Association of hepatitis C virus infection and diabetes in central Tunisia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence in Tunisian patients with diabetes mellitus and in a control group.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the HCV seroprevalence in 1269 patients with diabetes (452 male, 817 female) and 1315 non-diabetic patients, attending health centers in Sousse, Tunisia. HCV screening was performed in both groups using a fourth-generation enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
In the diabetic group, 17 (1.3%) were found to be HCV-infected compared with eight (0.6%) in the control group, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.057). Quantitative PCR was performed in 20 patients. Eleven patients were positive and showed HCV genotype 1b in all cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Frequency of HCV antibodies was low in patients with diabetes and in the control group in central Tunisia, with no significant difference between the groups.
Kaabia
Naoufel
N
Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Unit of Research, University Hospital Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Ben Jazia
Elhem
E
Slim
Ines
I
Fodha
Imen
I
Hachfi
Wissem
W
Gaha
Rafika
R
Khalifa
Mabrouk
M
Hadj Kilani
Aoutef
A
Trabelsi
Halim
H
Abdelaziz
Ahmed
A
Bahri
Fethi
F
Letaief
Amel
A
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies