Diabetes and Hepatitis C: Two sides of a coin

Background: Hepatitis C virus or HCV is a blood borne pathogen, transmitted primarily via blood, body secretions and by piercing through skin (percutaneous), veins and mucosal surfaces. Prevalence of HCV in Pakistan is 4.5-8%. The prevalence of HCV in diabetic patients is reported to be 14.9% in 2016. Different studies show different prevalence of Hepatitis C in local population of Pakistan. This study was designed to find out the prevalence of HCV in diabetic patients of different age groups and gender.Methods: Blood samples from 259 diabetic patients were collected at Diabetes Testing and Screening Camp arranged by Akhuwat Health Services (AHS) at Township, Lahore. People of all age groups and gender were invited. Results were entered in MS Excel and analyzed on SPSS 19.Results: Out of 259 patients, 53% were females while 47% were males. This study shows the prevalence of HCV in Diabetic Patients as 8%. It was observed in diabetic patients, that females and patients from age group 30-40 years had high prevalence of HCV.Conclusion: The prevalence of Hepatitis C is high in the diabetic patients as compared to general population. HCV has a greater incidence in diabetic females of age group (30-40 years)