Abstract
Objectives
Algeria is the largest country of Africa, peopled with populations living a range of traditional/rural and modern/urban lifestyles. The variations of prevalence of chronic active hepatitis care poorly known on the Algerian territory.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective survey on all patients (n = 998)referred to our institution in 2012 and confirmed by us for an active hepatitis C. Half of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolates were genotyped.
Results
Forty Algerian regions out of the 48 were represented in our study. Three geographical clusters (Aïn-Temouchent/SidiBelAbbes, Algiers, and a large Eastern region) with an excess of active hepatitis C were observed. Patients coming from the Eastern cluster (Batna, Khenchela, Oum el Bouaghi and Tebessa) were strongly over-represented (49% of cases, OR = 14.5, p < 0.0001). The hallmarks of Eastern region were an excess of women (65 vs 46% in the remaining population, P < 0.0001) and the almost exclusive presence of HCV genotype 1 (93vs 63%, P = 0.0001). The core of the epidemics was apparently located in Khenchela (odds ratio = 24.6, P < 0.0001). This situation is plausibly connected with nosocomial transmission or traditional practices as scarification (Hijama), piercing or tattooing, very lively in this region.
In conclusion, distinct hepatitis C epidemics are currently affecting Algerian population. The most worrying situation is observed in rural regions located east of Algeria. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
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