title: [Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in pregnant woman on the island of Réunion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this prospective study was to assess the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies in a population of pregnant women in Réunion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 6-month period, all blood samples of pregnant women who delivered at a hospital in the south of Réunion were tested with a third generation enzyme-linked immunoassay. In addition, risk factors for hepatitis C transmission were systematically looked for.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1,455 women tested during this period, only 2 sera were found to be positive, resulting in a prevalence of 0.14%. One of these women had a history of intravenous drug use, whereas the other had no identified risk factor. This low prevalence was found to be associated with a low frequency of risk factors of C virus infection in this population: a history of transfusion and intravenous drug use was found in 2.9% and 0.21% of cases, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection is particularly low in Réunion. This low prevalence is explained by the rarity of risk factors for hepatitis C transmission in this region which is close to the African continent and has a similar high prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Sud Réunion, Saint-Pierre.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Faulques
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michault
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sevidjian
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barau
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pawlotsky
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dhumeaux
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*; D017508:Reunion; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
vernacular_title: Prévalence de l'infection virale C chez les femmes enceintes à l'île de la Réunion.