Hepatitis C and B prevalence in Faisalabad and its correlation to gender distribution.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C and B in Faisalabad district with its association to gender difference. Study Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: Department of Gastroenterology, General Hospital Ghulam-Muhammadabad, Faisalabad. Period: 01-08-2021 to 31-10-2021. Material & Methods: A sample size of 1827 population fulfilling the inclusion criteria was selected by using the probability sampling method. A blood sample of 5ml taken from each subject, centrifuged for 15 min according to manufacturer’s recommended speed (usually 1000-2000 RCF) and serum was stored at -20°C. The HBsAg kit (HBsAg2 from Abbott pharmaceuticals) for detection of HBsAg in serum and Hepatitis C kit (SD rapid test, SD BIOLINE. Data was analyzed with statistical analysis program (SPSS version 26). Results: Hepatitis C was found in 248 people (13.5%), while Hepatitis B was found in 95 people (5.1%). In a hepatitis gender study, we observed that a higher proportion of females were seropositive for hepatitis C. Conclusion: Hepatitis C is more common than hepatitis B in the Faisalabad district, but it's far less common than it was in earlier surveys, which may be because there are more facilities available.