Hepatitis c virus among different social classes at El-Minia governorate; intra familial spread and psychosocial effects

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to evaluate the intra- familial spread of hepatitis C virus among different social classes and the psychosocial effects in patients with hepatitis C. Fifty patients with chronic hepatitis C were studied. They were classified into A, B and C classes according to their social levels based on the educational degrees, the jobs and the monthly income. All patients answered a questionnaire, which was specifically designed to evaluate the psychosocial effects of HCV infection. This questionnaire included the post infection mode of dealing with the family contacts, friends and colleagues, feelings, behavioral changes, personality changes, and psychosomatic disorders. On the other hand, the family contacts of the patients were subjected to anti HCV antibodies to evaluate the intra-familial spread and positive cases were subjected to HCV RNA [PCR] to reflect the existing viremia. The results showed that there was a significant increased incidence of HCV among the lower social classes. The intra-familial spread of HCV was evaluated among the family members of the 50 patients of the study. The overall positive anti HCV ratio was 8.42 [16/190] and all such positive familial contacts were tested for PCR to reflect the existing viremia. The total number of the positive spouses was 12 cases [24.5%] [five husbands and seven wives] of the total cases. The incidence of the positivity of spouses was significantly increased with the duration of marriage. The total number of sons was 75 of whom three were positive for HCV antibodies by ELISA, one of them showed a negative PCR. On the other hand, the total number of daughters was 66 of whom only one was infected with no significant difference between sons and daughters. Also, there were negative psychosocial effects on the patients reflected by the prevalent psychosomatic disorders