Epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease in the world. The WHO estimates that 3% (170 million) of the world's population are chronically infected with HCV. Sub-Saharan Africa is of great interest because it is reported to have the highest HCV prevalence rate (5.3%), and a concurrent HIV epidemic. In our review of the published literature we found consistent evidence of high HCV prevalence in many countries of Africa. We estimate the overall prevalence of HCV in Sub-Saharan Africa is 3.0%. The central African region has the highest estimated prevalence of 6%, west Africa has an estimated prevalence of 2.4%, and southern and east Africa with the lowest estimated prevalence of 1.6%. Given low sexual transmission of HCV and infrequency of intravenous drug use in Sub-Saharan Africa, iatrogenic causes of HCV transmission need to be further evaluated.
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The pattern of cirrhosis mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa is consistent with the distribution of hepatitis B and C infection.
“a pattern consistent with the distribution of hepatitis B and C infection [45–47].”
From Liver cirrhosis mortality in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis (2014) · cites this paper as [47]
In Egypt and Central Africa, mass injecting campaigns for parenteral therapy for schistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis, respectively, led to hepatitis C transmission.
“This was particularly true of Egypt and Central Africa following mass injecting campaigns for parenteral therapy for schistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis, respectively [47,80–82]”
From Liver cirrhosis mortality in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis (2014) · cites this paper as [47]
Major modes of hepatitis C transmission in Africa were related to inadequate blood screening and iatrogenic medical causes.
“Major modes of transmission were related to inadequate blood screening and iatrogenic medical causes [47,75–77].”
From Liver cirrhosis mortality in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis (2014) · cites this paper as [47]
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Liver cirrhosis mortality in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis
Mokdad, A. A., Lopez, A. D., Shahraz, S., Lozano, R., Mokdad, A. H., Stanaway, J., Murray, C. J., & Naghavi, M. (2014) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0145-y · Cited by 1,129 · see citing works
- Authors
- Madhava, V., Burgess, C., & Drucker, E.
- Affiliations
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine (US)
- World Health Organization (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Madhava, Valsa
- Venue
- The Lancet Infectious Diseases
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2002-05
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 293-302
- ISSN
- 1473-3099 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2145708303
- Cited by
- 334
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 1.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Lancet Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Hepatitis C virus research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Helicobacter pylori-related gastroenterology studies
- Keywords
- hepatitis C virus, chronic hepatitis C, HCV prevalence, sub-Saharan Africa, HIV coinfection, HCV transmission, iatrogenic transmission, sexual transmission, intravenous drug use, chronic liver disease
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Epidemiologic Methods, Humans, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Africa South of the Sahara, Hepatitis C, Chronic
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