02299nas a2200493   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653001600080653000900096653001000105653001900115653002800134653001300162653001100175653001600186653002500202653001600227653002700243653001100270653002800281653001200309653000900321653001600330653002800346653001500374653001700389653002100406653001800427653002100445100001400466700002100480700001200501700001300513700001400526700001400540700001200554245006100566300001000627490000700637520114700644022001401791       1993                            d  c1993 Oct10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAge Factors10aAged10aChild10aCohort Studies10aCross-Sectional Studies10aEthiopia10aFemale10aHepacivirus10aHepatitis Antibodies10aHepatitis C10aHepatitis C Antibodies10aHumans10aImmunoenzyme Techniques10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aNervous System Diseases10aPrevalence10aRisk Factors10aRural Population10aSkin Diseases10aUrban Population1 aFrommel D1 aTekle-Haimanot R1 aBerhe N1 aAussel L1 aVerdier M1 aPreux P M1 aDenis F00aA survey of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in Ethiopia.  a435-90 v493 a<p>Antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) were measured in 1,580 Ethiopian subjects representing urban and rural populations. Sera found positive by a repeated second generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were subjected to three additional confirmatory tests. The overall confirmed seroprevalence was 2.0%. Less than 1% were confirmed to be seropositive in rural communities, with 1.4% positive among blood donors, 1.6% positive among patients with dermatologic disorders, 3.6% among leprosy patients, and 6.0% among patients attending a University Hospital clinic for neurologic disorders. The patients in the groups with leprosy and neurologic disorders have most likely been in ill health for many years and have sought relief by traditional healers or treatment at poorly equipped clinics. This group of patients demonstrated a high prevalence of antibodies to HCV. In Ethiopia, especially in small clinics, there is a shortage of syringes and needles and they have to be reused many times often with inadequate sterilization. Therefore, these syringes and needles may be contaminated, thus being a risk factor for HCV and HIV infection.</p>  a0002-9637