Author/Authors :
AHMADI GHEZELDASHT, Sanaz Research Center for HIV/AIDS - HTLV and Viral Hepatitis - Academic Center for Education - Culture and Research (ACECR) - Razavi Khorasan Branch, Mashhad , HEDAYATI-MOGHADDAM, Mohammad Reza Research Center for HIV/AIDS - HTLV and Viral Hepatitis - Academic Center for Education - Culture and Research (ACECR) - Razavi Khorasan Branch, Mashhad , SHAMSIAN, Khosro Research Center for HIV/AIDS - HTLV and Viral Hepatitis - Academic Center for Education - Culture and Research (ACECR) - Razavi Khorasan Branch, Mashhad , FATHIMOGHADAM, Farhad Research Center for HIV/AIDS - HTLV and Viral Hepatitis - Academic Center for Education - Culture and Research (ACECR) - Razavi Khorasan Branch, Mashhad , BIDKHORI, Hamid Reza Research Center for HIV/AIDS - HTLV and Viral Hepatitis - Academic Center for Education - Culture and Research (ACECR) - Razavi Khorasan Branch, Mashhad , REZAEE, Abdolrahim Immunology Research Center - Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Division - School of Medicine - Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad
Abstract :
Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is one of the major blood-borne infections worldwide. HCV carriers may develop chronic hepatitis leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There is no overall esti-mate of the infection prevalence in the northeast of Iran. We have performed this research in order to determine accu-rately the prevalence and risk factors of HCV infection among general population in Mashhad.
Methods: During 2009, 1678 people between 1 to 90 yr old with the mean age of 29.1±18.5 yr were selected random-ly by multistage sampling from different geographical regions of the city proportionate to sex and age distribution of population in 2006 census. ELISA was used to screen for antibodies and RT-PCR tested the positive samples.
Results: HCV infection was detected in 7/1654 cases; overall prevalence of the infection was 0.42% (95%CI: 0.17-0.87%), 0.80% and 0.11% among males and females, respectively (P= 0.051). One HCV-infected subject was also pos-itive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), however, no cases showed HIV or HTLV seropositivity.
Conclusion: In comparison with similar studies, the prevalence of HCV infection in Mashhad is low.
Keywords :
Iran , General population , Prevalence , HCV infection
