Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Patients With Cardiovascular Disorders in a University Hospital in Iran from March 2015 to September 2016

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is prevalent and potentially fatal in patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The main routes of transmission are via sharing syringes, blood products, and sexual contact. We sought to determine the incidence of HCV infection among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in an 18-month period. Methods: During a period of 18 months, 39450 patients with CVDs underwent HCV Ab measurement via the ELISA technique. Hbs Ag was also checked among HCV-positive cases in Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical, and Research Center in Tehran, Iran from 2015 to 2016. Results: The patients were aged between 4 months and 97 years. In 72 out of the 39450 patients (0.18%), HCV Ab was positive and 2 out of the 72 patients (2.7%) were also positive for HBs Ag. Conclusions: The prevalence of HCV infection in patients affected by CVDs in a single referral center in Iran may be lower than that in other groups.