title: Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in a suburban Detroit community.
abstract: A serum analysis for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was performed on a group of patients in a large suburban Detroit community hospital. The first 50 anti-HCV-positive patients with clinically suspected chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis were studied. Blood transfusions (58%) and intravenous drug use (22%) were the source of infection in most of these patients. A significant difference in age-related epidemiology was observed (p = 0.001). A remote history of intravenous drug use or tattoo application was elicited in 55% of individuals less than 40 yr old. "Sporadic" transmission occurred in 28% of individuals older than 50 yr. Sixteen percent (8/50) had no identifiable risk factors. Five of these eight patients (63%) were born and raised outside North America. Eighty percent of the 35 persons who underwent liver biopsy were found to have either chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis. Twenty-nine percent (5/17) of the patients with anti-HCV-related cirrhosis presented with hepatocellular carcinoma. None of the patients with noncirrhotic liver disease had a primary liver tumor. We conclude that a significant number of patients in suburban America with chronic hepatitis C have no identifiable risk factors for HCV. Sporadic transmission of hepatitis C may play an important role in patients with chronic HCV-related liver disease, especially among patients born and raised outside North America.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D013383:Suburban Population; D013653:Tattooing / Q000009:adverse effects; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies