title: Hepatitis C virus transmission risk factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is major health hazard. About 350 million people have been suffering from HCV infection in the world. HCV progresses into chronic liver disease in 50-80% of cases and may end up in cirrhosis. This study was carried out to explore the transmission of risk factors for HCV.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 210 consecutive HCV patients of either sex, ranging from 20-69 years of age, referred to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zyad Hospital/ Combined Military Hospital, Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir. In patients having HCV positive by ELISA, the PCR qualitative tests of HCV RNA were performed. A questionnaire was filled for every patient regarding possible risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most common risk factors among HCV patients were surgical procedures (p < 0.001), followed by injections (p < 0.05), dental surgeries (p < 0.010), ear and nose piercing (p < 0.001), and shaving (p < 0.001). Univariate analysis identified tattooing (p = 0.033) also as an important risk factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple risk factors have been identified in nearly all HCV infected patients. The identification of multiple risk factors of hepatitis C acquisition may have important implications in the approach to HCV surveillance, prevention, and management.
authors.forename: Javed Akhtar
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rathore
authors.forename: Masood Alam
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehraj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires