title: Hepatitis C and B virus infections in populations at low or high risk in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, Vietnam.
abstract: Inhabitants and patients of two cities in Vietnam were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs). Anti-HCV was detected in 43 (9%) of 491 individuals without liver disease in Ho Chi Minh, more frequently (P < 0.001) than in 18 (4%) of 511 in Hanoi. There was no apparent age-specific distribution of anti-HCV. Among inhabitants of both cities, HBsAg and anti-HBs were frequent, detected in 10-14% and 35-37%, respectively; the prevalence of anti-HBs increased in parallel with age. Among individuals at high risk, the prevalence of anti-HCV was particularly high in drug users (58/67 or 87%) and patients on maintenance haemodialysis (15/28 or 54%) or with haemophilia (7/24 or 29%) in Ho Chi Minh, and in drug users in Hanoi (61/200 or 31%). Prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBs in high-risk groups was not different from those in the general population. Screening of anti-HCV in blood donors in Vietnam is of urgent necessity because blood supply is dependent on commercial blood donors, many of whom are drug users at high risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Cooperation, National Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Duc
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011477:Sex Work; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000821:virology; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies