Risk Factors and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C among Patients Hospitalized at Mulago Hospital, Uganda

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) emergence in Africa is concerning.
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals face higher HCV risk due to shared transmission routes.
• Understanding HCV prevalence in vulnerable populations is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hospitalized HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in Uganda.
• To assess the association between HIV status and HCV infection.
• To identify risk factors for HCV infection in this population.

Main Methods:

• A study was conducted with 500 hospitalized patients (250 HIV-positive, 250 HIV-negative) at Mulago Hospital, Uganda.
• Blood samples were screened for HCV antibodies, with positive results confirmed using HCV RNA PCR.
• Patient data was analyzed to identify risk factors, including age and traditional transmission routes.

Main Results:

• Overall HCV antibody seroprevalence was 2.6% (13/500).
• No significant difference in HCV antibody detection was found between HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups.
• Age over 50 was the only identified risk factor; traditional risk factors like intravenous drug use were rare. Only 3 of 13 positive antibody tests were confirmed by RNA PCR.

Conclusions:

• HCV antibody testing demonstrated poor performance with African sera, necessitating local validation.
• The study underscores the need for accurate diagnostic tools for HCV in Uganda.
• Age appears to be a significant factor, while common transmission routes for HIV/HCV co-infection are less prevalent in this setting.