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Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in the general population of northwest Tanzania

  1. Author:
    Tess, B. H.
    Levin, A.
    Brubaker, G.
    Shao, J.
    Drummond, J. E.
    Alter, H. J.
    O'Brien, T. R.

  2. Author Address

    Tess BH NCI, Viral Epidemiol Branch, NIH 6120 Execut Blvd,EPS-8003,MSC 7248 Rockville, MD 20852 USA NCI, Viral Epidemiol Branch, NIH Rockville, MD 20852 USA St Bartholomews Hosp, Sch Med, Dept Virol, Res Triangle Inst Unit London EC1M 6AH England Shirati Hosp Shirati Tanzania Kilimanjaro Med Ctr Moshi Tanzania Sci Applicat Int Corp Frederick, MD 21702 USA NIH, Dept Transfus Med Bethesda, MD USA
    1. Year: 2000
  2. Journal: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    1. 62
    2. 1
    3. Pages: 138-141
  4. Type of Article: Article
  1. Abstract:

    Sera from 516 participants enrolled in a population-based cross-sectional study in northwest Tanzania were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV). The mean age of study subjects was 29 years (range = 16-49 years); 43% were men. 6% reported a history of blood transfusion, and 4% were infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). Although 53 of 516 sera (10.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8-13.2%) were repeatedly reactive by a third-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA-3), only 6 of the 53 were positive when tested with a third-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (confirmed HCV seroprevalence = 1.2%, 95% CI = 0.4-2.5%). The positive predictive value of the HCV EIA-3 in this population was 18.8% (95% CI = 7.0-36.4%). False positivity was not correlated with EIA-3 optical density values, age, sex, infection with HIV-1, or a history of blood transfusion, but it was marginally associated with increased serum IgG levels. We conclude that the prevalence of HCV is low in this region and that the HCV EIA-3 has a higher false-positivity rate in this population than has been reported among U.S. blood donors. [References: 20]

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