PREVALENCE OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS IN A SAMPLE OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C ON INTERFERON, RIBAVIRIN AND SOVALDI THERAPY

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is gaining an increasing attention as a major health problem; it affects 3% of the total world population. It is considered the second most common blood-borne illness in the world (Wasley and Alter, 2000; Shepard et al., 2005). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3-4 million people are newly infected with hepatitis C virus per year, 130-170 million people are chronically infected and Over 350000 people die per year from hepatitis C-related liver disease (WHO, 2015). The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection varies throughout the world with the highest number in Egyptian population (El-Zayadi, 2009). The latest published Egypt Health Issues Survey (EHIS) in 2015 showed that 10% of Egyptians between 15 – 59 years of age had been infected with HCV infection, while 7% are chronic active hepatitis C patients (Ministry of Health and Population [Egypt], 2015). HCV infection has become the main risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in Egypt and is the main indication for liver transplantation (Alter, 1999; Strickland, 2006). Nowadays, HCV infection and its complications are