Egyptian Hep C Problem to Benefit from Better Test
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Hepatitis C test helps curb Egypt epidemic
Pete Willows | 8 March 2012
CAIRO: About 10 million hepatitis C (HCV) patients live in Egypt, giving Egypt the distinction of having the highest prevalence of hepatitis C in the world. According to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the blood-borne pathogen infects almost 500,000 people in the country each year. According to the World Health Organization, the strong homogeneity of HCV subtypes found in Egypt (HCV4a) suggests an epidemic spread of HCV in the country.
In response to this rapidly spreading virus, an American University in Cairo (AUC) research team at the Yousef Jameel Science and Technology Research Center, led by Hassan Azzazy, professor of chemistry, has designed a novel test capable of detecting all genotypes of HCV in less than one hour, instead of days, and at one-tenth of the cost of traditional tests.
“Our test is sensitive and inexpensive, and it does not need sophisticated equipment,” explained Azzazy, adding that detecting HCV during the first six months raises the recovery rate to 90 percent. “Little is done on the national level to combat the alarming prevalence of hepatitis C in Egypt.”
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