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  • Title: Seroprevalence survey of Egyptian tourism workers for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and Treponema pallidum infections: association of hepatitis C virus infections with specific regions of Egypt.
    Author: el-Sayed NM, Gomatos PJ, Rodier GR, Wierzba TF, Darwish A, Khashaba S, Arthur RR.
    Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg; 1996 Aug; 55(2):179-84. PubMed ID: 8780457.
    Abstract:
    Blood samples from 740 Egyptian Nationals working in the tourism industry at two sites in the South Sinai governorate were screened for markers of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Treponema pallidum. Study subjects included 467 individuals from a rural seashore tourist village and 273 persons at two hotels in a well-established resort town. Subjects' ages ranged from 15 to 70 years; 99.3% were male. The prevalence of serologic markers for currently asymptomatic or past HBV infection alone was 20.7% (n = 153), of markers for past or chronic HCV infection alone was 7.4% (n = 55), and of markers for both HBV and HCV was 6.9% (n = 51). Of the 204 individuals positive for anti-HBV core antibody, 12 (5.9%) were also positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Two individuals (0.3%) had a serologic market suggestive of an active syphilitic infection. No subject was found to be HIV-seropositive. History of prior injections and number of injections were associated with infection with HCV. Primary residence in the Nile delta and valley areas where schistosomiasis is highly endemic, was also a statistically significant risk factor for HCV, but not HBV infection. In June 1994, in Egypt, a physician, a laboratory technician, and a recorder surveyed 740 nationals aged 15-70 years, 99.3% of whom were male, who worked in the local tourist industry of the South Sinai governorate (a rural seashore tourist village and a well-established tourist town). Researchers aimed to determine the prevalence of past or chronic infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, and Treponema pallidum (syphilis) in tourist workers and to identify risk factors for infection with these pathogens. Condoms were used and safer sex was practiced in about 90% of casual sexual encounters. No tourist worker tested positive for HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection. 0.3% had active syphilis. 27.6% of the tourist workers tested positive for HBV. 1.6% (5.9% of HBV-positive workers) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, indicating an asymptomatic HBV infection. 14.3% of all tourist workers tested positive for HCV. 6.9% tested positive for both HBV and HCV. Rural residence was a significant risk factor for HBV infection (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6; p = 0.02). Significant risk factors for HCV infection included residence in a region highly endemic for schistosomiasis (i.e., Nile delta and valley areas) (OR = 3.2; p 0.01), rural residence (OR = 2.3; p = 0.01), and more than 10 lifetime injections (OR = 2.6; p = 0.02).
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