Background: Viral hepatitis
represents a major public health burden with more than 375 million people with
chronic hepatitis B infection and 130 to 150 million with hepatitis C for 2016.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the heaviest burden of the epidemic. Objective: The objective of this review is to present
the characteristics of hepatitis B and C infections (HBV and HCV), present the
synthesis and estimate its magnitude in the Democratic Republic of Congo for
the last 20 years. Methods:
This work consisted in cataloging the various published articles and abstracts
presented in scientific conferences having as subject of interest the infection
with viral hepatitis B and C in the DRC. The search for these published works
on different infections was done on the internet from different search engines.
The research was limited to published works and abstracts presented over the
last 20 years. Pediatric studies, studies in patients with renal or hepatic infections
or without original data were not included in this review. Results: According to the various works published
and presented in conference since 1997, the populations targeted for the investigations
on the hepatitis B and C infections are the poly-transfused, the blood donors
and the People Living with HIV. Seven (7) works have been documented for the
DRC meeting the various selection criteria. In 1999, the carriage of HBV infection
was 9.2% in Kinshasa. In 2000, the carriage of HBV was 5.9% while that of HCV
was 4.8% in Kinshasa. In 2001, the portage of HCV was 5.0% in Kinshasa. In 2004,
the prevalence of HBs antigen was 5.4% in Kisangani. In 2008, the prevalence of
HBV and HCV was 8% and 4% respectively in Bukavu. In 2008, seroprevalences of
HBV and HCV were respectively 4.2% and 3.8% in Bukavu. In 2012 and 2013, prevalence
of HCV was 5.8% and 5.2% respectively in Kinshasa. Conclusions: Although often asymptomatic, viral hepatitis
B and C are a public health problem for the Democratic Republic of Congo. The
prevalence of these viral infections is far superior to that of HIV infection
in Blood Transfusion Centers across the country.
Cite this paper
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