Sero-Prevalence of HCV and HIV antibodies among different groups of general population of Peshawar Cantonment, KPK, Pakistan

Hepatitis C and AIDS are serious health problems worldwide. Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver disease, while AIDS results in progressive failure of the immune system that allows life threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive respectively. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of HCV, HIV and HCV/HIV co-infection among different groups of apparently healthy people of Peshawar cantonment and to know the risk factors. The study was conducted at Pathology department, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar Cantonment from February 2013 to June 2013. A total of 400 people from general population were screened for HCV and HIV by ELISA method. The overall prevalence of HCV shows that out of 400 samples for HCV, 340 subjects were found negative and 60 were positive for HCV. Age of the subjects was 19-60 years. 40 samples were screened for each group and out of 40 samples each 16(40%) shopkeepers, 10(25%) barbers, 10(25%) drug users, 8(20%) sweepers, 8(20%) food workers, 2(5%) out of 40 each among scrap merchants, mechanics, government employs and health care workers were positive for HCV. However, all the samples from students were HCV negative. 28% HCV positive cases were below the age of 40 ( 40 years). 95% of the HCV positive individuals were uneducated and 60% of HCV positive individuals were married. The total prevalence of HCV in Peshawar cantonment was 15% while the prevalence of HIV and HCV/HIV co-infection was 0 %. The majority of study groups were uneducated and belonged to low socioeconomic status. The risk factors include commercial sex and non-marital sex, sharing blades and shaving kits, exposure to infected blood or infected needles, using unsterile equipment’s, injection drug use and unawareness. It is concluded that chronic hepatitis C is common in asymptomatic healthy population and they are the possible candidates for chronic liver disease and potential sources of spread of infection, while HIV or HCV/HIV co-infection is not prevalent in the studied region.