Hepatitis C Virus Infection In Nigerians With Chronic Liver Disease

BackgroundHepatitis C virus is becoming a significant causative factor in the aetiology of chronic liver disease worldwide. However, information on the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in chronic liver disease in Nigeria is sparse especially from the Northern region. We, therefore, evaluated the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Nigerians with chronic liver disease.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Nigerians with chronic liver disease.DesignHospital-based case-control studyPlace and durationGastroenterology clinic of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria. From August 2006 to May 2007.Patients and MethodsNinety consecutively recruited patients with chronic liver disease and 85 age and sex-matched controls without liver disease were tested for Hepatitis C virus antibodies using rapid test ELISA kits (Acon Laboratories, USA) to detect antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). ResultsA total of 90 patients with clinical, biochemical and sonographic evidence of chronic liver disease were studied. Histological confirmation by aspiration/ percutaneous liver biopsy was obtained in 56 patients. The age of the patients ranged between 18 and 75 years with an average of 33.3 years. Anti-HCV antibodies was detected in 14.4% and 2.4% of patients and controls respectively (p<.05)ConclusionThe prevalence of HCV infection is significantly higher in patients with chronic liver disease compared with controls.