title: Eastern region represents a worrying cluster of active hepatitis C in Algeria in 2012.
abstract: Algeria is the largest country of Africa, peopled with populations living a range of traditional/rural and modern/urban lifestyles. The variations of prevalence of chronic active hepatitis care poorly known on the Algerian territory. We conducted a retrospective survey on all patients (n = 998) referred to our institution in 2012 and confirmed by us for an active hepatitis C. Half of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolates were genotyped. Forty Algerian regions out of the 48 were represented in our study. Three geographical clusters (Aïn-Temouchent/SidiBelAbbes, Algiers, and a large Eastern region) with an excess of active hepatitis C were observed. Patients coming from the Eastern cluster (Batna, Khenchela, Oum el Bouaghi, and Tebessa) were strongly over-represented (49% of cases, OR = 14.5, P < 0.0001). The hallmarks of Eastern region were an excess of women (65% vs. 46% in the remaining population, P < 0.0001) and the almost exclusive presence of HCV genotype 1 (93% vs. 63%, P = 0.0001). The core of the epidemics was apparently located in Khenchela (odds ratio = 24.6, P < 0.0001). This situation is plausibly connected with nosocomial transmission or traditional practices as scarification (Hijama), piercing or tattooing, very lively in this region. Distinct hepatitis C epidemics are currently affecting Algerian population. The most worrying situation is observed in rural regions located east of Algeria. J. Med. Virol. 88:1394-1403, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors: Laboratoire des Hépatites Virales, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Sidi Fredj, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Aïcha
authors: A
authors: Bensalem
authors: Laboratoire des Hépatites Virales, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Sidi Fredj, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Karima
authors: K
authors: Selmani
authors: Laboratoire des Hépatites Virales, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Sidi Fredj, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Narjes
authors: N
authors: Hihi
authors: Laboratoire des Hépatites Virales, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Sidi Fredj, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Nesrine
authors: N
authors: Bencherifa
authors: Laboratoire des Hépatites Virales, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Sidi Fredj, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Fatma
authors: F
authors: Mostefaoui
authors: Laboratoire des Hépatites Virales, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Sidi Fredj, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Cherif
authors: C
authors: Kerioui
authors: Unité « Organisation nucléaire et oncogenèse », INSERM U993, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Pineau
authors: Service d'Hépatologie, CHU Mustapha Bacha, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Nabil
authors: N
authors: Debzi
authors: Service de Gastro-entérologie, CHU Mustapha Bacha, Algiers, Algeria.
authors: Saadi
authors: S
authors: Berkane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Algeria; clusters; genotype1b; hepatitis C virus; women