Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection in Libya: results from a national population based survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Libya is one of the largest countries in Africa and has the longest coast in the Mediterranean basin facing southern Europe. High rates of prevalence of viral hepatitis have been observed in various regions in Africa, but the prevalence in Libya is not well documented. We report on a large-scale nationwide study that evaluated the epidemiology of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in Libya and assessed the risk factors involved.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2008 on 65,761 individuals all over Libya. The country was divided into 12 regions according to the population density and sampling within each region was carried out under the supervision of the National Centre for Prevention of Infectious Diseases. Serum samples were collected from both males a

SUBMITTER: Daw MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3893419 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature