scholarly journals Hepatitis C virus prevalence in Belgium

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luk Van Baelen ◽  
Johan Van der Heyden

Abstract Reliable hepatitis C prevalence estimates are crucial for a good follow-up of the indicators to eliminate hepatitis by 2030 as set by the World Health Organization. In Belgium, no recent national population-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence estimate is available. The current study estimated HCV prevalence as part of the first Belgian Health Examination Survey, which was organized in 2018 as a second stage of the sixth Belgian Health Interview Survey. This national population-based cross-sectional study resulted in a weighted national HCV seroprevalence of 0.02% (95% CI 0.00–0.07%). The results show a much lower HCV seroprevalence compared to previous studies.

Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Mirjalili ◽  
Seyedeh Mahdieh Namayandeh ◽  
Mohammad Hasan Lotfi ◽  
Mohammad Reza Dehghani ◽  
Mohsen Mirzaei ◽  
...  

Introduction: SARS-COV 19 is a new coronavirus that was reported first time in 30 December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The first case of coronary heart disease in Iran was reported with a definitive test on February 18 in Qom province and the first case in Yazd province on 24 February. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Covid infection on March 11 a pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroepidemiology of COVID 19 in Yazd province. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional population-based study of seroepidemiological type that was conducted to investigate the serological prevalence of Covid-19 in the period of 3 to 20 May 2020 in Yazd Province. Sampling was clustered and it was without age and sex restrictions. Information was collected including demographic information, adherence to health protocols, and history of clinical symptoms of COVID 19."Pishtaz ELISA Kit" was used to evaluate the IgG and IgM antibody titers against Covid 19. Chi-square, analysis of variance and T tests were used via SPSS.version.16 software Results: Mean age of the participants was 34.3± 17.5. Among the study participants, 507 (54.5%) were women. The serological prevalence of definite cases was 14.91% (95% CI: 12.91-16.91%) and suspicious cases were 2.85% (95% CI:1.85-3.85%). Ardakan City with 32% had the highest and Taft, Mehriz, Khatam with 7% had the lowest prevalence of COVID 19 (P <0.05). Conclusion: By June 2020, nearly 18% of the population of the province was definitively or suspiciously infected with COVID 19. Unfortunately, up to 25% of the population does not follow the early prevention protocols of COVID 19.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (T1) ◽  
pp. 137-141
Author(s):  
Hasanain Fisal Ghazi ◽  
Taqi Mohammed Jwad Taher ◽  
Mohammed A. AbdalQader ◽  
Rana Hussein Raheema ◽  
Mohammed Faez Baobaid ◽  
...  

INTRODUCTION: In March 2020, the world health organization declared Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 a pandemic global communicable disease, there is neither a vaccine nor a treatment for this virus. The aim of the current study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Iraqi population toward COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 272 respondents from different states of Iraq using online administered questionnaires. The questions were adopted from the previous study and consist of three parts mainly socio-demographic, KAP. RESULTS: The majority of the respondents had good knowledge regarding COVID-19 (95.2%). A total of 97.8% of the respondents knew that COVID-19 caused by a virus. Regarding incubation period, 75% of them answer correctly that it is 2–15 days. Higher percept (39%) and 37.9% of participant people considered the disease as a very dangerous and seriously dangerous disease, respectively. The majority (85.3%) of the sample thought that no vaccination available for the disease. More than two-thirds of the sample (76.5%) were wearing face mask sometimes while only 19.5% wearing it all the time. The majority (265) out of 272 was ready to stay home if it required to prevent the spread of the disease. There was a significant association between gender, living state, and COVID-19 knowledge (p = 0.009, <0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSION: The overall knowledge, practice of respondents was good regarding COVID-19. People need to stay at home to prevent the infection and reduce the number of cases.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Amir Gilani ◽  
Muhammad Athar Khan ◽  
Muhammad Zahid Latif ◽  
Muhammad Azam Malik ◽  
Muhammad Arif ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground:  Hepatitis C virus infection is a very serious and alarming public health concern worldwide. The virus is transmitted through blood and blood related infected products. However sexual and vertical transmission is also reported. Although the infection by Hepatitis C virus is endemic in nature but prevalence as well as incidence has escalating trend in Pakistan particularly in the rural areas. In the beginning it is an asymptomatic infection and majority of the victims remain unaware about the disease.Objectives:  To determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis C in Rural Punjab, Pakistan.Methods:  A descriptive epidemiological cross sectional study was conducted from July 2013 to June 2015 in the rural Punjab of Pakistan. The province of Punjab was divided into three zones namely CentralSouthern and Northern zone. Three districts from each zone were sampled and later on three villages from each district were selected. Probability based sampling technique was used however in certain situations the total population was selected. A total sample of 2400 participants was selected with 800 from each zone of Punjab.Results:  A total of 2400 subjects from three zones of Punjab participated in this study. Out of these 2400 participants 520 (21.6%) were sero positive against Anti HCV antibodies. Anti HCV positive cases were higher (24.8%) in Northern Punjab as compared to (23.1%) in Central and (17%) in Southern rural Punjab respectively.Conclusion:  This study concludes that prevalence of HCV infection is highly endemic among the rural population of Punjab and accounts for 21.6% of the studied population. The prevalence is highest in rural northern Punjab followed by the central and southern Punjab. Drivers and helpers of the farmers are the maximally infected occupations. It is recommended to plan and implement a population based hepatitis awareness and screening campaign for the affected and general population.


2019 ◽  
Vol 164 (9) ◽  
pp. 2243-2253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihene Bettaieb ◽  
Anissa Chouikha ◽  
Marwa Khedhiri ◽  
Ghassen Kharroubi ◽  
Malek Badreddine ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon Hambisa ◽  
Rediet Feleke ◽  
Ameha Zewudie ◽  
Mohammed Yimam

Background:: Rational drug use comprises aspects of prescribing, dispensing and patient use of medicines for different health problems. This study is aimed to assess drug prescribing practice based on the world health organization prescribing indicators in Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital. Methods:: An institutional based retrospective cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate prescribing practices in Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital. Data were collected based on World health organization drug use indicators using prescription papers. 600 prescriptions dispensed through the general outpatient pharmacy of the hospital were collected by systematic random sampling method from prescriptions written for a 1-year time in Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital. Results:: The present study found that the average number of drugs per prescription was 2.04 ± 0.87 in Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital with a range between 1 and 5. Prescribing by generic name was 97.6 % and 47.8% of prescriptions contained antibiotics in the hospital. 27.7% of prescriptions contained at least one injectable medication in Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital. From prescribed drugs, 96.7% of them were prescribed from Ethiopian essential drug list. Conclusion:: Present study indicated that the average number of drugs prescribed per encounter, the percentage of generic prescribing and prescribing from the EDL were close to optimal value. However, the percentage of encounters with antibiotics and injections prescribed were found be very high. Thus, the study highlights some improvements in prescribing habits, particularly by focusing on the inappropriate consumption of antibiotics and injections.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Walusa Assad Gonçalves-Ferri ◽  
◽  
Fábia Martins Pereira-Cellini ◽  
Kelly Coca ◽  
Davi Casale Aragon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The World Health Organization recognizes exclusive breastfeeding a safe source of nutrition available for children in most humanitarian emergencies, as in the current pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite the Brazilian national guideline protecting breastfeeding practices, there are many concerns about protecting infants from their infected mothers. This study aimed to analyze how the Brazilian hospitals and maternity services promote and support mothers suspected or diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Methods This is a descriptive cross-sectional and multicenter study which collected data from 24 Brazilian hospitals and maternity services between March and July 2020. Representatives of the institutions completed a questionnaire based on acts to promote and support breastfeeding, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, and Brazil’s federal law recommendations. Results The results showed that in delivery rooms, 98.5% of the services prohibited immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between mothers and their infants and did not support mothers to initiate breastfeeding in the first hour. On the postnatal ward, 98.5% of the services allowed breastfeeding while implementing respiratory hygiene practices to prevent transmission of COVID-19. Companions for mothers were forbidden in 83.3% of the hospitals. Hospital discharge was mostly between 24 and 28 h (79.1%); discharge guidelines were not individualized. Additionally, a lack of support was noticed from the home environment’s health community network (83.3%). Hospital and home breast pumping were allowed (87.5%), but breast milk donation was not accepted (95.8%). There was a lack of guidance regarding the use of infant comforting strategies. Guidelines specific for vulnerable populations were not covered in the material evaluated. Conclusions In Brazil, hospitals have not followed recommendations to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding during the COVID-19 outbreak. The disagreement between international guidelines has been a major issue. The absence of recommendations on breastfeeding support during the pandemic led to difficulties in developing standards among hospitals in different regions of Brazil and other countries worldwide. The scientific community needs to discuss how to improve maternal and infant care services to protect breastfeeding in the current pandemic.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 651
Author(s):  
Laura Huiban ◽  
Carol Stanciu ◽  
Cristina Maria Muzica ◽  
Tudor Cuciureanu ◽  
Stefan Chiriac ◽  
...  

(1) Background: The World Health Organization adopted a strategy for the Global Health Sector on Viral Hepatitis in 2016, with the main objective of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection and risk factors in a Romanian village using population-based screening as part of the global C virus eradication program. (2) Methods: We conducted a prospective study from March 2019 to February 2020, based on a strategy as part of a project designed to educate, screen, treat and eliminate HCV infection in all adults in a village located in Northeastern Romania. (3) Results: In total, 3507 subjects were invited to be screened by rapid diagnostic orientation tests (RDOT). Overall, 2945 (84%) subjects were tested, out of whom 78 (2.64%) were found to have positive HCV antibodies and were scheduled for further evaluation in a tertiary center of gastroenterology/hepatology in order to be linked to care. In total, 66 (85%) subjects presented for evaluation and 55 (83%) had detectable HCV RNA. Of these, 54 (98%) completed antiviral treatment and 53 (99%) obtained a sustained virological response. (4) Conclusions: The elimination of hepatitis C worldwide has a higher chance of success if micro-elimination strategies based on mass screening are adopted.


Author(s):  
Radomir Reszke ◽  
Łukasz Matusiak ◽  
Piotr K. Krajewski ◽  
Marta Szepietowska ◽  
Rafał Białynicki-Birula ◽  
...  

Relevant personal protective measures during the COVID-19 pandemic include face masks, possibly decreasing the risk of infection among the general population and healthcare workers (HCW) if utilized properly. The aim of the study was to assess whether different Polish HCW utilize face masks according to the 2020 World Health Organization guidance (WHO) criteria. This cross-sectional study included 1156 respondents who participated in an internet survey evaluating mask-related behaviors. All the WHO criteria were complied with by 1.4% of participants, regardless of medical profession, specialty or place of employment. HCW mostly adhered to criterion 1 (C1; strict covering of the face and mouth with the mask; 90.8%), C4 (washing/disinfecting the hands after touching/taking off the mask; 49%) and C3 (taking off the mask properly without touching the anterior surface; 43.4%), whereas C2 (avoidance of touching the mask with hands) was complied with least commonly (6.8%). HCW with mask-induced itch (31.6%) complied to C2 less often (odds ratio 0.53; p = 0.01). The study reveals that Polish HCW rarely adhere to all the 2020 WHO guidance criteria on the use of masks, whereas the adherence to particular criteria is variable and may be associated with the presence of skin-related conditions and other factors. Better compliance with the recommendations in the future is necessary to increase personal safety of HCW and prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.


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