A case-control analysis on epidemiological correlates of hepatitis C infection from a tertiary care hospital

Dear Editor, The article titled “Epidemiological correlates of hepatitis C infection—A case control analysis from a tertiary care hospital,” published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care in May 2022, highlights the different risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the state of Punjab.[1] The study is well researched, well designed, and provides in-depth details and understanding of the different variables and socio-demographic profiles of HCV-infected patients presenting at the tertiary care hospital in Ludhiana, Punjab. In my opinion, the most important aspect of the study is the enrollment of controls matched for age, gender, and residence of the cases. This is extremely important for providing comprehensive and detailed comparative results between patients versus controls. The picture with respect to the risk factors for HCV acquisition in the general population becomes much clearer with such a comparative study. Appropriate statistical tests have been applied for drawing various associations, correlations, and observations for the studied factors with excellent interpretations and conclusions. Injection drug use (IDU) is a menace not only in Punjab but all over India and the globe.[2] The current report aptly states IDU as a significant risk factor for HCV infection and the resulting uneven distribution of prevalence worldwide. The authors suggest that an early linkage of injection drug users with primary care providers will help in diagnosis and management of HCV infection in this vulnerable and high-risk group of people. Apart from IDU, the study recognized history of blood transfusion, dental procedure, and intravenous injection/infusion from quacks, tattooing, and piercing as major risk factors for acquisition and transmission of hepatitis C infection. Particularly, when such procedures are performed by non-professionals using unsterilized equipment, the risk of spreading HCV infection increases. To conclude, this study states the ongoing scenario for HCV infection acquisition and spread in hospital setting and in general population. The study also provides solutions and measures that can be practiced for tackling HCV infection. With well-placed interventional strategies, we can achieve elimination of HCV infection by 2030, as aimed by World Health Organization.[3] Author Contributions VS: Concepts, design, definition of intellectual content, investigation, manuscript writing, and so on. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

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