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Analysis of clinico-demographic characteristics in PCR-confirmed patients with hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human papillomavirus, and cytomegalovirus infections at a Nepalese Reference Laboratory

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Mar 18, 2025 version files 118.20 KB

Abstract

Background: Oncogenic viruses are a global public health concern that mandates focused research. This retrospective study analyzed clinico-demographic profiles and infection trends of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) among laboratory visitors from 2021-2024.

Methods: Clinico-demographics (age, gender, specimens, histopathological assessments) and real-time PCR (DNA/RNA copies/ml, genotypes) data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 17.0.

Results: Of the tested patients, 59.22% (706/1192) had HBV infection, 51.45% (160/311) had HCV infection, 16.52% (57/345) had HPV infection, and 34.87% (83/238) had CMV infection. The highest risk ratio for HBV (1.63) or HCV (1.76) infection was among patients aged 20-29, while HPV (1.28) and CMV (2.42) infections were among those aged 20-29 and <1, respectively. CMV was often detected in urine (90.36%, 75/83). HBV infections peaked in 2023. HCV and CMV infection rates decreased over time. HPV infections remained consistent. Females and adults or elderly with HBV or HCV infections had a low viral load (<50 and <25 copies/ml, respectively), while males and adults had a high viral load (>1,000,000 copies/ml). Low-risk HPV genotypes were often detected (70.18%, 40/57) than HPV-16 (26.32%, 15/57) and HPV-18 (21.05%, 12/57). Abnormal squamous cells of undetermined importance (ASC-US) (54.54%, 6/11) was the most common histological abnormality among females with HPV infection.

Conclusions: HBV or HCV infections were more common in adult males, HPV in adult females, and CMV in infants. HBV infections rose over time, while those of HCV and CMV reduced. Low-risk HPV was often diagnosed in conjunction with ASC-US.