Hepatitis C virus infection in an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B and chronic liver disease: the Taiwan experience.
To assess the contribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in liver disease in Taiwan, antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) was studied by radioimmunoassay in 392 patients with chronic liver disease and in 440 healthy adults and 444 subjects at risk. The anti-HCV prevalence was 0.95% in 420 volunteer blood donors, 90% in 100 hemophiliacs, and 81% in 58 parenteral drug abusers. Anti-HCV was present in 6 (7.7%) of 78 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and 28 (65%) of 43 HBsAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis, 3 (10%) of 31 HBsAg-positive and 13 (43%) of 30 HBsAg-negative cirrhotics, and 7 (17%) of 42 HBsAg-positive and 15 (63%) of 24 HBsAg-negative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An outbreak of non-A, non-B hepatitis revealed 18% of 57 patients to be positive for anti-HCV, and in 29 patients with posttransfusion hepatitis prospectively followed, 7 (24%) developed anti-HCV. Thus, HCV infection appears to play a relatively minor role in HBsAg-positive liver disease in Taiwan but is strongly associated with HBsAg-negative chronic liver disease and HCC. The infection is extremely common in hemophiliacs and parenteral drug abusers.
Chen
D S
DS
Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Republic of China.
Kuo
G C
GC
Sung
J L
JL
Lai
M Y
MY
Sheu
J C
JC
Chen
P J
PJ
Yang
P M
PM
Hsu
H M
HM
Chang
M H
MH
Chen
C J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006518:Hepatitis Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens