@article{18689,
  keywords = {Biomarkers, Female, genotype, Hepacivirus, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis C Antibodies, Humans, Immunoenzyme Techniques, leprosy, Liver, Liver Function Tests, Male, Prevalence, RNA, Viral, Transaminases, Viremia},
  author = {Egawa K and Yukawa T and Arakawa S and Tanaka T and Tsuda F and Okamoto H and Miyakawa Y and Mayumi M},
  title = {Hepatitis C virus antibody, viral RNA and genotypes in leprous patients in Japan.},
  abstract = {<p><b>BACKGROUND/METHODS: </b>Markers of hepatitis C virus infection were tested for in 229 patients with leprosy (male 154, female 75) in Japan.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Antibody to hepatitis C virus by a second-generation enzyme immunoassay was detected in 68 patients (30%), and RNA of hepatitis C virus in 41 (18%), in prevalence rates much higher (p < 0.001) than those in matched controls (11/923 or 1.2% and 9/923 or 1.0%, respectively). Hepatitis C virus genotypes were II/1b in 37 (90%), III/2a in three (7%) and IV/2b in one (2%), in which II/1b was more frequently (p < 0.003) represented than in hepatitis C virus carriers without leprosy in Japan (520/767 or 68%). The 41 patients with hepatitis C virus viremia had serum transaminase levels significantly higher than those in the other 188 patients without viremia (p < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>These results indicate that leprous patients confined in institutions are at high risk of hepatitis C virus infection, and that patients infected with hepatitis C virus should be monitored for liver function and placed on interferon therapy whenever required.</p>},
  year = {1996},
  journal = {Journal of hepatology},
  volume = {24},
  pages = {397-402},
  month = {1996 Apr},
  issn = {0168-8278},
  doi = {10.1016/s0168-8278(96)80159-0},
  language = {eng},
}