Incidence and risk factors for community-acquired hepatitis C infection from birth to 5 years of age in rural Egyptian children |
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Authors: | Doa’a A Saleh Samer S El-Kamary Alif Allam Nabiel Mikhail Mohamed Hashem Sonia K Stoszek |
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Institution: | a Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt b Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA c National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shibin El Kom, Egypt d National Hepatology & Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt e Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Minya University, Minya, Egypt f Biostatistics and Cancer Epidemiology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt |
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Abstract: | A prospective study in three Egyptian villages (A, B and C) having a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection examined incidence of community-acquired HCV infection in children; 2852 uninfected infants were prospectively followed from birth for up to 5.5 years. Fifteen seroconverted for either HCV antibodies and/or HCV-RNA (incidence of 0.53%). Ten had both anti-HCV and HCV-RNA; four had only anti-HCV; and one had HCV-RNA in the absence of antibody. The incidence rate at all ages was 2.7/1000 person-years (PY). It was 3.8/1000 PY during infancy and 2.0/1000 PY for the 1-5-years age group. Hospitalization and low birth weight increased the risk of infection; while living in village B, the family having a higher socioeconomic status, and advanced maternal education were protective. Six of eight HCV-infected infants reported iatrogenic exposures (e.g. hospitalization, therapeutic injections, ear piercing) prior to infection whereas only 2/7 children older than 1 year reported these exposures. Having an HCV-positive mother was the only other reported risk in two of these older children. The virus cleared in six (40%) children by the end of follow-up. Health education targeting iatrogenic exposures and focusing on risk factors could reduce HCV infection in children in high-risk populations. |
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Keywords: | Hepatitis C Children Incidence Risk factors Rural community Egypt |
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