Frequency of Hepatitis B and C among Surgical Patients in a Teaching Hospital in Lahore: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47489/szmc.v40i1.866Keywords:
Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Patients, Surgical Procedures, Operative, Cross-Sectional Studies, frequencyAbstract
Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) are still predominant public health issues in Pakistan. This is a significant cause of liver disease and death. Patients who undergo surgical operations are at a higher risk, mainly because of blood exposure during the surgery and a lack of proper infection control in settings where resources are limited.
Objective: This research aimed to determine the frequency of HBV and HCV and their associations with socio-demographic and clinical factors such as residence, sex, marital status, and duration of hospital stay, among patients who underwent elective surgery at Pak Red Crescent Teaching Hospital, Lahore. Moreover, binary logistic regression was used to find out predictive factors for these infections.
Method: The study participants were 267 surgical patients admitted consecutively. Analysis was performed on 265 patients
with complete demographic data. It used a consecutive sampling approach. It extended from November 2024 to April 2025. The criteria for inclusion were age ?18 years, elective surgery scheduling, and complete preoperative records. In contrast, emergency cases, minors, incomplete files, and known hepatitis patients were excluded. Preoperative HBsAg and anti-HCV tests were conducted on all the patients. Hospital records were utilized to obtain the data. It was then analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. The study received approval from the Regional Ethics Committee (IRB No: 27/2025), and full patient anonymization was maintained.
Results: On average, participants' age was 40.7 years (SD ± 17.5); males accounted for 55.4%. The HBV rate was 0.7% (2 people; 95% CI: 0.1-2.5%). The HCV rate was 6.4% (17 people; 95% CI: 3.8-10.0%). These were devoid of co-infections. No tangible association was found between the infection and age, sex, residence, marital status, or hospital stay duration (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Although the rate of HBV infection was very minimal. The rate of HCV infection among surgical patients was moderate. Continuation of routine preoperative screening and strict adherence to infection control measures are still of utmost importance to protect both patients and health workers.
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