Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 22, 2025
Anti-Nuclear Antibody Screening Using HEp-2 Cells
Published on: June 23, 2014
Prevalence of hepatitis C virus among patients with arthralgia: is it logic for screening?
Arwa Mohammed Othman1, Asma'a Ahmed Al-Hnhna2, Belques Sharaf Al-Huraibi3
1Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen. arwaothman@hotmail.com.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is linked to joint pain. This study found a 4.8% HCV prevalence in chronic arthralgia patients, particularly in males, recommending screening for early detection.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Rheumatology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with extrahepatic manifestations, including rheumatologic conditions like arthralgia.
- Previous studies indicate a high frequency of rheumatologic symptoms in HCV-infected individuals.
- Unexplained arthralgia may be an early indicator of silent HCV infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) among patients presenting with chronic unexplained arthralgia.
- To facilitate early detection and treatment of potential silent HCV infections.
- To investigate the association between HCV and rheumatologic symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 145 patients experiencing chronic unexplained arthralgia.
- Serum samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies using immunochromatographic assay.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect HCV RNA in seropositive samples for confirmation.
Main Results:
- A seroprevalence of 4.8% (7/145) for anti-HCV antibodies and a molecular prevalence of 3.4% (5/145) for HCV RNA were observed.
- HCV infection was significantly more prevalent in male patients (11.9%) compared to females.
- No significant association was found between HCV infection and age, blood transfusion history, surgery, personal shaving tool use, or healthcare worker status.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is notably high among males presenting with arthralgia.
- Screening for HCV is recommended for patients with arthralgia, especially males, to enable early diagnosis.
- This approach can aid in identifying and managing silent HCV infections presenting with joint pain.
Background:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is well-known to be associated with multiple extrahepatic manifestations such as arthralgia, myalgia, arthritis, and vasculitis. Many studies reported frequent rheumatologic manifestations among patients infected by HCV. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV among chronic unexplained arthralgia patients in order to aid in the early detection and treatment of silent HCV infection.
Methods:
This study was a cross-sectional observational study conducted from July 2020 to May 2022. It included 145 individuals suffering from chronic unexplained arthralgia, with vast majority having oligoarticular joint pain (110, 75.9%). They were 103 (71%) females and 42 (29%) males. Serum samples from all patients were examined for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies using a rapid immunochromatographic assay. Seropositive samples were further examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of HCV RNA to confirm HCV infection.
Results:
Out of 145 patients who complained of arthralgia, seven patients tested positive for anti-HCV with a seroprevalence of 4.8% while five patients tested positive for HCV-RNA with a molecular prevalence of 3.4%. All positive patients were males (11.9%) with high statistical significance (χ2 = 12.7 and p = 0.002). No association was found between HCV infection and age, blood transfusion, surgery, using personal shaving tools, or being a health-care worker.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of HCV was high among males who complained of arthralgia. Patients with arthralgia, especially male patients, are recommended to perform HCV screening test.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
01:27Atherosclerosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Tests
01:26Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not...