Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Kogi State

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a chronic bloodborne disease associated with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, posing a substantial but underdiagnosed burden in North Central Nigeria. This study determines the prevalence of HCV infection among patients attending the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, using routinely collected clinical data. A retrospective cross-sectional study design will extract five years of HCV serological screening records (2019 to 2024) from the hospital laboratory database. Anti-HCV antibody positivity rates will be stratified by age, sex, ward type (medical, surgical, obstetric), and referral diagnosis. Confirmatory testing records using HCV RNA PCR will be reviewed where available. Statistical analysis will employ chi-square tests and odds ratios to identify factors associated with HCV seropositivity. National studies estimate HCV prevalence in Nigerian clinical populations at 3 to 10 percent, with higher rates reported among surgical patients who may have had blood transfusions before universal screening. Findings will characterise the burden of HCV at this facility and provide evidence for expanding screening protocols, particularly in pre-operative care. This research supports Kogi State's alignment with the World Health Organization's 2030 target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat, and informs the allocation of diagnostic and treatment resources in the state's tertiary health facilities. Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, prevalence, tertiary hospital, Kogi State, anti-HCV antibody