Qualitative Detection of Hepatitis C Virus in the Patients Going Through Eye Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: This study was carried out to analyze the prevalence of hepatitis C Virus in patient going through eye surgery.

Material and Method: This was a prospective observational study conducted at the Sindh Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (SIOVS) Hyderabad from July 2013 to June 2015. In this study, evaluation of 5600 patients of various ages undergoing eye surgeries and being unaware of hepatitis C infection were included. Each patient was serologically screened by immunochromatography (ICT method) for qualitative detection of antibodies for Hepatitis C before surgery.

Result: Two thousand two hundred sixty four (40.43%) patients were male and 3336 (59.57%) were female. Large numbers of patients were in 4th and 5th decade of life in both the sexes. Of these 5600 patients, 713 (12.73%) were serologically positive for hepatitis C antibodies. Majority of them were female (58.44%).

Conclusion: The prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies positive is higher in our population. Therefore, it is mandatory to screen every patient for hepatitis C and B before any surgical procedure. The surgeon and health care professional should take protective measures. The used infected materials should be destroyed properly.