[Hepatitis C virus infection in internal medicine and infectious diseases departments in France. Preliminary results of a national epidemiological survey].
OBJECTIVE
In order to know the number and the main clinical features of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we conducted a national epidemiological study of patients followed in Internal Medicine and in Infectious Diseases departments in France.


METHODS
For each patient with HCV infection seen between 13/03 and 13/04/1995 (in- or out-patients), a chart was completed.


RESULTS
The response rate was about 30% with 2002 charts being analyzed. There were 59% males and 39% females, with a peak of frequency between 25 and 40 years, including 1241/2002 (62%) patients. Most patients were of French origin (85.7%). We found that 1436/2002 (72%) patients came from provinces of southern France and Paris. In 10% of cases the diagnosis was made during the study period. A route of transmission was identified in 86.4%, mainly drug abuse 60.4% and blood product transfusion 19.3%. At the time of diagnosis, main clinical features were: no symptom 47%, liver biological abnormalities 52%, cirrhosis 7.4%, cryoglobulinemia 2.7%, auto-immune disease 3%, hepatocellular carcinoma 0.85%. We frequently found a viral co-infection: HIV 56.1%; HBV 22.2%. A confirmation RIBA test was done in 67.8%, measurement of viremia in 33.4%, genotyping in 6.7% and liver biopsy in 28.7% of cases. Finally, 407 (20.3%) patients received a specific anti-HCV treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary results underscore: 1) the large percentage of the population with HCV infection followed outside of hepatogastroenterology departments in France. 2) the high probability that the HCV epidemic is underestimated as we noted 10% of new diagnosis during the study period. 3) the requirement for a multidisciplinary approach for these HCV patients.
Cacoub
P
P
Service de Médecine interne, Hôpital de la Pitié, Paris.
Raguin
G
G
Veyssier
P
P
Piette
J C
JC
Micoud
M
M
Godeau
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003141:Communicable Diseases; D015897:Comorbidity; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006306:Health Surveys; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
Infection par le virus de l'hépatite C dans les services de médecine interne et les services de pathologie infectieuse en France. Résultats préliminaires d'une enquête épidémiologique nationale.