The Burden and Awareness of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among the Patient Attending OPD in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bihar

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence is believed to be elevated in Bihar, India; however, state-wide prevalence data are not available. An understanding of HCV prevalence, risk factors and genotype distribution can be used to plan control measures in Bihar. Material & Method: A prospective, OPD-based serosurvey was conducted from March-2024 to October-2024 at ANMMCH Gaya, Bihar. Children aged >=5 years and adults were eligible to participate. Demographic and risk behavior data were collected, and serological specimens were obtained and tested for anti-HCV antibody. Result: 8767 OPD patients participated in the study shows anti-HCV prevalence of 0.27%. Anti-HCV positivity was most prevalent in the 40–49 year-old and 30–39 year-old age groups (33.33% and 25.0% respectively). Sex wise distribution shows that there was slight male preponderance (58%). Out of total number of positive cases (24), 14 (58.33%) were males and 10 (41.66%) were females. Among all positive cases having a history of Diabetes, tuberculosis, Chronic Renal Failure and Cancer were 3.15%, 3.94%, 0.79% and 0.79% respectively. Conclusion: The study findings, including the overall prevalence of chronic HCV infection, associated risk factors and demographic characteristics can guide prevention and control efforts, including treatment provision. In addition to high-risk populations, efforts targeting rural areas and adults aged would be the most effective for identifying infected individuals.