Epidemiological Situation of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Russia and the Samara Region

Abstract

Introduction: The ongoing adverse situation with the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection makes it especially relevant to assess the epidemiological situation of this infection in the country as a whole and the Samara Region. Our objective was to determine characteristics of the epidemic process of chronic HCV infection in the territory of the Russian Federation and the Samara Region in 1997–2018. Results and discussion: We observed a dynamic 5.88-fold increase in the Russian rates of chronic HCV infection in 1997–2014 from 6.7 0/0000 to 39.4 0/0000 (p < 0.01) followed by a decrease by 16.5 % in 2015–2018 (from 39.2 0/0000 to 32.7 0/0000). In the Samara Region, we traced a periodic wave-like increase alternating with small drops in the prevalence rates during the whole observation period. In 1997–2016, the rates of chronic HCV infection rose from 5.2 0/0000 to 58.0 0/0000 (by 11.2 times; p < 0.01) and declined slightly from 58.0 0/0000 to 56.2 0/0000 in 2016–2018. The maximum rates of chronic HCV infection in the child population of the Samara Region were registered in 2002 and 2012 (7.1 0/0000 and 7.2 0/0000, respectively) with the minimum of 1.9 0/0000 noted in 2017. The analysis of the epidemiological situation of chronic hepatitis is important for subsequent trend forecasting and developing appropriate preventive measures.