Risk Factors and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C among Patients Hospitalized at Mulago Hospital, Uganda
Joint Authors
Alfred, A.
Opio, Kenneth
Paintsil, Elijah
Seremba, E.
Sofair, A. N.
Ocama, P.
O'Reilly, J. I.
Source
Issue
Vol. 2011, Issue 2011 (31 Dec. 2011), pp.1-6, 6 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2011-08-09
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
6
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
The emergence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and its associated sequelae in Africa is a cause for significant concern.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients are at an increased risk of contracting HCV infection due to similar risk factors and modes of transmission.
We investigated the seroprevalence of hepatitis C in hospitalized HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in Mulago Hospital, an academic hospital in Uganda.
Blood samples were first tested for HCV antibodies, and positive tests were confirmed with HCV RNA PCR.
We enrolled five hundred patients, half HIV-positive and half HIV negative.
Overall, 13/500 patients (2.6%) tested positive for HCV antibodies.
There was no difference in HCV antibody detection among HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.
Out of all risk factors examined, only an age greater than 50 years was associated with HCV infection.
Traditional risk factors for concurrent HIV and HCV transmission, such as intravenous drug use, were exceedingly rare in Uganda.
Only 3 of 13 patients with detectable HCV antibodies were confirmed by HCV RNA detection.
This result concurs with recent studies noting poor performance of HCV antibody testing when using African sera.
These tests should be validated in the local population before implementation.
American Psychological Association (APA)
O'Reilly, J. I.& Ocama, P.& Opio, Kenneth& Alfred, A.& Paintsil, Elijah& Seremba, E.…[et al.]. 2011. Risk Factors and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C among Patients Hospitalized at Mulago Hospital, Uganda. Journal of Tropical Medicine،Vol. 2011, no. 2011, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-483997
Modern Language Association (MLA)
O'Reilly, J. I.…[et al.]. Risk Factors and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C among Patients Hospitalized at Mulago Hospital, Uganda. Journal of Tropical Medicine No. 2011 (2011), pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-483997
American Medical Association (AMA)
O'Reilly, J. I.& Ocama, P.& Opio, Kenneth& Alfred, A.& Paintsil, Elijah& Seremba, E.…[et al.]. Risk Factors and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C among Patients Hospitalized at Mulago Hospital, Uganda. Journal of Tropical Medicine. 2011. Vol. 2011, no. 2011, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-483997
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-483997