ABSTRACT
The seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) specific antibodies and HCV genotypes distribution were studied among 559 Iraqi children with thalassaemia in receipt of repeated blood transfusions. HCV-specific antibodies were detected in 376 (67.3%) serum samples using third-generation enzyme immunoassay and confirmatory immunoblot assays. Of 78 randomly selected sera, 48 (61.5%) were HCV-RNA positive. HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 4 and mixed 1b and 4 were demonstrated in 13 (27.1%), 11 (22.9%), 17 (35.4%) and 7 (14.6%) sera respectively. Strict measures for the controlling the spread of HCV are needed by introducing advanced techniques for blood donor screening.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Thalassemia/therapy , Transfusion Reaction , Blood Donors , Child , Child Welfare/statistics & numerical data , Child, Preschool , Comorbidity , Cross-Sectional Studies , Donor Selection , Genotype , Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepatitis C/blood , Hepatitis C/etiology , Hepatitis C/prevention & control , Hepatitis C/virology , Hospitals, Teaching , Humans , Immunoblotting , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Infection Control , Iraq/epidemiology , Population Surveillance , RNA, Viral/analysis , RNA, Viral/genetics , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Thalassemia/complications , Thalassemia/epidemiology , Urban Health/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
To estimate the seroprevalence of HCV infection among HIV-infected haemophiliacs and to demonstrate the most prevalent HCV genotype, 47 HIV-infected haemophilia patients were screened for anti-HCV antibodies. By performing polymerase chain reaction and DNA enzyme immunoassay, HCV-RNA was detected with subsequent genotyping. Seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 66.0%. Of 31 HCV/HIV co-infected patients, 21 (67.7%) had no history of blood transfusion. We detected 4 HCV genotypes: 1a, 1b, 4 and 4 mixed with 3a, HCV-1b being the most frequent. Contaminated factor VIII (clotting factor) could be responsible for disease acquisition.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/epidemiology , Hemophilia A/complications , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Urban Health/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Blood Transfusion/statistics & numerical data , Child , Comorbidity , DNA, Viral/analysis , DNA, Viral/genetics , Drug Contamination/statistics & numerical data , Genotype , HIV Infections/blood , HIV Infections/etiology , HIV Seroprevalence , Hemophilia A/epidemiology , Hemophilia A/therapy , Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepatitis C/blood , Hepatitis C/etiology , Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Iraq/epidemiology , Mass Screening , Middle Aged , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Population Surveillance , Risk Factors , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
To estimate the seroprevalence of HCV infection among HIV-infected haemophiliacs and to demonstrate the most prevalent HCV genotype, 47 HIV-infected haemophilia patients were screened for anti-HCV antibodies. By performing polymerase chain reaction and DNA enzyme immunoassay, HCV-RNA was detected with subsequent genotyping. Seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 66.0%. Of 31 HCV/HIV co-infected patients, 21 [67.7%] had no history of blood transfusion. We detected 4 HCV genotypes: 1a, 1b, 4 and 4 mixed with 3a, HCV-1b being the most frequent. Contaminated factor VIII [clotting factor] could be responsible for disease acquisition
Subject(s)
Hemophilia A , Genotype , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Serotyping , Hepatitis CABSTRACT
The seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus [HCV] specific antibodies and HCV genotypes distribution were studied among 559 Iraqi children with thalassaemia in receipt of repeated blood transfusions. HCV-specific antibodies were detected in 376 [67.3%] serum samples using third-generation enzyme immunoassay and confirmatory immunoblot assays. Of 78 randomly selected sera, 48 [61.5%] were HCV-RNA positive. HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 4 and mixed 1b and 4 were demonstrated in 13 [27.1%], 11 [22.9%], 17 [35.4%] and 7 [14.6%] sera respectively. Strict measures for the controlling the spread of HCV are needed by introducing advanced techniques for blood donor screening
Subject(s)
Hepacivirus , Immunoblotting , Hepatitis C Antibodies , Prevalence , beta-Thalassemia , Hepatitis CABSTRACT
To determine the age incidence and prevalence of Pityrosporum orbiculare on the normal skin of healthy Iraqi children, we carried out a survey of clinically normal skin of 110 healthy children in Baghdad during April 1998-October 1998. We isolated P. orbiculare on a peptone--glucose--yeast extract medium containing chloramphenicol and cycloheximide, and overlaid with olive oil. The organism was present on the trunk in 77.5% of children 10-14 years, 27.5% of children 5-9 years, and 6.6% of children < 5 years.
Subject(s)
Malassezia/growth & development , Skin/microbiology , Adolescent , Age Distribution , Child , Child, Preschool , Culture Media , Hospitals, Teaching , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Iraq/epidemiology , Malassezia/isolation & purification , Mycological Typing Techniques , Population Surveillance , Prevalence , Specimen Handling , Tinea Versicolor/epidemiology , Tinea Versicolor/microbiology , Urban Health/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
To determine the age incidence and prevalence of Pityrosporum orbiculare on the normal skin of healthy Iraqi children, we carried out a survey of clinically normal skin of 110 healthy children in Baghdad during April 1998-October 1998. We isolated P. orbiculare on a peptone--glucose--yeast extract medium containing chloramphenicol and cycloheximide, and overlaid with olive oil. The organism was present on the trunk in 77.5% of children 10-14 years, 27.5% of children 5-9 years, and 6.6% of children < 5 years
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Age Distribution , Child, Preschool , Culture Media , Incidence , MalasseziaABSTRACT
Sera from 3491 pregnant women were screened for the presence of HCV antibodies (anti-HCV). HCV genotyping was also performed on the sera of 94 women. The overall anti-HCV seroprevalence was 3.21%. Anti-HCV seroprevalence was significantly positively correlated with the number of miscarriages. Miscarriage was a significant risk factor for the acquisition of HCV infection from the first miscarriage up to the fifth, the risk increasing with increasing number of miscarriages. A higher proportion of women with a history of miscarriage harboured HCV-1b compared to those with no miscarriage.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Spontaneous/complications , Hepatitis C/etiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/etiology , DNA, Viral/analysis , DNA, Viral/genetics , Female , Genotype , Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepacivirus/immunology , Hepatitis C/blood , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Hepatitis C/transmission , Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood , Humans , Iraq/epidemiology , Logistic Models , Mass Screening , Population Surveillance , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/blood , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology , RNA, Viral/analysis , RNA, Viral/genetics , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Risk Factors , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
Sera from 3491 pregnant women were screened for the presence of HCV antibodies [anti-HCV]. HCV genotyping was also performed on the sera of 94 women. The overall anti-HCV seroprevalence was 3.21%. Anti-HCV seroprevalence was significantly positively correlated with the number of miscarriages. Miscarriage was a significant risk factor for the acquisition of HCV infection from the first miscarriage up to the fifth, the risk increasing with increasing number of miscarriages. A higher proportion of women with a history of miscarriage harboured HCV-1b compared to those with no miscarriage
