Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C and HIV in Malawian pregnant women

Objectives: to describe the seroprevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infection in HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women from rural Malaw i. Methods: descriptive study using serum samples collected between 1993-1995 in the Shire valley in rural Malawi. Fifty HIV-positive and 100 HIV-negativ e samples were selected randomly from 153 HIV-positive and 443 HIV-negative women delivering in the hospital. Results: evidence of HBV and HCV infection was found in 71.7 and 16.5% of w omen. respectively. Chronic carriage of HBV (HBsAg positive) is high (13%) and in agreement with prevalences reported from highly endemic areas. Expos ure to HBV and HCV probably occurred well before adulthood as the prevalenc e of anti-HBc antibody was high in young mothers <20 years of age (22/27; 8 1%). Conclusion: HBV and HCV infections are highly endemic in rural Malawi. Ther e was no statistical evidence to suggest that HIV positivity was associated with an increased prevalence of HBV or HCV markers, Infection with HBV or HCV was not statistically associated.