Faridullah Shah, Saveeda Ilyas Dar.
Prevalence of hepatitis C in depressed population.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;43(4):200-2.

Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C in depressed population. Design: This was a Case control observational study. Place and duration: This study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Federal Government Services Hospital Islamabad, January 2004 to November 2004. Subjects and methods: All patients above 13 years of age and of both sexes were included. All those patients who were fulfilling the DSM 1V criteria were screened out for HCVAb. Donor`s blood and patients for screening of HbsAg and HCVAb were taken as case control. Results: Total patients were 135, which include 70 males and 65 females with age group between 17 to 82 years with mean age of 37 years. Out of 135 depressed patients HCVAb was positive in 31 patients and negative in 77 patients). ALT was raised in 47 patients and normal in 88 patients. Among these patients HbsAg was positive in 3 patients and negative in 132 patients. Total patients screened for HCVAb were 7358 out of which 718(10%) were positive for HCVAb and total number of bags which were screened for HCVAb were 1968 out of which 124(6%) were positive for HCVAb. Total patients screened for HBsAg were 7335 out of which 124(2%) were positive for HCVAb and total number of bags which were screened for HbsAg were 1968 out of which 71(4%) were positive for HBsAg Conclusions: Chronic hepatitis C is more commonly prevalent in depressed population as compare to the general population.

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