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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide. There are no previous representative community HCV prevalence studies from Southern Africa, and limited genotypic data. Epidemiological data are required to inform an effective public health response. We conducted a household census‐based random sampling serological survey, and a prospective hospital‐based study of patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Blantyre, Malawi. We tested participants with an HCV antigen/antibody ELISA (Monolisa, Bio‐Rad), confirmed with PCR (GeneXpert, Cepheid) and used line immunoassay (Inno‐LIA, Fujiribio) for RNA‐negative participants. We did target‐enrichment whole‐genome HCV sequencing (NextSeq, Illumina). Among 96,386 censused individuals, we randomly selected 1661 people aged ≥16 years. Population‐standardized HCV RNA prevalence was 0.2% (95% CI 0.1–0.5). Among 236 patients with cirrhosis and HCC, HCV RNA prevalence was 1.9% and 5.0%, respectively. Mapping showed that HCV RNA+ patients were from peri‐urban areas surrounding Blantyre. Community and hospital HCV RNA+ participants were older than comparator HCV RNA‐negative populations (median 53 vs 30 years for community, p = 0.01 and 68 vs 40 years for cirrhosis/HCC, p < 0.001). Endemic HCV genotypes (n = 10) were 4v (50%), 4r (30%) and 4w (10%). In this first census‐based community serological study in Southern Africa, HCV was uncommon in the general population, was centred on peri‐urban regions and was attributable for <5% of liver disease. HCV infection was observed only among older people, suggesting a historic mechanism of transmission. Genotype 4r, which has been associated with treatment failure with ledipasvir and daclatasvir, is endemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various fermented foods and beverages are considered as representations of the traditional and cultural heritage of society. These fermented products have been enjoyed worldwide since time immemorial. Fermented products are popular due to their enhanced sensory attributes and probable health benefits, owing to the microorganisms and biochemical changes involved during fermentation. Rice, one of the popularly consumed cereal, forms a staple diet of many people across the globe especially Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa. Many traditional/ethnic fermented foods and beverages have been prepared from rice, since ages. Due to urbanization and change in lifestyles, traditional rice based fermented products are losing its popularity. Hence, there is an alarming need to explore these traditional food items scientifically to understand the relation among the fermented foods, microorganisms involved and their clinical studies assisted health benefits. Apart from conventional rice, pigmented rice varieties have the potential to be used as raw material in production of rice based fermented products, because of their phytochemical contents, that increase by many folds due to fermentation. This review is intended to assess an overview of the nutritional composition of various rice varieties, probiotics in fermented rice-based products, their intervention in improving health and possible applications in the food and beverage sectors, to regain the lost popularity of these ethnic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]