Background: Viral hepatitis caused by Hepatitis B(HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health problem specially in developing countries like India. Materials and Methods: Three hundred blood samples were collected from patients having clinical sign and symptoms of hepatitis and apparently healthy pregnant females. Detection of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibodies against hepatitis C virus and C reactive protein (CRP) was done in these samples. Results: The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV in our study samples was found to be 6.3% and 2.3% respectively. CRP levels were found to be raised in both HBV and HCV positive samples. Conclusion: Viral hepatitis caused by HBV and HCV continues to pose a threat as a significant health problem. Emphasis should be put on health education of the general and high-risk populations, along with health care workers to increase knowledge on preventive measures for these infections.

Background: Viral hepatitis caused by Hepatitis B(HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health problem specially in developing countries like India. Materials and Methods: Three hundred blood samples were collected from patients having clinical sign and symptoms of hepatitis and apparently healthy pregnant females. Detection of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibodies against hepatitis C virus and C reactive protein (CRP) was done in these samples. Results: The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV in our study samples was found to be 6.3% and 2.3% respectively. CRP levels were found to be raised in both HBV and HCV positive samples. Conclusion: Viral hepatitis caused by HBV and HCV continues to pose a threat as a significant health problem. Emphasis should be put on health education of the general and high-risk populations, along with health care workers to increase knowledge on preventive measures for these infections.