Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among patients with leprosy in several African countries and the Yemen.
The prevalence of anti-HCV was determined in 1,309 leprosy patients and a control group of 1,469 subjects from 6 sub-Saharan African countries and the Yemen. Sera found positive by an initial second generation ELISA were subjected to 3 additional confirmatory tests. The anti-HCV prevalence in leprosy patients (7.1%) was significantly higher than in the control group (2.6%). HCV seroprevalence increased with age in both the control and leprosy groups. No statistically significant difference could be found between anti-HCV prevalence and the several clinical forms of leprosy among patients. The results of this study indicate a high degree of exposure or chronic carriage of hepatitis C among leprosy patients.
Denis
F
F
Département de Bactériologie-Virologie, CHU Dupuytren, Limoges, France.
Aussel
L
L
Ranger
S
S
Martin
P
P
Itoua-N'Gaporo
A
A
Frommel
D
D
Teckle-Haimanot
R T
RT
Sangare
A
A
M'Boup
S
S
Millan
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000367:Age Factors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D015006:Yemen / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies