A HIGH-RISK OF HEPATITIS-C INFECTION AMONG EGYPTIAN BLOOD-DONORS - THE ROLE OF PARENTERAL DRUG-ABUSE

To determine the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV ) infection among Egyptian blood donors, 188 consecutive adult blood d onors from four hospitals and one temporary donor center located in Ca iro, Egypt were evaluated. Sera were tested for HCV antibodies (anti-H CV) using second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits. Sera that were repeatedly reactive by ELISA were further ve rified by a second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). Ant ibodies to HCV were detected by RIBA in 26.6% of the blood donors, whi ch is higher than the 10-19% prevalence of antibody found in other stu dies of Egyptian blood donors. A history of selling blood (odds ratio [OR] = 12.1) and the use of illicit parenteral drugs (OR = 2.5) were s ignificantly associated with anti-HCV seropositivity after controlling for age and gender. These data indicate that the use of illicit drugs may be one reason for high levels of reported HCV infection among Egy ptian blood donors. These findings also indicate that Egyptian blood d onors should be screened for anti-HCV and individuals who have a histo ry of drug abuse should be deferred from donating blood.