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Clinical Trial
. 2021 Feb 8;16(2):e0246836.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246836. eCollection 2021.

Hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors among patients and health-care workers of Ain Shams University hospitals, Cairo, Egypt

Wagida A Anwar  1 , Maha El Gaafary  1 , Samia A Girgis  2 , Mona Rafik  2 , Wafaa M Hussein  1 , Dalia Sos  1 , Isis M Mossad  1 , Arnaud Fontanet  3   4 , Laura Temime  4   5
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors among patients and health-care workers of Ain Shams University hospitals, Cairo, Egypt

Wagida A Anwar et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Hospitals are suspected of playing a key role in HCV epidemic dynamics in Egypt. This work aimed at assessing HCV prevalence and associated risk factors in patients and health-care workers (HCWs) of Ain Shams University (ASU) hospitals in Cairo.

Methods: We included 500 patients admitted to the internal medicine or surgery hospital from February to July, 2017, as well as 50 HCWs working in these same hospitals. Participants were screened for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. A questionnaire was administered to collect data on demographic characteristics and medical/surgical history. For HCWs, questions on occupational exposures and infection control practices were also included.

Results: The overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 19.80% (95% CI: 16.54-23.52) among participating patients, and 8.00% (95% CI: 0.48-15.52) among participating HCWs. In HCWs, the only risk factors significantly associated with anti-HCV antibodies were age and profession, with higher prevalence in older HCWs and those working as cleaners or porters. In patients, in a multivariate logistic regression, age over 50 (aOR: 3.4 [1.9-5.8]), living outside Cairo (aOR: 2.1 [1.2-3.4]), admission for liver or gastro-intestinal complaints (aOR: 4.2 [1.8-9.9]), and history of receiving parenteral anti-schistosomiasis treatment (aOR: 2.7 [1.2-5.9]) were found associated with anti-HCV antibodies.

Conclusions: While HCV prevalence among patients has decreased since the last survey performed within ASU hospitals in 2008, it is still significantly higher than in the general population. These results may help better control further HCV spread within healthcare settings in Egypt by identifying at-risk patient profiles upon admission.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Treatment course of patients who received a previous diagnosis of HCV.
* Of the 48 patients with previous HCV diagnosis, 43 (89.58%) tested positive for anti HCV in the current study.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies by sex and age groups among participating patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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