RESUMO
The detection of anti-Hepatitis C virus (HCV) Core antibodies is an important addition to HCV antibody testing. In this study it appears to be more specific than the first generation HCV tests and in combination with the detection of anti-C33c antibodies, it is possibly more sensitive. In Tunisia hepatitis C virus is implicated by the presence of anti-Core antibodies in only 8% of the adult cases of acute hepatitis as opposed to 60% for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 4% for Hepatitis A virus (HAV). In contrast to the low prevalence of HCV infection among acute hepatitis cases, HCV infection is implicated in 35% of the cirrhosis cases. These results stress the potential importance of HCV infection in the development of cirrhosis which is a relatively common disease in North Africa.
Assuntos
Hepacivirus/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite/análise , Hepatite C/imunologia , Cirrose Hepática/imunologia , Proteínas do Core Viral/imunologia , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Hepatite C/complicações , Hepatite C/diagnóstico , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite C , Humanos , Cirrose Hepática/etiologia , TunísiaRESUMO
Recent reports show that the frequency of HBsAg varies around 4 to 6% in most Mediterranean and Middle East countries. Those areas are therefore considered as areas of intermediate endemicity for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the HBV global situation in Tunisia, by means of third generation testing methods. Blood samples were obtained from 3 distinct population groups from Tunis: blood donors, consisting of young male adults staff members and patients from 4 haemodialysis units patients with either acute hepatitis or liver cirrhosis They were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc by radioimmunoassay tests. HBsAg was detected in 6.5% of the young male adults, and approximately 60% had either anti-HBs or anti-HBc antibodies. Haemodialysis staff members and patients respectively displayed 9.1% and 19.5% of HBsAg positivity, but an increase of HBsAg positivity and of all HBV serum markers in relation to the amount of time spent in dialysis units was shown among the patients. After 3 years of dialysis sessions, none remained seronegative. HBsAg was detected in approximately two-thirds of the patients with acute hepatitis or liver cirrhosis, and all cirrhosis patients had at least one HBV serum marker. These global results stress the importance of HBV infection in Tunisia. Immunization against hepatitis B virus therefore has to be considered. Nevertheless, the immunization strategy must take into account the epidemiological and economic characteristics of the country.
