Epidemiological and Virological Study of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Hemodialysis (Case of Six Centers) in Morocco

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of viral RNA and HCV genotypic profile 6 hemodialysis centers in Casablanca. A total of 630 patients were included in this survey, 194 patients of them  have antibodies antiHCV + ; then the prevalence is 30.79% , indeed search for viral RNA by PCR  in this population  was detected in 105 patients , also, the  prevalence of viral RNA is 54.1%. The study of genotypic profile in this population showed the following distribution: the most prevalent genotype is genotype 1: subtype 1a was found in 19 patients (18.09%); subtype 1b was found in 49 patients either (46, 66%); genotype 2a / 2c in 27 patients (25.71%); genotype 2 in 5 patients (4.76%), 4h genotype was detected in one patient with a frequency of 0, 95%, genotype 4 was found in 4 patients with a frequency of 3, 80%. Indeed, extensive studies and large scale is needed to understand the epidemiology of HCV.

Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, Prevalence, Genotype, Public health, Morocco genotypes in hemodialysis.