title: Seroprevalence of HCV among Cairo University students in Egypt.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly prevalent in Egypt. This work aimed at determining the seroprevalence of HCV among Cairo University students. The present study included 3,000 students from Cairo University, Egypt. Blood sample was obtained from each participant to be tested for HCV seromarker. HCV RNA detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out for those with positive anti-HCV. Overall prevalence rate of HCV antibody (anti-HCV) was 4.6%. It showed that the prevalence was relatively higher among females (86/1660; 5.2%) while males (51/1340; 3.8%) with no significant difference. PCR for HCV RNA was detected in 31.4% of the HCV antibody positive subjects (43/137). Which showed statistical significant difference between males (29/51) and females (14/86) at P = 0.001. Despite the prevalence rate reported in the present study was similar to anti-HCV prevalence among persons in the same age group, confirmed that HCV infection is detected among Cairo University students. J. Med. Virol. 88:1384-1387, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esmat
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Maissa El
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Raziky
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohammed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nabeel
authors.affiliation: Fellow of Tropical Medicine, Cairo University Student Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rabab
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zakaria
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: HCV (hepatitis C virus); PCR (polymerase chain reaction); anti-HCV; prevalence