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Original Research
Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence among haemodialysis patients, sickle cell patients and blood donors at a tertiary hospital in Yaounde, Cameroon
Submitted: 13 May 2019 | Published: 31 March 2018
About the author(s)
Therese Ndomgue, Department of Microbiology/Immunology, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaounde, CameroonMichel Kengne, Department of Microbiology/Immunology, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaounde, Cameroon
Patrick A. Njukeng, Department of Plant Biology, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon
Valentine N. Ndze, Metabiota Cameroon, Yaounde, Cameroon
Damien N. Anong, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
Tracy M. Masebe, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Roodepoort, South Africa
Ubald Tamoufe, Metabiota Cameroon, Yaounde, Cameroon
Anastasia Y. Bongajum, Service for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Ministry of Public Health, Yaounde, Cameroon
Daniel Ter Goon, Department of Nursing Sciences, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
Julius M. Nwobegahay, Military Health Research Center (CRESAR), Yaounde, Cameroon
Full Text:
PDF (104KB)Abstract
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious health care problem in haemodialysis patients, sickle cell patients and blood donation in Africa. However, there is a paucity of information about this in Cameroon. This study presents the prevalence of antibodies to HCV among haemodialysis patients, sickle cell patients and blood donors at the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital, Cameroon.
Methods: A total of 113 participants were included in the study. Sociodemographic data were collected using a questionnaire. The prevalence of HCV antibodies was determined by a rapid diagnostic test (DiaSpot HCV One Step Hepatitis C Virus Test Strip) and data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science.
Results: Of the 113 patients, 18 tested positive, giving an overall prevalence of 15.9%. 15.6% (12/77) males had HCV antibodies, while 16.7% (6/36) females tested positive with HCV antibodies. HCV positive rates of 26.3% (10/38), 8.6% (3/35) and 12.5% (5/40) for haemodialysis patients, sickle cell patients and blood donors, respectively, were recorded. However, no statistical significant differences were observed in these three groups (p = 0.089).
Conclusion: The present study reveals that the rate of HCV antibodies among the study population is high and Cameroon could be a highly endemic society for HCV infection.
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