Background: Viral hepatitis represents a major public health burden with\nmore than 375 million people with chronic hepatitis B infection and 130 to\n150 million with hepatitis C for 2016. Sub-Saharan Africa has the heaviest\nburden of the epidemic. Objective: The objective of this review is to present\nthe characteristics of hepatitis B and C infections (HBV and HCV), present\nthe synthesis and estimate its magnitude in the Democratic Republic of Congo\nfor the last 20 years. Methods: This work consisted in cataloging the various\npublished articles and abstracts presented in scientific conferences having\nas subject of interest the infection with viral hepatitis B and C in the DRC.\nThe search for these published works on different infections was done on the\ninternet from different search engines. The research was limited to published\nworks and abstracts presented over the last 20 years. Pediatric studies, studies\nin patients with renal or hepatic infections or without original data were not\nincluded in this review. Results: According to the various works published\nand presented in conference since 1997, the populations targeted for the investigations\non the hepatitis B and C infections are the poly-transfused, the\nblood donors and the People Living with HIV. Seven (7) works have been\ndocumented for the DRC meeting the various selection criteria. In 1999, the\ncarriage of HBV infection was 9.2% in Kinshasa. In 2000, the carriage of HBV\nwas 5.9% while that of HCV was 4.8% in Kinshasa. In 2001, the portage of\nHCV was 5.0% in Kinshasa. In 2004, the prevalence of HBs antigen was 5.4%\nin Kisangani. In 2008, the prevalence of HBV and HCV was 8% and 4% respectively\nin Bukavu. In 2008, seroprevalences of HBV and HCV were respectively 4.2% and 3.8% in Bukavu. In 2012 and 2013, prevalence of HCV\nwas 5.8% and 5.2% respectively in Kinshasa. Conclusions: Although often\nasymptomatic, viral hepatitis B and C are a public health problem for the\nDemocratic Republic of Congo. The prevalence of these viral infections is far\nsuperior to that of HIV infection in Blood Transfusion Centers across the\ncountry.
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