Hepatitis C virus infection among healthy Egyptian children: prevalence and risk factors

[Guest guest]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x/abstract

Hepatitis C virus infection among healthy Egyptian children: prevalence and risk

factors

Sana H. Barakat1, Nahla El-Bashir2

Article first published online: 24 JAN 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x

© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Issue

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Early View (Articles online in advance of print)

Summary.  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify

the risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among healthy Egyptian

children. A representative random sample of 500 children, age between 6 and 15

years, was selected from 10 schools in andria, Egypt. A questionnaire was

used to collect demographic data and potential risk factors, while blood samples

were collected and analyzed for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Positive sera were

further confirmed by HCV-RNA. HCV seroprevalence of 5.8% was found, with HCV

viraemia in 75% of the studied children. The prevalence of anti-HCV increased

with age from 0% in children aged 6–7 years to 16% in those of 15 years old.

It was also shown that history of previous blood transfusion (odds ratio[OR] =

34.8, 95% CI = 4.39–272.95), intravenous injections (OR = 4.68, 1.89–11.59),

surgical intervention (OR = 5.64, 2.55–12.52), dental treatment (OR = 6.81,

2.64–17.39), injection (OR = 2.29, 1.08–4.89) and circumcision for boys by

informal health care providers (OR = 2.6, 1.0–6.73), age above 10 years (OR =

6.83, 2.44–19.07), very low socioeconomic class (OR = 5.92, 1.3–25.2) and

rural area residence (OR = 2.49,1.61–5.29) are the most significant risk

factors for HCV infection. Adjusting for all other risk factors by multivariate

logistic regression analysis, it has been shown that blood transfusion, surgical

procedures, dental treatment, and age above 10 years are still significant risk

factors associated with anti-HCV (P < 0.05). The current study reveals the

extremely high HCV seroprevalence among Egyptian children. This mandates

immediate preventive strategies to limit further HCV spread.

[Guest guest]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x/abstract

Hepatitis C virus infection among healthy Egyptian children: prevalence and risk

factors

Sana H. Barakat1, Nahla El-Bashir2

Article first published online: 24 JAN 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x

© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Issue

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Early View (Articles online in advance of print)

Summary.  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify

the risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among healthy Egyptian

children. A representative random sample of 500 children, age between 6 and 15

years, was selected from 10 schools in andria, Egypt. A questionnaire was

used to collect demographic data and potential risk factors, while blood samples

were collected and analyzed for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Positive sera were

further confirmed by HCV-RNA. HCV seroprevalence of 5.8% was found, with HCV

viraemia in 75% of the studied children. The prevalence of anti-HCV increased

with age from 0% in children aged 6–7 years to 16% in those of 15 years old.

It was also shown that history of previous blood transfusion (odds ratio[OR] =

34.8, 95% CI = 4.39–272.95), intravenous injections (OR = 4.68, 1.89–11.59),

surgical intervention (OR = 5.64, 2.55–12.52), dental treatment (OR = 6.81,

2.64–17.39), injection (OR = 2.29, 1.08–4.89) and circumcision for boys by

informal health care providers (OR = 2.6, 1.0–6.73), age above 10 years (OR =

6.83, 2.44–19.07), very low socioeconomic class (OR = 5.92, 1.3–25.2) and

rural area residence (OR = 2.49,1.61–5.29) are the most significant risk

factors for HCV infection. Adjusting for all other risk factors by multivariate

logistic regression analysis, it has been shown that blood transfusion, surgical

procedures, dental treatment, and age above 10 years are still significant risk

factors associated with anti-HCV (P < 0.05). The current study reveals the

extremely high HCV seroprevalence among Egyptian children. This mandates

immediate preventive strategies to limit further HCV spread.

[Guest guest]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x/abstract

Hepatitis C virus infection among healthy Egyptian children: prevalence and risk

factors

Sana H. Barakat1, Nahla El-Bashir2

Article first published online: 24 JAN 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x

© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Issue

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Early View (Articles online in advance of print)

Summary.  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify

the risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among healthy Egyptian

children. A representative random sample of 500 children, age between 6 and 15

years, was selected from 10 schools in andria, Egypt. A questionnaire was

used to collect demographic data and potential risk factors, while blood samples

were collected and analyzed for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Positive sera were

further confirmed by HCV-RNA. HCV seroprevalence of 5.8% was found, with HCV

viraemia in 75% of the studied children. The prevalence of anti-HCV increased

with age from 0% in children aged 6–7 years to 16% in those of 15 years old.

It was also shown that history of previous blood transfusion (odds ratio[OR] =

34.8, 95% CI = 4.39–272.95), intravenous injections (OR = 4.68, 1.89–11.59),

surgical intervention (OR = 5.64, 2.55–12.52), dental treatment (OR = 6.81,

2.64–17.39), injection (OR = 2.29, 1.08–4.89) and circumcision for boys by

informal health care providers (OR = 2.6, 1.0–6.73), age above 10 years (OR =

6.83, 2.44–19.07), very low socioeconomic class (OR = 5.92, 1.3–25.2) and

rural area residence (OR = 2.49,1.61–5.29) are the most significant risk

factors for HCV infection. Adjusting for all other risk factors by multivariate

logistic regression analysis, it has been shown that blood transfusion, surgical

procedures, dental treatment, and age above 10 years are still significant risk

factors associated with anti-HCV (P < 0.05). The current study reveals the

extremely high HCV seroprevalence among Egyptian children. This mandates

immediate preventive strategies to limit further HCV spread.

[Guest guest]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x/abstract

Hepatitis C virus infection among healthy Egyptian children: prevalence and risk

factors

Sana H. Barakat1, Nahla El-Bashir2

Article first published online: 24 JAN 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01381.x

© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Issue

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Early View (Articles online in advance of print)

Summary.  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify

the risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among healthy Egyptian

children. A representative random sample of 500 children, age between 6 and 15

years, was selected from 10 schools in andria, Egypt. A questionnaire was

used to collect demographic data and potential risk factors, while blood samples

were collected and analyzed for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Positive sera were

further confirmed by HCV-RNA. HCV seroprevalence of 5.8% was found, with HCV

viraemia in 75% of the studied children. The prevalence of anti-HCV increased

with age from 0% in children aged 6–7 years to 16% in those of 15 years old.

It was also shown that history of previous blood transfusion (odds ratio[OR] =

34.8, 95% CI = 4.39–272.95), intravenous injections (OR = 4.68, 1.89–11.59),

surgical intervention (OR = 5.64, 2.55–12.52), dental treatment (OR = 6.81,

2.64–17.39), injection (OR = 2.29, 1.08–4.89) and circumcision for boys by

informal health care providers (OR = 2.6, 1.0–6.73), age above 10 years (OR =

6.83, 2.44–19.07), very low socioeconomic class (OR = 5.92, 1.3–25.2) and

rural area residence (OR = 2.49,1.61–5.29) are the most significant risk

factors for HCV infection. Adjusting for all other risk factors by multivariate

logistic regression analysis, it has been shown that blood transfusion, surgical

procedures, dental treatment, and age above 10 years are still significant risk

factors associated with anti-HCV (P < 0.05). The current study reveals the

extremely high HCV seroprevalence among Egyptian children. This mandates

immediate preventive strategies to limit further HCV spread.