Antibodies to hepatitis C virus: a cross-sectional study in patients attending a trauma unit or admitted to hospital for elective surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in patients attending a trauma unit or admitted to hospital for elective surgery, and to identify risk factors for acquiring HCV infection.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The emergency room of a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and a hospital for elective (non-digestive) surgery.


METHODS
A study population of 1824 subjects (mean age 40.1 +/- 18.1 years) and sera from a control group of 4703 blood donors giving their first donation.


METHODS
Serum samples were screened for HCV antibodies by second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and recombinant immunoblot assays.


METHODS
HCV serostatus and the relationship between anti-HCV-positivity and age, intravenous drug use, tattoos, blood transfusion, a history of hepatitis and exposure to a contact who had had hepatitis.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 2.85% in the study population and 0.5% among blood donors (chi 2 = 64.5; P < 0.0001). Anti-HCV-positivity was more common in men (3.8 versus 1.9%; P < 0.05) and in subjects with history of hepatitis (13.5 versus 2.0%; P < 0.001), exposure to a contact who had had hepatitis (12.5 versus 1.9%; P < 0.001), blood transfusion (7.8 versus 2.3%; P < 0.001), tattoos (36 versus 2.4%; P < 0.001) and intravenous drug use (85.7 versus 1.9%; P < 0.001). However, one third of subjects had no risk factors for HCV infection. The logistic regression analysis confirmed a statistically significant association (P < 0.05) between anti-HCV-positivity and intravenous drug use, tattoos, blood transfusion, a history of hepatitis and exposure to a contact who had had hepatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show almost a five-fold higher prevalence of anti-HCV among patients attending a trauma unit or admitted to hospital for elective surgery than among blood donors.
García-Bengoechea
M
M
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Nuestra Señora de Aránzazu, San Sebastián, Spain.
Emparanza
J I
JI
Sarriugarte
A
A
Cortés
A
A
Vega
J L
JL
González
F
F
Arenas
J I
JI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000382:microbiology*
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies