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Abstract
BackgroundThe epidemiologies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in specific populations in certain areas of China are poorly understood. A pilot survey of HCV/HBV infections was carried out in villages in Kuancheng County, Heben Province, where injection of sodium benzoate or amphetamines using shared needles has been a common practice. The aims of this study were to analyze the endemicity and characterize HCV/HBV infections in this population.MethodsData on demographic characteristics and drug abuse were collected from individuals who signed informed consent forms. Serum HCV antibody (anti-HCV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) were measured in all participants. HCV RNA was measured in samples positive for anti-HCV using real-time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsAmong 852 participants from 11 villages, 49.9% had used sodium benzoate or amphetamine at least once, by intravenous injection. The overall prevalence of anti-HCV, HCV RNA, anti-HBc, HBsAg, and HCV/HBV co-infection was 37.1%, 26.6%, 67.7%, 10.7%, and 30.0%, respectively. Two-hundred-twenty-three of 227 (98.2%) participants positive for HCV RNA were aged >40 years. Co-infection was related to sex, age, number of injections, and time from first injection. The rate of spontaneous HCV RNA clearance was 28.2% (89/316), and was related to the number of injections, time from first injection, and HBsAg positivity. However, HBsAg was related to the anti-HBc signal/cut-off ratio rather than to the above parameters. Trend tests demonstrated that the prevalence of anti-HCV, HCV RNA, and anti-HBc was related to the number of injections (P < 0.001), while HBsAg prevalence was not (P = 0.347).ConclusionsThe prevalence of HCV and HBV infection is likely to be high among individuals older than 40 years in areas of needle sharing, and one-time screening for HCV infection should be offered to these populations.
Highlights
The epidemiologies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in specific populations in certain areas of China are poorly understood
The World Health Organization has estimated that around 150 million and >240 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), respectively, which are responsible for almost 1 million deaths every year [1,2]
It is important to understand the epidemiologies of HCV and HBV infections to allow the introduction of effective screening programs
Summary
The epidemiologies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in specific populations in certain areas of China are poorly understood. Chronic HCV and HBV infections are the most important causes of end-stage liver diseases, including decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [3]. Their early detection, diagnosis, and treatment is the key to inhibiting or even eradicating both these viruses. A nationwide cross-sectional seroepidemiological study of hepatitis virus infections in 1992 showed an overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibody of 3.2% (range 0.9–5.1%) among 66,975 subjects from 30 provinces [4]. In addition to its status in the general Chinese population, the HCV prevalence is higher in specific populations, such as intravenous drug users, patients on maintenance hemodialysis, and paid blood donors
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