RESUMO
Neutropenia is a condition characterized by an abnormally low number of a type of white blood cells called Neutrophils, up to 25% of people who take pegylated interferon, ribavirin and an HCV protease inhibitor experience Neutropenia. The study will be intended to analyze neutrophil counts and associated conditions of the liver and spleen, platelet count, liver enzymes and infections, during Interferon and Ribavirin therapy. One hundred forty two patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, their age between [18-59] years, selected from the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute were included in this study, during Interferon and Ribavirin therapy. All the patients were subjected to the following history, through clinical examination, abdominal ultrasonography and collection of blood samples for routine investigations, CBCs and serological assay for ALT, Bilirubin. Our results revealed presence of 32.4% anaemia, 18.3% Thrombocytopenia, 16.9% elevated ALT, 2.8% elevated bilirubine, 16.9% coarse liver, 25.4% hepatomegaly, 16.2% splenomegaly, and 16.9% of cases complained different shapes of infection, associated with Neutropenia in patients of chronic hepatitis C during interferon and ribavirin therapy. Our study concluded that the prevalence of Neutropenia in chronic hepatitis C virus infection patients 23.8% during interferon and ribavirin therapy but it is not usually associated with infection. Neutropenia is a complicated process that requires expert guidance from a medical provider