PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Hepatitis C is a significant public health concern across worldwide, especially in Pakistan. Understanding the prevalence of the disease at the regional level is crucial for effective prevention and control measures. In this study, we collected demographic information from study participants, including age, gender, marital status, and, other relevant variables, and also administered a structured questionnaire to know the history of the patient. We used hepatitis C kits to identify the hepatitis virus in patients. In our research, we took a sample of 329 people out of which 31 were positive and 298 were negative. Out of total 329 people,170 were male patients and 159 patients were female. To calculate the overall prevalence of Hepatitis C based on the given sample data, number of positive cases 31 were divided by the total number of samples. Overall prevalence was 9% in Gujrat. Prevalence among Males was 7% while 10.6% among females. Our findings showed that the prevalence of HCV is alarmingly high in district Gujrat as compared to the rest of Pakistan. Prevalence of Hepatitis C among married in Gujarat, Pakistan is approximately 11.27% (30 out of 266 patients the overall prevalence of HCV in Pakistan is 6% while it's 9% in Gujrat). As a result, different levels of prevention are required for these fatal illnesses. Preventing Hepatitis C involves taking certain precautions to reduce the risk of transmission. Practice safe injection practices. Always use sterile needles and syringes and avoid sharing drug paraphernalia with others. This reduces the risk of HCV transmission through contaminated needles.