TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS IN TAIWAN: PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS BASED ON A NATIONWIDE SURVEY
Resource
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY v.59 n.3 pp.290-296
Journal
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL
Journal Volume
VIROLOGY
Journal Issue
n.3
Pages
290-296
Date Issued
1999
Date
1999
Author(s)
SUN, CHIEN-AN
CHEN, HUI-CHI
YOU, SAN-LIN
HO, MEI-SHANG
CHEN, CHIEN-JEN
Abstract
A nationwide community-based survey on hepatitis C virus (
HCV) was carried out in seven townships in Taiwan. A total
of 11,904 men aged 30-64 years were recruited for testing
for anti bodies against HCV (anti-HCV) by second-generation
enzyme immunoassay. A total of 272 seropositive cases and
282 seronegative controls were interviewed to explore risk
factors for HCV infection in the study areas. Spouses of 214
seropositive cases were identified to assess the
concordance of seropositivity of anti-HCV between spouses;
genotypes of HCV were also tested in 26 couples who were
both seropositive. A significant geographic variation in
seroprevalence of anti-HCV was observed in the study
townships (1.6-19.6%). Blood transfusions, medical
injections, acupuncture and tattooing were related to an
increased anti-HCV seroprevalence showing multivariate-
adjusted odds ratios of 8.6, 2.5, 3.1, and 2.2, respectively
, with corresponding population attributable risk
percentages of 25%, 57%, 16%, and 3%, respectively. The anti
-HCV prevalence in spouses of index cases (24%) was
significantly higher than that observed in the general
population of the study areas (4%). However, a striking
interspousal discrepancy in HCV genotypes (20/26 = 77%) was
observed among both seropositive couples. Common exposures
to medical injections and acupuncture were reported by 15 (
58%) of these couples. This study identified some endemic
areas of HCV infection in Taiwan. latrogenic factors were
common vehicles for HCV infection, and a concordance of anti
-HCV seropositivity between spouses may primarily be due to
extrafamilial iatrogenic infectious sources in study areas.(
C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Subjects
hepatitis C virus
iatrogenic risk factors
interspousal concordance
SDGs
Type
journal article