Abstract :
Background: Hepatitis C has a worldwide prevalence. Various risk factors are blood transfusion, intravenous drug use, chronic hemodialysis etc.
Aim: To study the seroprevalence of hepatitis c virus in blood donors, and seropositivity in different high risk population subjects. Compare our results with previous published studies.
Materials and Method: Serum of total 1658 subjects were tested with microwell enzyme immunoassay method for detection of antibodies to hepatitis c virus, out of them 1408 were blood donors and 250 were high risk population subjects.
Results: Of 1408 normal healthy blood donors, 3 were found seropositive post blood donation. In Comparison, 15 were seropositive for anti-hepatitis c virus antibody (6%) in 250 high risk population subjects.
Conclusion: Hepatitis C is currently an emerging disease with years of chronic infection in patients. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, therefore prevention of HCV infection depends upon reducing the risk of exposure to the virus in health-care settings and in higher risk populations, for example, people who inject drugs, and through sexual contact.
Keyword :
Hepatitis c Virus, Blood Donor, Enzyme Immunoassay