Table 1.

General, and epidemiological characteristics of included studies n (%)

Ref.	Study period	Studied population	Location of the study	Age group	Total number	OBI rate
Elrashidy et al[10]	2013-2014	Healthy/diabetic children	Lower Egypt	Children	170	0 (0)
Raouf et al[20]	2011-2013	HCV positive cancer	Lower Egypt	Children	50	16 (32)
Kishk et al[21]	ND	HCV	Lower Egypt	Adults	162	3 (1.85)
Elkady et al[22]	2010-2011	Hematologic malignancy	Upper Egypt	Adults	53	1 (1.88)
Said et al[34]	ND	HBD	Lower Egypt	Adults	3167	52 (1.64)
El-Ghitany et al[31]	ND	HBD and HCV-BD	Lower Egypt	Adults	504	21 (4.16)
Youssef et al[23]	ND	CLD	Lower Egypt	Children	24	7 (29.2)
Abu El Makarem et al[18]	ND	HD	Upper Egypt	Adults	145	6 (4.1)
Elgohry et al[19]	ND	HD	Lower Egypt	Adult	93	25 (26.9)
Shaker et al[27]	ND	Thalasemics	Lower Egypt	Children	80	26 (32.5)
Selim et al[30]	2008-2009	HCV	Lower Egypt	Adult	60	23 (38.3)
Hassan et al[54]	ND	HCC	Lower Egypt	Adult	40	25 (62.5)
Emara et al[32]	ND	HCV	Lower Egypt	Adult	155	6 (3.9)
Antar et al[25]	2007-2008	HBD	ND	Adult	1021	5 (0.48)
El-Sherif et al[29]	2005-2006	HCV	Lower Egypt	Adult	100	16 (16)
Youssef et al[26]	ND	CLD	Lower Egypt	Adult	204	119 (58.3)
El-Zayadi et al[33]	2005	HBD	Upper/lower Egypt	Adult	712	9 (1.26)
Said et al[28]	ND	Hematologic malignancy and disorders	Lower Egypt	Children	100	21 (21)
1El-Sherif et al[39]	1998-1999	HBD	Lower Egypt	Adults	150	2 (1.3)

¹Data taken by direct contact with authors. ND: Not determined; OBI: Occult HBV; HBD: Healthy blood donors; HCV-BD: Blood donors positive for HCV; CLD: Cryptogenic liver disease; HD: Hemodialysis; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; HBV: Hepatitis B virus.