bc556b61902ae3de06-63c5 20240702091320553 sayedhussain.mosawi@ghalib.edu.af:6ukb sayedhussain.mosawi@ghalib.edu.af WEB-FORM Afghanistan Journal of Infectious Diseases AJID 29596491 10.60141/1 https://www.ajid.ghalib.edu.af/index.php/ajid 07 01 2024 07 01 2024 2 2 10.60141/AJID/V.2.I.2 https://www.ajid.ghalib.edu.af/index.php/ajid/issue/view/11 Research Center, Razi Institute of Higher Education, Kabul, Afghanistan Ehsan Ahadi Mohammad Shahreyar Research Center, Razi Institute of Higher Education, Kabul, Afghanistan Sayed Jawad Asghari Research Center, Razi Institute of Higher Education, Kabul, Afghanistan Naseer Ahmad Arghandabi Research Center, Razi Institute of Higher Education, Kabul, Afghanistan Murtaza Haidary Medical Research and Technology Center, Khatam Al- Nabieen University, Kabul, Afghanistan Introduction: Understanding the prevalence and distribution of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is crucial for the development of effective prevention and control strategies, given its significant impact on global public health. The objective of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of HCV among blood donors in Kabul and assess the possible gender-based variations in infection rates. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed blood donor records from the central blood bank in Kabul, including both male and female donors, from January to December 2023. HCV screening was performed using ELISA testing, and the data were analyzed using SPSS to determine HCV prevalence and investigate gender-based differences in infection rates. Results: In this study, 59 out of 15,080 individuals (0.39%) tested positive for HCV infection. Among the HCV-positive cases, 81.5% were male and 18.6% were female. The majority of infected males (64.4%) were in the 30-39 age range. A significant proportion of HCV-positive patients had no formal education (69.5%) and were unemployed (61.0%). Additionally, the majority of HCV-positive patients reported a low monthly income (66.1%). Discussion: The study found a low prevalence of HCV infection (0.39%) among the participants, with the highest rates observed in the 30-39 age group. Socioeconomic factors, such as lack of education, unemployment, and low income, were associated with HCV infection. Targeted interventions are needed to address gender disparities, age-specific risks, and socioeconomic determinants to improve prevention and control strategies for HCV in Kabul's blood donor population and enhance overall population health. 07 01 2024 07 01 2024 27 34 10.60141/AJID/V.2.I.2/4 https://www.ajid.ghalib.edu.af/index.php/ajid/article/view/60