01744nas a2200409   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653001100065653001600076653003800092653001600130653002500146653001600171653002700187653001100214653002800225653001200253653001600265653001500281653001000296100001200306700001300318700001300331700001300344700002100357700001400378700002400392700001400416700001300430700001300443245012200456300000800578490000700586520072700593022001401320       1994                            d  c1994 May10aAdult10aAfrica10aAge Factors10aEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay10aHepacivirus10aHepatitis Antibodies10aHepatitis C10aHepatitis C Antibodies10aHumans10aImmunoenzyme Techniques10aleprosy10aMiddle Aged10aPrevalence10aYemen1 aDenis F1 aAussel L1 aRanger S1 aMartin P1 aItoua-N'Gaporo A1 aFrommel D1 aTeckle-Haimanot R T1 aSangare A1 aM'Boup S1 aMillan J00aPrevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among patients with leprosy in several African countries and the Yemen.  a1-40 v433 a<p>The prevalence of anti-HCV was determined in 1,309 leprosy patients and a control group of 1,469 subjects from 6 sub-Saharan African countries and the Yemen. Sera found positive by an initial second generation ELISA were subjected to 3 additional confirmatory tests. The anti-HCV prevalence in leprosy patients (7.1%) was significantly higher than in the control group (2.6%). HCV seroprevalence increased with age in both the control and leprosy groups. No statistically significant difference could be found between anti-HCV prevalence and the several clinical forms of leprosy among patients. The results of this study indicate a high degree of exposure or chronic carriage of hepatitis C among leprosy patients.</p>  a0146-6615