Seroprevalence of Hepatitis c Virus in Blood Donors in Kabul
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction: Understanding the prevalence and distribution of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is crucial for the development of effective prevention and control strategies, given its significant impact on global public health. The objective of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of HCV among blood donors in Kabul and assess the possible gender-based variations in infection rates.
Materials and Methods: This study analyzed blood donor records from the central blood bank in Kabul, including both male and female donors, from January to December 2023. HCV screening was performed using ELISA testing, and the data were analyzed using SPSS to determine HCV prevalence and investigate gender-based differences in infection rates.
Results: In this study, 59 out of 15,080 individuals (0.39%) tested positive for HCV infection. Among the HCV-positive cases, 81.5% were male and 18.6% were female. The majority of infected males (64.4%) were in the 30-39 age range. A significant proportion of HCV-positive patients had no formal education (69.5%) and were unemployed (61.0%). Additionally, the majority of HCV-positive patients reported a low monthly income (66.1%).
Conclusion: The study found a low prevalence of HCV infection (0.39%) among the participants, with the highest rates observed in the 30-39 age group. Socioeconomic factors, such as lack of education, unemployment, and low income, were associated with HCV infection. Targeted interventions are needed to address gender disparities, age-specific risks, and socioeconomic determinants to improve prevention and control strategies for HCV in Kabul's blood donor population and enhance overall population health.
Article Details
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Goodnough LT, Brecher ME, Kanter MH, AuBuchon JP. Transfusion medicine—blood transfusion. New England journal of medicine. 1999;340(6):438-47.
Organization WH. Blood safety and availability fact sheet; 2020. Retrieved from. 2020;684.
Chen SL, Morgan TR. The natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. International journal of medical sciences. 2006;3(2):47-52.
Zignego AL, Giannini C, Gragnani L. HCV and lymphoproliferation. Journal of Immunology Research. 2012;2012.
Hashemi E, Waheed U, Saba N, Wazeer A. First Report from Afghanistan on the Prevalence of Blood-Borne Infections: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Multicentre Study for an Epidemiological Assessment. Journal of blood medicine. 2022;13:45-50.
Todd CS, Abed AM, Strathdee SA, Scott PT, Botros BA, Safi N, et al. HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B infections and associated risk behavior in injection drug users, Kabul, Afghanistan. Emerging infectious diseases. 2007;13(9):1327-31.
Husseini AA, Saeed KMI, Yurdcu E, Sertoz R, Bozdayi AM. Epidemiology of blood-borne viral infections in Afghanistan. Archives of virology. 2019;164(8):2083-90.
Nasir A, Todd CS, Stanekzai MR, Bautista CT, Botros BA, Scott PT, et al. Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C and associated risk behaviours amongst injecting drug users in three Afghan cities. The International journal on drug policy. 2011;22(2):145-52.
Waheed U, Saba N. Challenges in Blood Transfusion Services During Conflicts and Humanitarian Emergencies: Perspective and Initiatives from Afghanistan. Global Journal of Transfusion Medicine. 2021;6:244-45.
Riley WJ, McCullough TK, Rhamani AM, McCullough J. Progress in the blood supply of Afghanistan. Transfusion. 2017;57(7):1665-73.
Marcellin P. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C in 2009. Liver International. 2009;29:1-8.
Marcellin P, editor Hepatitis B and hepatitis C in 2004. International conference on the management of patients with viral hepatitis Paris: Service d’Hepatologie, Hopital Beaujon; 2004.