FREQUENCY OF HEPATITIS C IN PATIENTS PRESENTED WITH ISOLATED THROMBOCYTOPENIA

Hepatitis is a growing problem worldwide especially in developing countries. Worldwide prevalence of Hepatitis C is 2.8% according to WHO. while in Pakistan its prevalence is 4.8% according to WHO and 4.5-8.2% in local studies, which is 2nd highest in the world. Some local studies on small groups show even high prevalence. It is vital to deal with this growing problem with every mean possible. For this, it is important to understand ways in which hepatitis C presents itself. Thrombocytopenia is one of them. It is one of the most common extra hepatic manifestations of HCV infection, even in the absence of cirrhosis. So thrombocytopenia is one of the first lab manifestations to present in Hepatitis C infection. It is also a feature of many other viral infections like HIV and H pylori. It is important to rule out other causes as well. Besides viral infections autoimmune diseases, bacterial infections, DIC, TTP, malaria, HELLP syndrome, etc also cause low platelet count. KEYWORDS: Hepatitis C, Thrombocytopenia, Manifestations, Hypersplenism, Pathophysiology’s