HCV Prevalence in High Risk Groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Author Information
Author(s): Ali Ijaz, Siddique Lubna, Rehman Latif U, Khan Najib U, Iqbal Aqib, Munir Iqbal, Rashid Farzana, Khan Sana U, Attache Safira, Swati Zahoor A, Aslam Mehwish S
Primary Institution: Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of HCV among various high-risk groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
Conclusion
The study found a 15.57% prevalence of active HCV infection among high-risk groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of active HCV infection was found to be 15.57%.
- In individual risk groups, the prevalence was 15% for thalassemics, 28% for dialysis, 8% for major surgery, 14.28% for dental surgery, and 14.28% for injection drug users.
- The study highlights the role of healthcare facilities in the spread of HCV.
Takeaway
This study looked at people at high risk for Hepatitis C and found that about 16 out of every 100 had the virus.
Methodology
Blood samples were collected from various high-risk groups and tested for anti-HCV and active HCV infection using Immunochromatographic tests and nested PCR.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to limited exposure of females to certain risk factors.
Limitations
The study relied on ICT devices for anti-HCV detection, which have documented limitations.
Participant Demographics
Out of 167 participants, 104 were male and 63 were female.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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