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©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2009; 15(40): 5114-5115
Published online Oct 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5114
Published online Oct 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5114
Association of hepatitis C virus infection and diabetes
Samir Rouabhia, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Touhami Benflis, Batna 05000, Algeria
Rachid Malek, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Saadna Abdenour, Setif 19000, Algeria
Hocine Bounecer, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital Center Touhami Benflis, Batna 05000, Algeria
Author contributions: Rouabhia S and Malek R contributed equally to this work; Bounecer H critically revised the paper; Rouabhia S and Malek R wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Samir Rouabhia, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Touhami Benflis, Batna 05000, Algeria. rouabhiasamir@yahoo.fr
Telephone: +213-7-71398290 Fax: +213-33-854826
Received: July 16, 2009
Revised: August 24, 2009
Accepted: August 31, 2009
Published online: October 28, 2009
Revised: August 24, 2009
Accepted: August 31, 2009
Published online: October 28, 2009
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies have suggested a relation between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes mellitus. HCV infection is emerging as a metabolic disease, and diabetes mellitus as a risk factor for HCV infection. However, some data on the prevalence of antibodies to HCV in patients with diabetes are conflicting. These seroprevalence data should be interpreted with caution. Some potential bias may occur in those clinic-based studies that target a specific disease group. In this letter we explain some reasons for these conflicting studies.
Keywords: Prevalence, Hepatitis C, Diabetes mellitus