Prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in Elective Ocular Surgery (Rural Origin) at Shifa Eye Hospital, Khanpur

Abstract

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infection in elective ocular surgery in patients of rural origin.

Material and Methods: The study was conducted at Al Shifa Eye Hospital Khanpur from July 2010 to June 2012. Patients who were admitted for ocular surgery were included in this study. A proforma was designed for collection of data and consent was obtained from patients for the study. Patients of rural origin of either sex between the ages of 40 to 90 years were included in the study.

Results: Two thousand and fifty six (2,056) patients who had been admitted for elective ocular surgery were screened for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Among them one thousand and forty three (50.73%) patients were male and one thousand and thirteen (49.27%) were female. Of these four hundred and twenty five (20.67%) patients were serologically positive for hepatitis. Forty eight patients were serologically positive for Hepatitis B positive (11.29%) and three hundred seventy seven (88.70%) were positive for hepatitis C. Among hepatitis B seropositive patients twenty seven (56.25%) were male and twenty one (43.75 %) were female. Among Hepatitis C patients one hundred and ninety four (51.45%) were male and one hundred and eighty three (48.54%) patients were female.

Conclusion: The prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies is high in our rural population that is about to undergo ocular surgery.