ABSTRACT
Background: CCR5-Delta32, a 32-base pair deletion of the CC chemokine receptor [CCR] 5 gene, is associated with slowed human immunodeficiency virus disease progression in heterozygotes and protection against infection in homozygotes between carriers and non-carriers of each genetic variant. The present study investigated the frequency and clinical consequence of the CCR%-Delta32 mutation in Egyptian HCV infected patients. Genomic DNA samples from 150 patients with chronic HCV infection were screened by PCR for the presence of the CCR5-Delta32 polymorphism. One hundred blood donors were used as control population
Results: The frequency of CCR5-Delta32 heterozygosity was 0.67% in chronic hepatitis C virus and 0% in controls. The CCR5-Delta32 allele was not associated with any of the clinical parameters of hepatitis C virus infection
Conclusion: In this study, the frequency of CCR5-Delta32 homozygosity in patients with hepatitis C was similar to controls
ABSTRACT
Longitudinal studies are always difficult to conduct because of the loss of patients during the follow-up period. In our study the drop out rate was 1.2%, 35.9% and 43.4% on 6, 12, 18, month respectively. Every effort had been made to lower this drop out rate. It is observed that there is a rise in the levels of B.P, blood glucose and serum cholesterol over the study period with or without selected risk factors indicators. However, this rise though significant was still within normal acceptable level. The study results dictate a longitudinal follow up for longer periods to observe whether that increase in B.P., serum cholesterol, blood glucose will continue to reach pathological levels