High prevalence of hepatitis C in Egyptian patients with chronic liver disease.
The highest prevalence rates of hepatitis C virus infection in the world have been recently reported among Egyptian blood donors and frequent recipients of transfusions and other blood products. This is the first report, however, demonstrating hepatitis C as the most frequent association with chronic liver disease in Egypt. Of 1023 patients referred to the Liver Institute in Menoufia governorate for evaluation of chronic liver disease, 752 (73.5%) had antibodies to hepatitis C compared with 168 (16.4%) with hepatitis B surface antigen. Hepatitis C antibody was more common in patients with active schistosomiasis and patients without hepatitis B surface antigenaemia. Of 100 patients having liver biopsies, histological findings consistent with chronic viral hepatitis or its complications were found in 89 and antibody to hepatitis C was present in 75 (84.3%) of these patients with chronic hepatitis, active cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. These data pointing to the importance of hepatitis C as a cause of chronic liver disease in Egypt emphasise the necessity of studies delineating its routes of transmission in this country.
Waked
I A
IA
Department of Medicine, Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shibin El Kom, Egypt.
Saleh
S M
SM
Moustafa
M S
MS
Raouf
A A
AA
Thomas
D L
DL
Strickland
G T
GT
D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies