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World J Gastroenterol. May 7, 2013; 19(17): 2691-2696
Published online May 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i17.2691
Published online May 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i17.2691
Coinfection with hepatitis C virus and schistosomiasis: Fibrosis and treatment response
Mahasen Abdel-Rahman, Mohammad El-Sayed, Maissa El Raziky, Aisha Elsharkawy, Wafaa El-Akel, Gamal Esmat, Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
Hossam Ghoneim, Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 12396, Egypt
Hany Khattab, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
Author contributions: Abdel-Rahman M, El Raziky M and Esmat G designed the research and revised the manuscript; El-Sayed M, Elsharkawy A and Ghoneim H performed the research, collected the data and wrote the manuscript; Khattab H performed the histopathological analysis; Elsharkawy A and El-Akel W analyzed the data and interpreted the results.
Supported by The Science and Technology Development Fund, No. 1708
Correspondence to: Dr. Mohammad El-Sayed, Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt. mohammadelsayed76@yahoo.com
Telephone: +20-2-35827132 Fax: +20-2-25326543
Received: October 31, 2012
Revised: January 29, 2013
Accepted: February 5, 2013
Published online: May 7, 2013
Revised: January 29, 2013
Accepted: February 5, 2013
Published online: May 7, 2013
Core Tip
Core tip: Both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and schistosomiasis are highly endemic in Egypt and coinfection is frequently encountered. The effect of such coinfection on hepatic fibrosis and response to pegylated-interferon and ribavirin therapy (PEG-IFN/RIB) remains unclear. Our study aimed to assess the impact of schistosomiasis on hepatic fibrosis and response to PEG-IFN/RIB therapy in chronic HCV Egyptian patients. Antischistosomal antibody was positive in 27.3% of 3596 chronic HCV patients. Findings suggest positive schistosomal serology has no effect on fibrosis stage but is significantly associated with failure of response to HCV treatment despite antischistosomal therapy.