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Abstract
The WHO estimates 170 million individuals worldwide
are infected with HCV. However, the prevalence of HCV
infection varies throughout the world. For example, Frank, et
al. in (2000), reported that Egypt has the highest number of
reported infections, largely attributed to the use of
contaminated parenteral antischistosomal therapy. This has led
to a mean prevalence of HCV antibodies in persons in Egypt of
22%. While El Zayadi, et al. (1997), revealed that HCV has
prevalence rates of over 20%, especially in patients suffering
from schistosmiasis and treated with injection.
HCV is considered the most common etiology of chronic
liver disease in Egypt, where the seroprevalence is 10-folds
greater than that in USA and Europe (Stickland, et al., 2002).
Ministry of health and population, Preventive Sector,
Epidemiology and Surveillance stated that 7% of all Egyptian
deaths annually are associated with either cirrhosis or
hepatocellular carcinoma, and 75-85% of persons with these
conditions have either chronic hepatitis C virus or chronic
hepatitis B virus as a contributing cause (National guidelines
for communicable diseases surveillance, Cairo, 2001).