Hepatitis C Status in Karachi, Pakistan, a Five-Year Survey at Civil Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus is associated with Hepatitis C which can be acute or chronic. Acute hepatitis C is usually short term illness that can lead to chronic infection, while chronic hepatitis C is a chronic liver disease leading to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and even death. The mode of transmission is mainly parenteral and vertical. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality and a serious public health problem, worldwide as well as in Pakistan. There is no vaccine available for hepatitis C so the only way to prevent hepatitis C is by changing behaviors which can spread the disease. Pakistan is also facing a huge burden of this disease. In Pakistan, the frequency of hepatitis C virus infection ranges from 8% -15% in the general population with variations in different parts of the country. The general method of detecting infection with HCV is to observe the presence of antibodies to the virus. The aim of this study was to determine frequency of hepatitis C among general population and to see the increasing frequency in our part. 79840 years and males are affected more than females. Conclusion: Hepatitis C in increasing in our population affecting the young generation between the age of 21 -40 years and male population is affected more than females so a mass screening is needed to know the exact position of the disease as well as awareness programs should be started using media.

Hepatitis-C during Pregnancy: Antenatal period challenges, management and the way forward

“…Due to several socio-economic reasons, re-use of syringes, lack of hygiene facilities, low health literacy, and weak disease surveillance, HCV infections are highly prevalent in Pakistan with an estimated prevalence ranging from 5 to 25 percent of the population suffering from chronic complications 6 , 7 while the estimated prevalence of the HCV infection during the antenatal period in Pakistan has been reported to be 3.27-8.9 percent.8,9 Owing to the dearth of resources, community awareness, and disease surveillance, HCV infection is endemic in Pakistan. 10 The risk of complications and MTCT of HCV during pregnancy increases many folds in countries like Pakistan where many women only discover their infectivity status during the routine antenatal screening and medical examination.…”

“…Much of the empirical evidence underlying HCV infections during pregnancy and its complications emerge from high-income countries where the socio-economic conditions and health systems are substantially different from that of a low-and-middle-income country (LMIC) such as Pakistan. Considering HCV being endemic in Pakistan with a high prevalence among pregnant women, this review situates Hepatitis-C infection during the antenatal period or pregnancy in the context of prevalent in Pakistan with an estimated prevalence ranging from 5 to 25 percent of the population suffering from chronic complications 6,7 while the estimated prevalence of the HCV infection during the antenatal period in Pakistan has been reported to be 3.27-8.9 percent. 8,9 Owing to the dearth of resources, community awareness, and disease surveillance, HCV infection is endemic in Pakistan.…”

Frequency of Hepatitis B and C Viruses in Patients with Malignancies in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

“…According to an international survey, approximately 231,000 new viremic HCV cases were discovered solely in Pakistani within a year (5). Data from a five-year study conducted at Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, a total 156,990 patients were tested for HCV, with 23,511 (14.98 %) patients were detected to be positive (6).…”

Prevalence of Hepatitis C in General Population of District Swat, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan

“…Chronic Hepatitis C is a severe type of liver disorder leading to hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis and even to death. Hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma are the worldwide health issues [1]. Hepatitis C normally remains non-symptomatic but in severe cases, may cause liver cirrhosis.…”

“…From an assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO), Hepatitis C (HCV) is infecting almost 3% population of the world. Worldwide 1.70 billion individuals are septic by Hepatitis C virus so far and 0.3 -0.4 billion people adding to the list with each passing year [1,3,19]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the occurrence of HCV in Pakistan is ranging 3-13% in different areas [20].…”