title: Hepatitis C, a silent threat to the community of Haryana, India: a community-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C is a global public health problem. As many as 12 million people may be chronically infected in India and most are unaware of it.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of hepatitis C in the Ratia block of the Fatehabad district, Haryana, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was carried out by house-tohouse visits over 2 weeks. After obtaining written consent, a blood sample was drawn from suspected cases by a laboratory technician maintaining all necessary safety precautions and sterilization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the samples, 1,630 (22.3 per cent) were found to be positive for hepatitis C by ELISA, 253 (15.5 per cent) patients were previously hepatitis C positive, and adults (21-60 years) were affected maximally (70.0 per cent).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study emphasises the need for public awareness campaigns at various levels and prevention of HCV infection. It also suggests the need to develop and strengthen evaluation methodology for the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP).
authors.affiliation: Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Binod Kumar
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Behera
authors.affiliation: Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.affiliation: Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chayal
authors.affiliation: Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gill
keywords: HCV; Hepatitis C; community