Sero-molecular epidemiology of blood donors infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Peshawar, Pakistan
Main Article Content
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to find the risk of HCV through blood transfusion by sero prevalence via use of molecular tools. Blood Samples were randomly (n= 318) obtained from healthy blood donors who came to the Hayat Abad Medical Blood Bank for blood donation. Permission was garnered on all blood donors and data were analyzed via a questionnaire. Sero-molecular prevalence was assessed using the Immuno Chromatographic Technique (ICT), the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and the Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Rt-PCR) test. Out of 318 samples only 7 (2.2%) samples were positive of hepatitis C out of 318 samples. Among them, married people had been significantly affected (3.21 percent). No positive case had been found in unmarried people. 26-30 Years of age were more vulnerable than other age ranges. Popular risk factors for HCV transmission have been found in intravenous drug users (IDUs), alcohol addiction, surgical patients and dentists. The current study will help the patients and healthy people the before the blood transfusion the blood should to be checked properly through advanced diagnostic tools as well as the accidently finding of the people who suffering from this silent killer. So each person should have to check the HCV through PCR, an advanced diagnostic tool. Beside it the current study will helpful too in the finding a large number of HCV infected people in district Peshawar who have to do some other necessary test like the genotyping of HCV etc.
Keywords: Age; Blood donors; Cirrhosis; Hepatitis C; Prevalence