Prospective study of cross-infection from upper-GI endoscopy in a hepatitis C-prevalent population.

Background: A high prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) in the Egyptian Nile Delta increases the demand for upper-GI endoscopy (UGIE) and the risk of cross-infection with this virus.

Objective: To assess the potential for UGIE to transmit HCV when endoscopes are reprocessed according to current international standards.

Design: A prospective cohort study to detect the incidence of HCV and hepatitis B cross-infections.