ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C is one of the most important etiological factor in chronic liver disease which could lead to the progressive liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C in east of Golestan province [north-east of Iran]. 2123 inhabitants from north-east of Iran of general population have been studied using randomized selection. The taken samples were fresh serum searching for Hepatitis C Virus Antibody [HCV Ab] via ELISA method. A recombinant immunoblot assay [RIBA] was done for the positive HCV Ab samples tested with ELISA as the next step. A total of 2123 samples [female: 1387] with mean age of 41.3+/- 14.8 years and 960 rural and 1141 urban were studied. Fifty six samples [female:44] were HCVAb positive [ELISA], twenty of fifty six samples were also RIBA positive [female: 18 equal 81.8% and male: 4 equal 18.2%]. According to ELISA result the prevalence of HCVAb positive samples in female was 3.1% [44 of 1387 samples] and in male was 1.6 [12 of 714 samples]. As a total result we reached out that the prevalence of Hepatitis C through ELISA method was around 2.6%. This number reduced to 1% considering RIBA positive samples which is the definite test in Hepatitis C diagnosis. This study is the first Hepatitis C determination in general population in Iran. A comparison between the Hepatitis C prevalence in north east Iran and other part of the world showed that Iran relatively has a lower prevalence [Asia: 3.55% Africa: 5.17% America: 1.9%]. No other Hepatitis C evaluation study has been done in any other part of Iran