Open AccessOccult hepatitis C virus infection in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Author(s) -
Mohammad Reza Hedayati-Moghaddam,
Hossein Soltanian,
Sanaz Ahmadi-Ghezeldasht
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
world journal of hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 55
ISSN - 1948-5182
DOI - 10.4254/wjh.v13.i2.242
Subject(s) - medicine , meta analysis , middle east , occult , hepatitis c virus , virology , mediterranean climate , virus , immunology , pathology , alternative medicine , ecology , political science , law , biology
The presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in liver tissue or peripheral blood mononuclear cells with no identified virus genome in the serum has been reported worldwide among patients with either normal or elevated serum liver enzymes. The characterization of occult HCV infection (OCI) epidemiology in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean (M and E) countries, a region with the highest incidence and prevalence rates of HCV infection in the world, would be effective for more appropriate control of the infection.