الفهرس 
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus is a major public health problem and a leading cause of chronic liver disease and hepatic fibrosis that progresses in some patients to cirrhosis and HCC (Chander et al., 2002).
Egypt has the highest prevalence of HCV in the world. Previous studies of hepatitis C viral infection in Egypt have shown a high prevalence of antibody to HCV among blood donors more than 14.9 % according to Darwish et al. (1992) and William et al. (2011). Screening for hepatitis C virus risk factors can lead to identification of HCV positive cases; this calls for meticulous listing of the risk factors of hepatitis C spread, as well as implementing screening programs based on these results. Our study found out factors which were significantly associated with Hepatitis C virus infection in our locality and helped in prediction of the infection.
In our study we found that blood transfusion, IV drug use, IV administration of tartar emetic, increasing age, male gender, low socioeconomic state, lack of education, surgical procedures, hospitalization, previous incarceration, history of exposure to another person’s blood, previous endoscopic interventions, treatment by a dentist, previous tooth extraction, contact with haemodialysis patients, exposure to needle-stick, infection of the sexual partner, household contact with HCV positive subject, shaving of hair as commercial barbering, home circumcision and sharing of toothbrushes with others are risk factors for HCV transmission in our locality.
Although, our study could not prove that high risk job, tattooing, illicit drug use, multiple sexual partners, extramarital sexual activity and sharing razors and eating utensils with others are risk factors for HCV transmission in our locality.
In large percent of cases multiple risk factors for HCV infection was found which add to the importance of the cumulative effect of the risk factors, which needs further investigations. However the study could not identify a possible risk factor in many HCV cases which emphasizes the need for further researches searching for other possible risk factors for HCV transmission.
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. There are multiple risk factors for HCV transmission in Upper Egyptian blood donors.
2. There are multiple avoidable risk factors for HCV transmission in Egypt which if we eliminate or reduced them we can reduce the rate of HCV infection.
3. Screening for hepatitis C virus risk factors can lead to identification of HCV positive cases and help in diagnosis and treatment of cases and reduce the reservoir of infection.
4. More researches are needed for identification of other risk factors for HCV transmission in Egypt.
5. Screening of blood donors for presence of risk factors for HCV and screening of blood and blood products by both ELISA and PCR for HCV is mandatory to reduce the infection by HCV.
6. Restriction of blood transfusion for the only needed cases.
7. Good supervision on the health care institutions, private clinics, dentists and hospitals about infection control measures and programs to limit the iatrogenic routes of transmission of HCV.
8. Restriction of administration of drugs by parentral route to the only indicated cases and taking in consideration the infection control measures to limit the spread of HCV infection.