HEPATITIS C INFECTION AND DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES, RNA AND GENOTYPES AMONG FEMALE HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN BAGHDAD

Authors

  • Waqar AK Population Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM),Faculty of Medicine, Sungai Buloh UiTM campus, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital ,47000.Sungai Buloh ,Selangor, Malaysia
  • Nik Shamsidah NI Population Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM),Faculty of Medicine, Sungai Buloh UiTM campus, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital ,47000.Sungai Buloh ,Selangor, Malaysia
  • Nor Aini MN Population Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM),Faculty of Medicine, Sungai Buloh UiTM campus, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital ,47000.Sungai Buloh ,Selangor, Malaysia
  • Mustafa WAlK Faculty of Dentistry Dajilah University, Baghdad, Iraq

Keywords:

Healthcare Worker, Hepatitis C Virus, Hcv-Genotype, Nosocomial Infection, Ribonucleic Acid, Risk Factor

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a major public health problem worldwide. About 130- 200 million people are infected with HCV worldwide leading to 500,000 deaths annually (WHO 2014). Healthcare workers (HCWs) have played an important role in the transmission of HCV infection, either as victims or as sources of infection. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of HCV, antibodies (Abs) RNA and genotypes among the female HCWs in Baghdad and to identify whether HCWs were infective or only infected. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 1001 women attending 17 health care centres in Baghdad, Iraq, was carried out. Information on type and duration of their occupation was obtained. HCV Abs (anti-HCV) were tested using a third generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA-3) and immunoblot assay (Lia Tek-111). Molecular analysis using RT-PCR and DNA enzyme immunoassay (DEIA) for HCV-RNA and genotype detections were carried out for 63 serum samples. Results: Only 160/1001 (15.98%) were HCWs. Anti-HCV and HCV- RNA seroprevalence were significantly higher (6.37%, p=0.0057, 88.83%, p= 0.011 respectively) among HCWs than non HCWs. HCWs were at a significantly higher risk of exposure to HCV infection (OR=2.75, 95% C.I. =1.31-5.79). There was no significant association between HCV genotypes and the HCWs. HCV-4 showed higher expression (62.5%) among HCWs. Conclusion: Female HCWs were infective and infected with HCV, thus there is a need for medical equipment to be sterilized and cleaned thoroughly.

Keywords: Healthcare Worker, Hepatitis C Virus, Hcv-Genotype, Nosocomial Infection, Ribonucleic Acid, Risk Factor.

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Published

2018-04-30

Issue

Section

Research article