Prevalence and genotype of hepatitis C virus infection in pregnant women and blood donors in Ghana

The seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus was evaluated in blood donors and antenatal clinic attenders in Kumasi, Ghana and seropositive subjects were tested for hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The overall seroprevalence among Ghanaians was 2–8% but there was a significantly higher prevalence in males (4·6%) than in females (1·0%). No risk factor for infection was identified by a questionnaire. Among those who showed evidence of active infection with a positive PCR, the most common genotype was type 2 but the subtype could not be specifically determined; these type 2 hepatitis C viruses may be indigenous to Africa.