Seroprevalence of hepatitis C in pregnant females of Hazara division.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), the causative agent of Hepatitis C is prevalent in different countries including Pakistan. Studies have been conducted on various aspects of HCV in Pakistan. The present study was planed to see the prevalence of hepatitis C in pregnant females of Hazara Division.


METHODS
Five hundred pregnant females of reproductive age group from Hazara Division selected by non probability convenient sampling technique were studied from 1st March 2006 to 28th February 2007 at Ayub Teaching Hospital, and District Headquarter Hospitals Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra. After initial serving by immunology technique positive cases were confirmed by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Essay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Seroprevalence of HCV in pregnant females of Hazara division was 8.9%. Females aged from 25-35 constituted the largest group among positive cases. HCV was more prevalent in District Abbottabad as compared to the other districts of Hazara division.


CONCLUSIONS
Seroprevalence of HCV in pregnant females of Hazara Division is different from the figures already reported form the other parts of Pakistan.
Department of Pathology, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Nasreen
N
Gul
Javed
J
Sarwar
Muhammad
M
Idris
Jamila
J
Farid
Farhat
F
Rizvi
Muhammad
M
Suleman
Syed Humayun
SH
Shah
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult