Hepatitis C virus infection in the Maghreb region

Abstract

Hepatitis C is a global health problem with a worldwide prevalence of about 3% (around 170 million people). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is major concern in the Maghreb countries, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia, but no detailed description of its epidemiology in the region is available. In the present review, a systematic search was undertaken covering HCV data available in peer-reviewed databases as well as institutional reports and regional conference meeting abstracts from the Maghreb countries. Reports written in English and French were included in this analysis. Estimates of national and regional prevalence of HCV infection (based on anti-HCV antibody) and of the size of patient populations were performed. In addition, the molecular features of the circulating viral strains in the region are discussed. A substantial proportion, 1.2-1.9% of the Maghreb inhabitants, have anti-HCV antibodies. Genotype 1b predominates among viral strains in all countries except in Libya, where genotype 4 is dominant as in neighboring Egypt. This epidemiological situation is of significant concern, and requires urgent, broad, and active intervention for the prevention and control of HCV. More specifically, the application of state-of-the-art hygiene procedures and rigorous controls in medical disciplines such as hemodialysis, transfusion, endoscopic procedures, and dentistry is necessary to reduce significantly the number of new infections in the region.

Genetic variations in toll‐like receptors 7 and 8 modulate natural hepatitis C outcomes and liver disease progression

“…Among HCV‐infected patients, 69.1% were infected with HCV genotype 1, whereas the remaining were infected with genotype 2 (30.9%). In line with previous reports, HCV subtype 1b was strongly predominant …”

“…This signal peptide variation may affect secretion and translocation efficiencies, posttranslational processing, localization, quality, and thus the functionality of the affected protein . In addition, previous studies reported that the presence of the rs179008 variant was predictive of an unfavourable outcome of IFN‐α therapy, and that the carriage of TLR7 Gln11Leu variant genotype was linked to higher viral loads, accelerated progression to advanced immune suppression, and increased HIV‐1 susceptibility in females . Indeed, it was found that peripheral blood mononuclear cells from carriers of this polymorphism secreted significantly less IFN‐α upon TLR7 activation …”

The Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus in the Maghreb Region: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

“…Genotype 1 is the most common HCV genotype consistently reported for most countries in the Maghreb [ 99 , 100 ]. According to a study by Messina et al ., HCV genotype 1 accounts for 82% of HCV infections in Algeria, 44% of infections in Libya, 74% of infections in Morocco, and 41% of infections in Tunisia [ 99 ].…”

Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in adults in Africa: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Of note, we detected minor factual errors in Gower et al ., the estimate for Benin [3.6% (3.6; 12.8)] being based on two studies conducted in Nigeria , and the estimates for Algeria [1.4% (0.2; 2.5)] and Mauritania [1.9% (1.1; 10.7)] being based on a previous review from Ezzikouri et al . that included studies published before 2000, hence in contradiction with the inclusion criteria in Gower et al .…”