PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-C ANTIBODY SEROPOSITIVITY IN HEALTHY EGYPTIANCHILDREN AND 4 HIGH-RISK GROUPS

We studied the prevalence of HCV antibody seropositivity and serum ala nine concentrations in a random sample of healthy Egyptian children (n =110) as well as in four high risk groups of children, Group 1 include d 18 children with thalassemia major, group 2 included 17 children wit h insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), group 3 included 21 chil dren with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis (SHF), and group 4 included 20 children with chronic rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The prevalence r ate of HCV seropositivity was 12 per cent in normal children, 44 per c ent in thalassemic children, 29 per cent in children with IDDM, 38 per cent in children with SHF and 0 per cent in patients with RHD, The li ver size was significantly larger in HCV seropositive normal children as well as in HCV seropositive children with thalassemia and SHF compa red to the seronegative children in each group respectively (P < 0.05) . In all groups serum alanine transferase concentrations were signific antly higher in HCV seropositive v. seronegative children, This pointe d out to the high risk of continuous parenchymal hepatic damage in the se children following acute HCV infection. In summary, our data reveal ed a relatively high prevalence of HCV antibody seropositivity in heal thy Egyptian children compared to reports from other countries, and a significantly high prevalence of HCV seropositivity in children with t halassemia, IDDM, and SHF which carries a considerably high risk for d evelopment of chronic liver disease in these patients.