Hepatitis C virus infection among paediatric patients attending university of assiut hospital, Egypt

Abstract

Few studies have evaluated the epidemiology and risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children in Egypt. This study of 465 children attending Assiut University Hospital measured the rates of anti-HCV positivity by 3rd-generation ELISA test and of HCV-RNA positivity by PCR, with analysis of some relevant risk factors. The rate of HCV-RNA positivity among ELISA-positive cases (n = 121) was 72.2% overall: 100% in the subgroup with hepatitis, 70.8% in those with a history of multiple transfusions and 58.3% in those without hepatitis or multiple transfusions. History of blood transfusions, frequent injections, hospitalization or surgical procedures were significant risk factors for anti-HCV positivity by ELISA.