HEPATITIS-C VIRUS AND HIV ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA IN ZIMBABWE - A PILOT-STUDY

To determine the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the aeti ology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Zimbabwe, HCV antibodies (a nti-HCV) were determined in sera from 63 HCC patients using a second g eneration enzyme immunoassay. Anti-HCV was found in 15 patients (23.8% ), 12 of whom (80%) were males. The mean ages of anti-HCV positive and anti-HCV negative patients were 62.1 (SD=10.6) and 44.3 (SD=15.2) yea rs, respectively (P<0.001). HIV antibodies were found in 17/59 patient s (28.8%), 12 of whom (70.6%) were males. The mean ages of HIV positiv e and HIV negative patients were 39.4 (SD=15.7) and 51.0 (SD=15.2) yea rs (P=0.011). Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected in 26/6 1 patients (42.6%) with mean ages of HBsAg positive vs negative patien ts of 41.5 (SD=15.4) years for HIV positive and 53.1 (SD=15.1) years f or HIV negative subjects (P=0.005). Younger HCC patients had high prev alences of HBsAg and anti-HIV and a low prevalence of anti-HCV; while older patients had a high prevalence of anti-HCV and low prevalences o f HBsAg and anti-Hn! This study suggested that HCV infection is probab ly an important aetiological agent of HCC in Zimbabwe; however, the ro le of HIV infection as a cause of HCC either singly or as a co-factor with hepatitis B virus infection remains speculative and warrants furt her study.