HCV-related morbidity in a rural community of Egypt.
The origin of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic in Egypt has been attributed to intravenous schistosomiasis treatment in rural areas in the 1960s to 70s. The objective of this study was to estimate the HCV-related morbidity in a rural area where mass schistosomiasis treatment campaigns took place 20-40 years before. The study sample included 2,425 village residents aged 18-65 years recruited through home-based visits. Overall, HCV antibody prevalence was 448/2,425 = 18.5% (95% CI = 16.9-20.1%), reaching 45% in males over 40 years, and 30% in females over 50 years. Of those with HCV antibodies, 284/448 (63.4%, 95% CI = 58.7-67.9%) had chronic HCV infection, among which 107/266 (40.2%, 95% CI = 34.3-46.4%) had elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). As part of pre-treatment screening, 26 consenting patients had a liver biopsy: 13 (50.0%) had a treatment indication. Thus, of all patients with HCV antibodies, 13 (2.9%) were eligible for treatment and willing to be treated. The relatively low level of morbidity observed in this study is discussed in view of co-factors of HCV infection progression, such as young age at infection, absence of alcohol intake, the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection, and the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B.
Mohamed
Mostafa K
MK
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Bakr
Iman
I
El-Hoseiny
Mostafa
M
Arafa
Naglaa
N
Hassan
Abubakr
A
Ismail
Soheir
S
Anwar
Mohamed
M
Attala
Mohamed
M
Rekacewicz
Claire
C
Zalata
Khaled
K
Abdel-Hamid
Mohamed
M
Esmat
Gamal
G
Fontanet
Arnaud
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000966:Antimony Potassium Tartrate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000517:prevention & control; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012556:Schistosomicides; D000966:Antimony Potassium Tartrate; D000410:Alanine Transaminase