01718nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001653001200042653001900054653000800073653000800081653001000089653001600099653000900115653001000124100002200134700001400156700001300170700001700183700001300200700001500213245010900228856005100337300001400388490000700402520103100409       2017                            d10aleprosy10aHansen disease10aHCV10aHBV10aHbsAg10aRisk groups10aNLEP10aIndia1 aSaleem-Ur-Rehman 1 aKadri S M1 aRehana K1 aGergianaki I1 aAhmad DF1 aAbdullah A00aLeprosy and Hepatitis C co-infection:Epidemiological data from the Leprosarium, Srinagar, Kashmir, India  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/article/88/2/22-7236  a227–2360 v883 a<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> Leprosy early diagnosis and appropriate management remains a challenge, especially in low-source settings. Among other risk factors, viral coinfections’ role in the pathogenesis and clinical outcomes are not fully explored.<br />
<strong>Objectives:</strong> To investigate a possible outbreak and examine the co-occurrence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Indian leprosy patients followed at the Leprosarium, Srinagar, Kashmir, India.<br />
<strong>Results:</strong> Out of the 187 blood samples, 79 patients followed at the leprosy hospital of Srinagar, Kashmir, India and 108 healthy controls dwellers of the leprosy colony. In total 36 patients with leprosy were found with hepatitis C seropositivity corresponding to a 45·5% (28·2% to 49·7% CI 95%). They were 26 males and 10 females, with a mean age 62·5 (^11·8) years and 66·6 (^10·9) years respectively. Further, all women had negative HBsAg and only one male had positive HBsAg test (1·2%).</p>