Abstract:
Background and Objective: Both Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are rapidly
spreading in the developing countries. Both of them are blood borne and are transmitted through unscreened
blood transfusion, inadequately sterilized needles and equipment. According to WHO’s criteria
of endemicity, Pakistan has high disease burden of Hepatitis B and C. The present study was planned to
determine the frequency and to identify the risk factors of hepatitis B and C virus in the general community
of Farash town.
Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in Al Nafees Medical Hospital Lab, from January 2013
to December 2013. Both the genders and all age groups were included in the study. All the patients who
fulfilled the inclusion criteria had given a written consent. Data was collected through questionnaire and
was analyzed on Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.
Results: Three-hundred and forty five patients were studied. Among these 92 (27%) were males and
253(73%) were female, 33% of them had hepatitis C, 9% had hepatitis B. History of injections was reported
in all of the patients. Visit to community barbers was present in 58.6% and 41% cases of hepatitis B and C.
History of dental procedures was obtained in 7(24%) and 15(13%) patients of hepatitis B and C.
Conclusion: Major contributors for Hepatitis B and C in Farash town are use of unsterilized therapeutic
injections and visit to community barbers. Education of the barbers regarding sterilization may help in
reducing the burden of infection in this community.
