Idrees Muhammad, Lal Amreek, Naseem Muhammad, Khalid Muhammad
Division of Virology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
J Dig Dis. 2008 May;9(2):95-103. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-2980.2008.00329.x.
To estimate the prevalence and spectrum of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the general population of Pakistan.
A total of 6817 blood samples were collected randomly from apparently healthy people in the Punjab, Pakistan from March 1999 to April 2001 and September 2006 to August 2007. Detailed socioeconomic information for each participant was recorded. All the samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies and all seropositive samples were further tested for HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Of the total 6817 serum samples tested, 998 (14.63%) were positive for anti-HCV antibodies. HCV RNA PCR was detected in 494 (49.50%) anti-HCV-positive samples. The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies were significantly higher in males (15.09%) than in females (12.3%) (P < 0.009). A significant difference was also noted in the anti-HCV prevalence rate among different age groups tested (P < 0.01). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, injected drug use (adjusted OR 6.6 [95%CI 4.1-9.9]), blood transfusion (adjusted OR 5.9 [95%CI 2.9-12.3]), pricked with a needle (adjusted OR 2.2 [95%CI 1.6-3.1]), re-use of syringes (adjusted OR 1.7 [95%CI 0.8-3.6]) and being over 35 years old (adjusted OR 1.3 [95%CI 0.9-1.9]) were independent risk factors for HCV infection.
The study showed a high seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in a general and apparently healthy population of the Punjab province of Pakistan. Drug injection, blood transfusion and needle stuck were the factors most strongly associated with HCV infection.
评估巴基斯坦普通人群中丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染的患病率及感染谱。
1999年3月至2001年4月以及2006年9月至2007年8月期间，从巴基斯坦旁遮普省表面健康的人群中随机采集了6817份血样。记录了每位参与者详细的社会经济信息。所有样本均检测抗HCV抗体，所有血清学阳性样本进一步通过聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测HCV RNA。
在检测的6817份血清样本中，998份（14.63%）抗HCV抗体呈阳性。494份（49.50%）抗HCV阳性样本检测到HCV RNA PCR。男性抗HCV抗体患病率（15.09%）显著高于女性（12.3%）（P < 0.009）。在不同年龄组的抗HCV患病率中也观察到显著差异（P < 0.01）。多因素逻辑回归分析显示，注射吸毒（校正比值比6.6 [95%置信区间4.1 - 9.9]）、输血（校正比值比5.9 [95%置信区间2.9 - 12.3]）、针刺伤（校正比值比2.2 [95%置信区间1.6 - 3.1]）、重复使用注射器（校正比值比1.7 [95%置信区间0.8 - 3.6]）以及年龄超过35岁（校正比值比1.3 [95%置信区间0.9 - 1.9]）是HCV感染的独立危险因素。
该研究表明，在巴基斯坦旁遮普省普通且表面健康的人群中，抗HCV抗体血清阳性率较高。药物注射、输血和针刺伤是与HCV感染最密切相关的因素。
