Open AccessAssociation of hepatitis C virus infection and diabetes
Author(s) -
Samir Rouabhia,
R. Malek,
Hocine Bounecer
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.15.5114
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , medicine , diabetes mellitus , hepatitis c virus , hepatitis c , disease , risk factor , immunology , virology , antibody , virus , serology , endocrinology
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.