1. High rate of hepatitis C virus infection and predominance of genotype 4 among elderly inhabitants of a remote village of the rain forest of South Cameroon
- Author
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Njouom, R., Pasquier, C., Ayouba, A., Gessain, A., Froment, Alain, Mfoupouendoun, J., Pouillot, R., Dubois, M., Sandres Sauné, K., Thonnon, J., Izopet, J., Nerrienet, E., Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP), Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Purpan [Toulouse], CHU Toulouse [Toulouse]-CHU Toulouse [Toulouse], Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Institut Pasteur [Paris]-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Adaptations humaines aux environnements tropicaux durant l'Holocène (ADENTHRO), Laboratoire Virologie [CHU Toulouse], Institut Fédératif de Biologie (IFB), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse (CHU Toulouse)-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse (CHU Toulouse)-Pôle Biologie [CHU Toulouse], Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse (CHU Toulouse), and Institut Pasteur [Paris] (IP)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
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Adult ,Male ,Rural Population ,Adolescent ,Genotype ,Molecular Sequence Data ,Hepacivirus ,Trees ,INFECTION ,Humans ,ZONE FORESTIERE ,Cameroon ,Viremia ,Child ,Phylogeny ,Aged ,Sequence Analysis, DNA ,HEPATITE C ,Hepatitis C Antibodies ,Middle Aged ,VILLAGE ,Hepatitis C ,PREVALENCE ,GENOTYPE ,Child, Preschool ,VIRUS ,RNA, Viral ,Female ,[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology - Abstract
International audience; To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and genotype distribution in a rural isolated area of Central Africa, plasma of 409 Bantous (mean age, 32 years; range, 2-78 years) living in a remote village of the rain forest of Southern Cameroon was screened for anti-HCV antibodies. HCV seropositive samples were also subjected to qualitative detection of viral RNA. HCV antibodies were detected in 70 (17.1%) individuals, 48 (68.8%) of whom had detectable viremia. The seroprevalence did not differ by gender (P = 0.37), but increased significantly with age (P < 0.05), with a strong increase in the oldest age groups. Indeed, nearly one-half (48%) of the adults >50 years old were HCV seropositive. The characterization of the viral genotypes indicated that most of the HCV strains were of genotype 4 (76%), while genotype 2 (16%), and 1 (8%) were marginally represented. The results suggest a cohort effect with an old, possibly iatrogenic, group exposure rather than a continuous exposure. A more in-depth population-based epidemiological study is needed to address this issue further.
- Published
- 2003
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