Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in a rural district in Egypt

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in a rural district in Egypt

Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the world. Screening of HCV during pregnancy is not as routinely done in Egypt compared with many other countries, although pregnancy is an important period where screening of HCV infection is important owing to low immunity, t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Tropical doctor Vol. 46; no. 1; p. 21
Main Authors: Khamis, Hossam Hassan, Farghaly, Azza Galal, Shatat, Hanan Zakaria, El-Ghitany, Engy Mohamed
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 01-01-2016
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Egypt - epidemiology
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Hepacivirus - immunology
Hepatitis C - diagnosis
Hepatitis C - epidemiology
Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood
Humans
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control
Middle Aged
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - diagnosis
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology
Prenatal Diagnosis
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Rural Population
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Young Adult
Egypt
prevalence
risk factors
HCV
pregnant women
Egypt
rural
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Summary:Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the world. Screening of HCV during pregnancy is not as routinely done in Egypt compared with many other countries, although pregnancy is an important period where screening of HCV infection is important owing to low immunity, the possibility of vertical transmission and possible horizontal transmission to the baby or other household contacts at a later stage. To determine the seroprevalence of HCV antibodies (HCV-Ab) and risk factors associated with infection among pregnant women in Egypt. A total of 360 pregnant women visiting the healthcare units for routine antenatal care were tested using third generation ELISA test for detection of HCV-Ab. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done for seropositive cases. A total of 6.1% (22/360) of pregnant women were HCV seropositive; of them only 45% (9/20) had viraemia. Risk factors were their age, the age of their husband and the presence of chronic liver disease in the husband. The prevalence of HCV infection in pregnant women in Egypt appears to be lower than previously reported. The detected risk factors are old age of the pregnant women and their husbands, and chronic liver disease in the husbands. None of the other known risk factors was found to be significantly associated with HCV infection in pregnant women.
ISSN:1758-1133
DOI:10.1177/0049475514561330