Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is considered a national progressing problem that threatens the life of Egyptian people as Egypt has the highest prevalence of HCV infection in the world with prevalence rates of 14.7 % of the adult population. HCV infection causes chronic hepatic inflammation and severe liver diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, HCV is curable, unlike HIV and HBV. Goals of therapy are to eradicate HCV infection to prevent hepatic cirrhosis, decompensation of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death. End point of therapy: undetectable HCV RNA in a sensitive assay ( Aim of the Work: To assess the efficacy of DAAs in the treatment of HCV in Aswan Governorate; and to compare between the different combinations of DAAs ± ribavirin ±interferon which were available during the study period as regards efficacy and possible side effects in each treatment combination.
Patients and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in Aswan Fever Hospital, Aswan Hospital Health Insurance and Tropical Medicine Department Ain Shams University. Study population: Patients with chronic hepatitis C who received treatment in the period from January 2015 to July 2016. Group I: Triple therapy (Sofosbuvir + Ribavirin + Interferon) for 3 months. Group II: Sofosbuvir + Ribavirin for 6 months. Group III: Sofosbuvir + Simeprevir for 3 months. Group IV: Sofosbuvir + daclatasvir ± Ribavirin for 3 months.
Results: In Group I SVR was 74.3% ,Group II SVR was 60% ,Group III SVR was 85.7% and Group IV SVR was 100% Conclusion: This is a large real-life report of the use of very low-cost generic medications for treating HCV-G4 within the largest treatment programme worldwide. The use of entirely generic SOF DCV combination with or without generic RBV was well tolerated and associated with high response rate in patients with different stages of liver disease. This can be an example for other countries of similar limited resources for managing their patients with HCV.