Sero epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis C encountered in general practice in Belgium.
A study carried out between 1982 and 1984 established by exclusion diagnosis that 35% of viral hepatitis cases registered in Belgium were due to non A, non B (NANB) viruses. Recently, a new anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) detection test was used to analyse the sera of patients in whom NANB hepatitis was diagnosed in that study. Using this new serological test for HCV, 29% of the NANB group was found to be positive for anti-HCV. In the 1982-84 study on viral hepatitis diagnosed by general practitioners, the number of clinically recognized infections was estimated at 14,700 (+/- 2,170; confidence interval at 95%) per year. By combining these data and the results of the present study, the following estimates could be calculated: HAV (7,129 +/- 1,054/year), HBV (2,426 +/- 358/year), HCV (1,470 +/- 216/year) and non-identified hepatitis viruses (3,675 +/- 543/year).
Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium.
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R
Vranckx
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D
Walckiers
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A
Stroobant
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G
Thiers
D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies