Abstract

A cross-sectional study was made of the prevalence of HCV and associated risk factors in 382 multitransfused patients and haemodialysis staff in Yadz province in 2006. Of those tested for anti-HCV antibodies, 50.6 of patients with inherited bleeding disorders, 11.8 with thalassaemia and 5.0 undergoing haemodialysis were seropositive. First transfusion before 1996 (when blood donor screening started) was the common risk factor associated with HCV infection. Only 1/52 haemodialysis staff members was HCV infected (an intravenous drug user). Infection control measures were poor in all centres. In patients with inherited bleeding disorders genotype 1 (65.0) was the predominant followed by genotype 3 (35.0). The results provide evidence that blood donor screening and use of virus-inactivated factor concentrates have lowered the risk of HCV infection among multi-transfused patients.