Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases
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Infect. Genet. Evol. · Oct 2018
Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis delta and hepatitis B viruses circulating in two major provinces (East and North-West) of Pakistan.
HBV and HDV are major public health problems with millions affected globally and Pakistan accounts for a significant proportion of the global Hepatitis burden. This cross sectional study was designed to assess the general epidemiological and virological features of HBV and HDV in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) provinces of Pakistan. ⋯ The prevalence of HBV and HDV is high in Pakistan. The description of HBV and HDV genotypes circulating in East and North-West Pakistan can contribute to a better understanding of their relevance in regional epidemics. These infections are highly endemic in the KP, where their control is confounded by its vast territorial dimension with small, hard-to-reach municipalities and diverse ethnic populations.