Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Africa: anti-HCV antibodies in the general population and in patients suffering from cirrhosis or primary liver cancer.

Anti-hepatitis-C-virus (anti-HCV) antibody was tested for in sera from 410 adults living in Tunisia, Senegal, Burundi and Madagascar, and in 209 Tunisian and Senegalese patients suffering from liver diseases. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 4.2% of the adult population from Africa, in 51% of patients suffering from liver cirrhosis and in 37% of patients suffering from primary liver cancer. However, higher proportions of anti-HCV antibodies were detected in HBsAg+ patients than in HBsAg- patients. To assess the role of HCV in the development of both cirrhosis and primary liver cancer, a confirmation test is needed.