الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem with an estimated global prevalence of HCV is 3%. The highest Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) prevalence in the world occurs in Egypt at an estimated 12% among the general population, and reaches 40% in persons 40 years of age and above in rural areas. Carnitine is an amino acid derivative; act as a carrier for the fatty acid from the cell cytoplasm to its mitochondria -energy house- to undergo beta oxidation and produce energy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in the serum and seminal plasma carnitine levels and find if there is a correlation between both in chronic hepatitis C patients. Cross-sectional case–control study was conducted on thirty-five patients with chronic viral hepatitis (HCV), and ten age and gender matched healthy volunteer’s subjects as a control group. All participants were selected from hepatitis outpatient clinic, in Shebin El-Kom Teaching Hospital, Egypt from the period of January to December 2015. Clinical and laboratory data of the studied groups were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Statistical analysis of the results showed that: 1- Serum and seminal plasma carnitine levels are significantly lower in HCV infected patients compared to control. 2- Seminal plasma carnitine level is significantly lower than serum level in the HCV infected group. 3- No significant differences between serum and seminal plasma carnitine level in the control group.
4- There is a positive correlation between serum and seminal plasma carnitine level in the patient group. 5- No correlation between both serum and semen carnitine in the control group.