Hepatitis C virus antibody in Poland.
To assess the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Poland, anti-HCV was studied in patients with acute and chronic non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis, in healthy adults, and in subjects at risk. Anti-HCV prevalence was 2% in 152 blood donors, 78% in 95 parenteral drug addicts, 21% in 112 alcoholics, and 86% in 42 patients with chronic NANB hepatitis. Among 34 prospectively followed patients with acute NANB hepatitis 17 (50%) developed anti-HCV. It seems that HCV infection is responsible for the majority of NANB hepatitis in Poland and is common in parenteral drug abusers and alcoholics.
Laskus
T
T
Department of Immunopathology, Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Warsaw, Poland.
Radkowski
M
M
Lupa
E
E
Cianciara
J
J
Slusarczyk
J
J
Halama
G
G
Horban
A
A
D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies