en عمومى General پژوهشي Original article <p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p></p> <p><strong>Background:</strong> Many individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are asymptomatic, population-based serologic studies are needed to estimate the prevalence of &nbsp;infection which will help to take necessary procedures for prevension and control the disease.This study was conducted to find out the prevalence, of HCV infection among patients refering to the &nbsp;hospital care in rafsanjan, Iran.</p> <p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 940 blood samples (430&nbsp; males and 510 females) were received and &nbsp;screened for hepatitis C infection during December 2015 to December 2016. After separation of serum from blood samples in local laboratory, All samples were tested for HCV Ag by ELISA tests. and Liver enzymes [Alkalin Phosphatase (ALP), Alanine aminotrans&shy;ferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] were determined using biochemical procedures.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Among 940 collected samples, 18 (1.91%) were positive for HCV Ab. Among the positive ones HCV hepatitis was more prevalent ,in male patients, than the females. The prevalence rates of HCV &nbsp;in male was 3.72% and 0.39% for female. Results related to age showed that higher rate of infection in 20-29 years old (%26.59), and the lowest was in the &nbsp;above 80 years old group (0.31%). Of the three enzymes,only ALP was significantly higher than the control group (P=0.003).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> the prevalence of HCV in Rafsanjan was at an increasing rate. Findings from the current study will be helpful for the better management and control of viral hepatitis C infection.</p> Prevalence, Epidemiology, Hepatitis C 26 30 http://journal.isv.org.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-121-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Maryam Fatemipour mfatemip@gmail.com 10031947532846003068 10031947532846003068 No Department of Bactriology & Virology, University of Medical Bahareh Fatemipour drfatemib@gmail.com 10031947532846003069 10031947532846003069 Yes . Aliebne Abitaleb Hospital,University of Medical Sciences of Rafsanjan,Iran Seyed Mehdi Vahedi drsmvahedi@gmail.com 10031947532846003070 10031947532846003070 No University of Medical Sciences of Kerman,Iran Mahmood Shamsisharabadi mfatemip@gmail.com 10031947532846003071 10031947532846003071 No Virology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran