Public Health Relevance of High Viral Load as a Risk Factor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Bangladesh-Based Evaluation.
Israt Jahan Nisha1*, Mahathir Rahman Rudra2, Nafisa Binte Anower2
Clinical Epidemiology & Public Health 3(1) 1-9 https://doi.org/10.25163/health.3110265
Submitted: 06 March 2025 Revised: 09 May 2025 Published: 13 May 2025
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a widespread health matter and one of the top cancers assassination people, especially where there is a tall prevalence of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: This study recorded viral load levels, ALT, degree of fibrosis, cirrhosis, status of antiviral treatment and diagnosis of HBCC. With regard to these criteria, viral quantification for these patients was done with PCR standard procedures. Patients were stratified by thresholds of viral load, and the rest of the data was analyzed by using multivariate regression and survival analysis. Results: There was a distinct distinction in the progression of HCC across the patients; 18.5% of the HBV group and 9.7% of the HCV group with a high viral load progressed to HCC. On the other hand, patients on antiviral therapy had a significantly lower HCC incidence of 4.2% compared to 15.6% in those not receiving treatment. The highest identification rate (91.1%) for HCC was noted in patients monitored with comprehensive surveillance strategies including viral load testing. Conclusion: High viral load is one of the best predictors for the development of HCC because it strongly influences the manifestation of the disease; with proactive steps, better outcomes can be achieved. The risks associated with developing liver cancer are particularly important in understanding the need for implementing viral load testing as part of screening programs in the public health system of Bangladesh.
Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, viral load, HBV, HCV, surveillance, antiviral therapy.
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