SCREENING FOR HEPATITIS B & C

A PREREQUISITE FOR ALL INVASIVE PROCEDURES

Abstract

Viral hepatitis (HBV &HCV)
one of the single most important cause of chronic liver
disease in Pakistan and World Wide is now spreading
beyond endemic dimensions. Number of patients with
hepatitis being received for elective and emergency
procedures has increased tremendously. Thus health
care providers especially operation theater staff has
significantly increased risks of infectivity along with
further transmission of the disease, if preoperatively
screening and standard precautions are not followed
strictly. This makes the preoperative screening for
hepatitis B & C one of the most important investigations
so that standard precautions can be taken to avoid
further hazards of disease