Mass screening for hepatitis B and C in Southern Upper Egypt

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Egypt faces the world's highest hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence.
• Direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) offer new possibilities for large-scale HCV treatment and cure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a mass screening demonstration project for HCV and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in southern Egypt.
• To assess the prevalence of anti-HCV and HBsAg by age and gender in the Luxor region.
• To gather data for planning future national screening and treatment programs.

Main Methods:

• A 12-month screening project in Luxor, Egypt, offered free anti-HCV and HBsAg testing to individuals aged 16 and older.
• Third-generation enzyme immunoassays were used for antibody and antigen detection.
• Statistical analysis included odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals to determine prevalence differences.

Main Results:

• Over 67,000 individuals were screened, with 14.5% testing positive for anti-HCV and 4.4% for HBsAg.
• Prevalence of both anti-HCV and HBsAg was significantly higher in males than females.
• Anti-HCV prevalence increased with age, peaking around age 60, contrary to previous reports.

Conclusions:

• The Luxor screening revealed unique age and gender-specific patterns of HCV and HBV prevalence, differing from prior Egyptian studies.
• The project provided crucial data on turnout, cost, and logistics for large-scale national health initiatives.
• Findings are essential for designing and evaluating future mass screening and treatment programs for viral hepatitis in Egypt.