PREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR DETERMINATION OF HEPATITIS C INFECTION IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most significant source of chronic liver diseases in the globe. About 170 million individuals are infected by HCV worldwide. The reported prevalence of HCV in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) ranges from 4.1 to 36%. Objectives: The current study aimed to analyze the true prevalence of HCV infection in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and ninety HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) positive samples that belonged to the different regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were sent to the Genome Centre for Molecular Based Diagnostics & Research (GCMBDR), Lahore, from January 2011 to March 2011, and were selected for the current study. Serological and biochemical data of these samples were provided by clinicians. Out of 390 samples, 40 were provided from Mardan, 65 from Dir (Lower), 185 from Swat and 100 from Malakand districts of Pakistan. Results: Out of 390 patients, 140 were found HCV RNA positive (by Polymerase Chain Reaction method) and 250 subjects were excluded from further analysis. Out of PCR positive subjects, 81 were male and 59 were female. All individuals were categorized in four age groups that is, 0 to 20, 21 to 40, 41 to 60 and above 60 years. HCV RNA was found in 16.67%, 37.5%, 35.51% and 36% of these groups, respectively. District wise HCV positivity rates were 36.2 % in Swat, 38.4% in Dir (L), 36% in Malakand and 30% in Mardan, respectively. Conclusions: It was found that among the studied areas, Dir district had the highest prevalence of HCV, the majorly of affected patients were among the age group of 21 to 40 , male patients were found more susceptible to this infection (P = 0.0103 < 0.05), and the possible reason can be the high exposure of males to the HCV infection risk factors. Furthermore the current study was unable to find the important risk factors responsible for the frequent prevalence of HCV infection in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa