Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
J Viral Hepat. 2010 May;17(5):317-26. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2009.01230.x. Epub 2009 Nov 30.
To estimate the prevalence and identify factors associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among men and women in Karachi, Pakistan. We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult men and women in a peri-urban community of Karachi (Jam Kandah). Households were selected through systematic sampling from within all villages in the study area. All available adults within each household were interviewed about potential HCV risk factors. A blood specimen was collected to test for anti-HCV antibodies by enzyme immunoassay. We used generalized estimating equations while accounting for correlation of responses within villages to identify the factors associated with HCV infection. Of 1997 participants, 476 (23.8%) were anti-HCV positive. Overall, HCV infection was significantly associated with increasing age, ethnicity, and having received > or =2 blood transfusions, > or =3 hospitalizations, dental treatment and >5 injections among women. Among women, > or =2 blood transfusions [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.32], >5 injections during the past 6 months (aORs = 1.47), dental treatment (aOR = 1.31) and increasing age(aOR = 1.49), while among men, extramarital sexual intercourse (aOR = 2.77), at least once a week shave from barber (aOR = 5.04), > or =3 hospitalizations (aOR = 2.50) and increasing age (aOR = 1.28) were associated with HCV infection. A very high prevalence of HCV was found in the study population. Among women, unsafe health care practices, while among men extramarital sex, shaving from a barber and hospitalizations were associated with HCV infection. Efforts are needed to improve the safety of medical procedures to reduce the transmission of HCV in Pakistan [Corrections made in Summary after initial online publication.].
在巴基斯坦卡拉奇的一个城乡结合部社区（Jam Kandah）中，评估成年男性和女性中丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染的流行率，并确定相关因素。
我们开展了一项横断面研究，对卡拉奇城乡结合部的成年男性和女性进行了调查。采用系统抽样的方法，从研究区域内的所有村庄中抽取家庭。对每个家庭中所有符合条件的成年人进行有关丙型肝炎潜在危险因素的访谈。采集血样，采用酶联免疫吸附试验检测抗-HCV 抗体。使用广义估计方程，同时考虑村庄内的应答相关性，以确定与 HCV 感染相关的因素。
在 1997 名参与者中，476 名（23.8%）抗-HCV 阳性。总体而言，HCV 感染与年龄增长、民族和接受≥2 次输血、≥3 次住院、牙科治疗和≥5 次注射等因素显著相关（P<0.001）。在女性中，≥2 次输血（调整后的比值比[aOR] = 2.32）、过去 6 个月内≥5 次注射（aORs = 1.47）、牙科治疗（aOR = 1.31）和年龄增长（aOR = 1.49），而在男性中，婚外性行为（aOR = 2.77）、每周至少一次去理发店剃须（aOR = 5.04）、≥3 次住院（aOR = 2.50）和年龄增长（aOR = 1.28）与 HCV 感染相关（P<0.001）。研究人群中 HCV 流行率非常高。在女性中，不安全的医疗实践，而在男性中，婚外性行为、去理发店剃须和住院治疗与 HCV 感染相关。需要努力提高医疗程序的安全性，以减少 HCV 在巴基斯坦的传播。
