Ozone Therapy in Patients with Viral Hepatitis C: Ten Years' Experience

Hepatitis C is a medical problem in Egypt. The usual line of treatment is very expensive, with major side effects and low efficacy especially in genotype 4, which is common in Egypt. Several studies were performed between 1999 and 2008 to evaluate the role of ozone therapy in HCV (Hepatitis C). The first study included 60 genotype 4 Hepatitis C patients, who received combined ozone treatment with major autohemotherapy three times per week for 8 weeks, followed by twice per week for 16 weeks. It was found that, following 8 weeks of ozone therapy, the viral load decreased in 91.67% of the cases attaining negative PCR in 20%. Following 24 weeks of ozone therapy, there was a further decrease in viral load reaching 95% of the cases, with a negative PCR level in 36.67%. After 8 weeks of ozone therapy, the abnormal enzyme levels were back to normal in 21.67% of the cases for the SGPT enzyme, and were back to normal in 20% for the SGOT enzyme. A second study included 50 genotype 4 Hepatitis C patients. The number of visits was three times per week for 12 weeks followed by twice per week for 12 weeks. The general condition improved in 94% of the cases. There was a decrease in quantitative PCR in 71.8% of the cases that reached negative PCR in 24% after 8 weeks' treatment. The number of negative PCR cases for HCV virus increased to cover 36% of the cases after 24 weeks' treatment. There was a statistically significant improvement as regards the parameters of SGOT, SGPT, albumin, bilirubin and prothrombin after 8 weeks from the start of the study. A third study was carried out on 30 HCV patients, yielding results similar to the previous two.