title: Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in Saudi and expatriate women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Six of 511 (1.17%) parturient Saudi females were positive for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), while one of 171 (0.58%) expatriate female nurses tested positive for the antibody. The prevalence of 1.17% in Saudis compares with 1.2% among pregnant women in Spain, while none of the 40 pregnant women screened in England tested positive for anti-HCV. Antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen in the same sample from Saudi women were positive in 24.6%. Judging by the low prevalence of its antibody, HCV is not as highly endemic as hepatitis B virus (HBV) in this population.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, and Central Laboratory and Maternity and Children Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Fakunle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Mofarreh
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Ghreimil
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Idrees
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: El-Drees
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Al-Karamany
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Ezzat