Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Epidemiological Aspects of Intrafamilial Spread of HCV Infection in Egyptian Population: A Pilot Study

3^rd International Conference on Hematology & Blood Disorders

November 02-04, 2015 Atlanta, USA

Dalia Omran2 , Mahmoud El-Bendary1, Gamal Esmat2, Mustafa Neamatallah3, Emily Kamel3, Tarek Besheer1, Hatem Elalfy1 and Maged El-Setouhy4

1Mansoura University, Egypt 2Cairo University, Egypt 3Mansoura University, Egypt 4Ain-Shams University, Egypt

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Blood Disord Transfus

Abstract:

Background: Liver disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among Egyptians. The major cause is infection with HCV, with 70,000 up to 140,000 newly reported cases annually. The objectives of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies among household contacts of HCV index cases and to identify the possible risk factors of transmission of HCV among Egyptian families. Material and Methods: The present external pilot study (multi-centre study) was performed on a convenient sample of 125 index cases and their 321 household family contacts recruited from Mansoura and Cairo University where 2 questionnaires were used to collect data from the index and their related contacts. The all were exposed to clinical examinations, routine laboratory testing and screening for the prevalence of Anti-HCV antibodies. Results: The prevalence of anti- HCV seropositivity among household contacts of index cases was found to be 13.7%. Husbands of female index cases ranked first followed by wives of male index cases (36.36% versus 17.86% respectively, p < 0.0001) while sons and daughter followed (6.84% and 4.94% respectively). When the distribution of household contacts by risky behaviour towards index cases was investigated, it was found that significant prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies positivity was detected between household contacts reporting their index cases having haematemsis and/or bleeding wound (p < 0.05), and household contacts giving IV injection to their index cases (p < 0.05) and household contacts visiting the same dentist as the index cases (p < 0.01) when compared to household contacts not exposed to the same risk factors. Conclusion: Transmission might occur during family contact and sexual behavior.

Biography :

Dalia Omran is an associate Professor of Hepatology and gastroenterology at Kasr Al Ainy School of Medicine, Cairo University. She is interested in HCV and HBV related chronic liver disease, factors associated with hepatic fibrosis progression, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, and molecular pathogenesis of HCC. She has many publications in peer reviewed journals