Prevalence and Risk Factors of Occult Hepatitis C Virus infection in One Tertiary Egyptian Centre

Background: Occult hepatitis C infection (OCI)is a new form of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in which HCV-RNA is present in hepatocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)with undetectable plasma HCV-RNA , regardless of hepatic transaminase elevation. Aim: To find out prevalence of OCI infection in patients with anti HCV antibodies positive regardless to their transaminases and to study possible risk factors for OCI Patients and Methods: The current study included 100 patients in which HCV antibodies were detected by ELISA and HVC-RNA were examined in serum and PBMCs by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: OCI was detected in 14 % of enrolled patients. Having BMI ≥35.5kg/m2 demonstrating 5-times higher odds of exhibiting OCI in females while male sex had 10-times higher odds. Conclusions and Recommendations :Prevalence of OCI was 14% in anti HCV positive patients regardless hepatic transaminases level among them, obesity and male sex considered the main risk factors in this study, more studies on bigger number of patients are required.