Dissertation committee:
Ηλέκτρα Νικολαΐδου, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια Α' Πανεπιστημιακής Κλινικής Δερματικών και Αφροδισίων νόσων, Νοσοκομείο «Aνδρέας Συγγρός», Αλέξανδρος Στρατηγός, Καθηγητής Α' Πανεπιστημιακής Κλινικής Δερματικών και Αφροδισίων νόσων, Νοσοκομείο «Aνδρέας Συγγρός», Αργυρώ Χατζηϊωάννου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια Α' Πανεπιστημιακής Κλινικής Δερματικών και Αφροδισίων νόσων, Νοσοκομείο «Aνδρέας Συγγρός».
Summary:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 150
million people, who represent 3% of world population, suffer from chronic
hepatitis C, while annually 3–4 million new cases occur, resulting to
continuous increase of population under the risk of developing cirrhosis of
liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, or malignant hepatoma). This is
considered to be one of the fundamental issues of Public Health.
Scientists started to study the virus of Hepatitis C (HCV) in the decade of
1970, while its existence was confirmed in 1989. There is currently no
available vaccine for the virus and the best prevention depends upon reducing
the risk of exposure to the virus, both in health-care settings (secure
transfusions and generally medical practices, use of sterile needles and tools)
and in personal level (e.g. with the usage of i.v. drugs w/o sharing needles
between users).
In the present doctoral thesis we try to record epidemiology of Hepatitis C
virus (HCV) in Greece, since there are no sufficient relative scientific
studies concerning our country.
The collection of samples was performed in individuals who visited the
Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS in “ANDREAS SYNGROS”
Hospital during the period from 2004 till the end of 2012. 1.543 individuals
were identified as positive to Hepatitis C (HCV) and these data consist the
database of the present study.
We applied Pearson statistical tool on this database and we attempted to
statistically correlate with selective agents-variables, such as other STDs
(Sexually Transmitted Diseases), age, sex, educational attainment, origin,
sexual orientation, number of partners, usage of condom, usage of toxic
substances, as well as with the parameter ‘economical refugee’.
The laboratory methods used for the detection of HCV were the routine methods
used in the Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS Laboratory of ‘Andreas
Syngros’ Hospital, which are immuno-serological and molecular methods. In the
first case ELISA and immunoblotting methods were used, while the samples that
gave uncertain result with the above mentioned methods were further proceeded
with molecular detection.
Studying the findings we noted that the most frequently observed groups by
category are the following: in terms of toxic substances usage are the users
of i.v. drugs, in terms of educational attainment are the elementary school
graduates and higher education graduates, in terms of origin Greek people are
far more prevalent, in terms of age the most popular group belongs to age
category from 31 to 40 years old, in terms of gender men prevail, in terms of
sexual orientation are the heterosexuals, in terms of number of partners are
the ones with less than 5 partners during the last six months, in terms of
coinfections presence the most common case is this of HIV, in terms of condom
usage the highest percentage declares rare usage of condom and finally, in
terms of the parameter ‘economical refugee’, only a small percentage belongs in
this category.
With respect to the joined variables HCV+STD, assessing a demographic
characterization, our main conclusion was that only the parameter of age is
representing a risk factor, while assessing an epidemiological
characterization, our main conclusion was that the usage of toxic substances,
the number of partners during the last six months and sexual orientation
definitely are risk factors.
The result of the present study is the accomplishment of an epidemiological
study which can be used as a tool for clinicians, enabling them to categorize
the potential carriers of the disease and contribute to early prognosis and
timely treatment.
Keywords:
HCV, Epidemiology HCV, HCV coinfections, Sexually transmitted diseases , HCV-HIV
