Prevalence of hepatitis-C in Faisalabad region of Pakistan

ABSTRACT

To study the prevalence of HCV in a population attending Madina Teaching Hospital, Faisalabad for ophthalmic procedures. It is a retrospective audit of patients found to be HCV positive on routine testing, attending Madina Teaching hospital, Faisalabad for ophthalmic procedures. Anybody who required a surgical intervention is routinely screened for hepatitis B and hepatitis C in this department for last number of years. A total of 1027 patients from June 2007 to August 2007 [3 months] were selected for the study. Among them 278 [27.06%] were found to have HCV antibodies in their serum and 749 [72.93%] were HCV antibody negative. In HCV positive group 158 were males [56.83%] and 120 females [43.16%]. Furthermore it was more prevalent in age group 50 - 70 years in both sexes. Hepatitis C is significantly more prevalent in Faisalabad region than reported previously. Also it is more common in age group 50 to 70 years and is equally distributed in both sexes. Cause [s] of this distribution is unknown and should be investigated