereas prothrombin time was normal in all patients. Liver enzymes both Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine Amino-transferase were significantly elevated in (60%) patients. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine was deranged in (23%) patients. Conclusions: Fever was the most common clinical presentation( 86 % of the patients). Hematological parameters (low platelet count, low total leucocytes count, prolonged APTT and raised hematocrit) and biochemical parameters (raised aminotransferases, blood urea nitrogen) have strong association with the complications of dengue fever and hence are associated with the poor outcome of disease.