title: HCV-related morbidity in a rural community of Egypt.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mostafa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bakr
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Hoseiny
authors.forename: Naglaa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arafa
authors.forename: Abubakr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Soheir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Attala
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rekacewicz
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zalata
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hamid
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esmat
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fontanet
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012556:Schistosomicides; D000966:Antimony Potassium Tartrate; D000410:Alanine Transaminase