Serum interleukin-10 and alpha-fetoprotein: A combined diagnostic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptians with HCV.

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has been used for 60+ years as an HCC diagnostic serum marker, its accuracy is debated. Notably, the role of interleukin 10 (IL-10) in cancer development and metastasis is elevated in various tumor types, including HCC and chronic HCV infection. Our study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of IL-10 and AFP as biomarkers for HCV-induced HCC in an Egyptian population. METHODS: Eighty participants were recruited and categorized into three groups: HCV-related HCC (n=40), HCV-related cirrhosis (n=40), and control (n=20).The collected blood samples were analyzed to evaluate liver function, AFP levels, and IL-10 levels. RESULTS: Our analysis showed that AFP demonstrated low sensitivity (40% false-negative) and low specificity (33% false-positive).IL-10 levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients with HCC than in the cirrhosis and control groups. The serum AFP and IL-10 combination revealed significantly increased sensitivity (97.5%), diagnostic accuracy (71.1%), AUC (0.798), PPV (73.3%), and NPV ( 69.5%) when compared with either of them alone. CONCLUSION: the reliability of AFP as a major HCC marker was poor. However, IL-10 levels are a novel biomarker for the degree of HCC inflammation, considering IL-10's potential role in HCV-HCC development. We suggest combining AFP with IL-10 to improve the diagnostic and prognostic value of HCC considerably. Future research on these biomarkers should prioritize their clinical validity, prognostic usefulness, and compatibility with other therapeutic approaches as immunotherapy.

Serological Evidence of Human Infection with Avian Influenza A H7virus in Egyptian Poultry Growers.

Avian influenza viruses circulate widely in birds, with occasional human infections. Poultry-exposed individuals are considered to be at high risk of infection with avian influenza viruses due to frequent exposure to poultry. Some avian H7 viruses have occasionally been found to infect humans. Seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies against influenza A/H7N7 virus among poultry-exposed and unexposed individuals in Egypt were assessed during a three-years prospective cohort study. The seroprevalence of antibodies (titer, ≥80) among exposed individuals was 0%, 1.9%, and 2.1% annually while the seroprevalence among the control group remained 0% as measured by virus microneutralization assay. We then confirmed our results using western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Although human infection with H7 in Egypt has not been reported yet, our results suggested that Egyptian poultry growers are exposed to avian H7 viruses. These findings highlight the need for surveillance in the people exposed to poultry to monitor the risk of zoonotic transmission of avian influenza viruses.

Molecular Assay and Genotyping of Hepatitis C Virus among Infected Egyptian and Saudi Arabian Patients.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem recognized globally. HCV is a common cause of liver fibrosis that may lead to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HCV infection and genotyping among Egyptian and Saudi Arabian chronic patients using different molecular techniques. HCV RNA viral load was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technology. For HCV genotyping, RT-PCR hybridization fluorescence-based method and reverse hybridization line probe assay (INNO-LiPA) were used. A total of 40 anti-HCV-positive patients with chronic hepatitis C were examined for HCV RNA, genotyping, and different laboratory investigations. In the present study, HCV genotypes 4, mixed 4.1b, and 1 were detected in patients of both countries, while genotype 2 was only detected in Saudi Arabian patients. Genotyping methods for HCV showed no difference in the classification at the genotype level. With regard to HCV subtypes, INNO-LiPA assay was a reliable test in HCV genotyping for the detection of major genotypes and subtypes, while RT-PCR-based assay was a good test at the genotype level only. HCV genotype 4 was found to be the predominant genotype among Egyptian and Saudi Arabian chronic patients. In conclusion, data analysis for detecting and genotyping HCV was an important factor for understanding the epidemiology and treatment strategies of HCV among Egyptian and Saudi Arabian chronic patients.