title: [Seroprevalence of HCV in the general population of Niger and in patients with chronic liver diseases: comparison of different second generation tests and PCR].
abstract: The aim of our study in Niger was to compare the seroprevalence of hepatitis C in a rural "normal" population and in a group of patients presenting at the hospital with signs of chronic liver disease: to estimate this seroprevalence, we used 4 second generation ELISA screening and 3 confirmatory tests (LIA, RIBA and PCR); genotyping was performed on PCR positive sera, using Inno-LIPA HCV. We could not find a statistically significant difference (Fisher's exact test) between the two groups of healthy and sick people (2.5 versus 5.4% for seroprevalence and 2.5 versus 3.2% for viremia). Our study didn't find any relationship between hepatitis C infection, blood transfusion or surgery; other major ways of transmission of hepatitis C have to be considered. The predominant genotype detected was 2a.
authors.affiliation: Ministère de la santé publique, Niamey, Niger.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Groof
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michielsen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassane
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leyssens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pelckmans
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D009548:Niger; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012424:Rural Population
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies