[Seroprevalence of anti-HCV in patients of the Military Hospital Moulay Ismail (Meknes, Morocco): Data analysis of the medical biology laboratory (2002-2005)].

The authors report the seroprevalence results of hepatitis C virus infection in a retrospective study (2002-2005), performed at the laboratory of medical biology of the Military Hospital Moulay Ismail of Meknes. This study concerns young people in medical visit with aptitude for recruitment in the Royal Armed Forces (group 1, N = 16,000), blood donors (group 2, N = 3,600), patients consulting for a systematic screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and patients hospitalized for different medico-surgical pathologies (group 3, N = 9,400). In total, 29,000 sera were tested by immuno-enzymatic method (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay, third generation). The prevalences of anti-HCV antibodies are, respectively, 0.35, 0.33 and 3.08% in the first, second and third group. The results are encouraging as compared to literature data and result from the systematic screening and epidemiological survey program of this infection adopted within the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces Medical Services.