Hepatitis C virus and HIV antibodies in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Zimbabwe: a pilot study

Abstract

To determine the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the aetiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Zimbabwe, HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) were determined in sera from 63 HCC patients using a second generation enzyme immunoassay. Anti-HCV was found in 15 patients (23·8%), 12 of whom (80%) were males. The mean ages of anti-HCV positive and anti-HCV negative patients were 62·1 ( sd = 10·6) and 44·3 ( sd = 15·2) years, respectively ( P < 0·001). HIV antibodies were found in 17 59 patients (28·8%), 12 of whom (70·6%) were males. The mean ages of HIV positive and HIV negative patients were 39·4 ( sd = 15·7) and 51·0 ( sd = 15·2) years ( P = 0·011). Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected in 26 61 patients (42·6%) with mean ages of HBsAg positive vs negative patients of 41·5 ( sd = 15·4) years for HIV positive and 53·1 ( sd = 15·1) years for HIV negative subjects ( P = 0·005).Younger HCC patients had high prevalences of HBsAg and anti-HIV and a low prevalence of anti-HCV; while older patients had a high prevalence of anti-HCV and low prevalences of HBsAg and anti-HIV. This study suggested that HCV infection is probably an important aetiological agent of HCC in Zimbabwe; however, the role of HIV infection as a cause of HCC either singly or as a co-factor with hepatitis B virus infection remains speculative and warrants further study.