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Epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa

Valsa Madhava1, Christine Burgess, Ernest Drucker

  • 1Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York 10467, USA. vmadhava@montefiore.org

The Lancet. Infectious Diseases
|June 14, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health concern, with Sub-Saharan Africa showing high prevalence. Further investigation into iatrogenic transmission routes is crucial due to low sexual transmission and infrequent IV drug use.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.
  • An estimated 170 million people globally are chronically infected.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa faces a significant HCV burden, exacerbated by a concurrent HIV epidemic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and estimate the prevalence of HCV in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • To identify regional variations in HCV prevalence within Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • To highlight potential transmission routes requiring further investigation.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of published literature on HCV prevalence in Africa.
  • Estimation of overall and regional HCV prevalence rates.
  • Analysis of transmission factors in the Sub-Saharan African context.

Main Results:

  • Consistent evidence of high HCV prevalence across many African countries was found.
  • The estimated overall HCV prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa is 3.0%.
  • Central Africa shows the highest prevalence (6%), followed by West Africa (2.4%), and Southern/East Africa (1.6%).

Conclusions:

  • HCV remains a significant public health issue in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Substantial regional disparities in HCV prevalence exist within the continent.
  • Iatrogenic transmission is a likely significant factor, necessitating further evaluation given low rates of sexual and parenteral (drug use) transmission.

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