Seroprevalence survey of Egyptian tourism workers for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and Treponema pallidum infections: association of hepatitis C virus infections with specific regions of Egypt

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 55; no. 2; p. 179
• Main Authors: el-Sayed, N M, Gomatos, P J, Rodier, G R, Wierzba, T F, Darwish, A, Khashaba, S, Arthur, R R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-08-1996
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Egypt - epidemiology; Female; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood; HIV Antibodies - blood; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Residence Characteristics; Risk Factors; Rural Population; Surveys and Questionnaires; Syphilis - epidemiology; Syphilis Serodiagnosis; Travel; Egypt; Measurement; Public Health; Prevalence; Egypt; Viral Diseases; Biology; Infections; Research Methodology; Epidemiology; Hepatitis; Reproductive Tract Infections; Syphilis; Research Report; Behavior; Northern Africa; Arab Countries; Health; Risk Factors; Africa; Hiv Infections; Mediterranean Countries; Diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Health Surveys; Developing Countries; Travel And Tourism
• ISSN: 0002-9637
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1996.55.179

Blood samples from 740 Egyptian Nationals working in the tourism industry at two sites in the South Sinai governorate were screened for markers of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Treponema pallidum. Study subjects included 467 individuals from a rural seashore tourist village and 273 persons at two hotels in a well-established resort town. Subjects' ages ranged from 15 to 70 years; 99.3% were male. The prevalence of serologic markers for currently asymptomatic or past HBV infection alone was 20.7% (n = 153), of markers for past or chronic HCV infection alone was 7.4% (n = 55), and of markers for both HBV and HCV was 6.9% (n = 51). Of the 204 individuals positive for anti-HBV core antibody, 12 (5.9%) were also positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Two individuals (0.3%) had a serologic market suggestive of an active syphilitic infection. No subject was found to be HIV-seropositive. History of prior injections and number of injections were associated with infection with HCV. Primary residence in the Nile delta and valley areas where schistosomiasis is highly endemic, was also a statistically significant risk factor for HCV, but not HBV infection.