Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in American veterans.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports the findings of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a large Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in suburban Northern California.


METHODS
All veterans who had anti-HCV (EIA II) tested during a 6-yr period (7/92 to 6/98) were included in this study. To estimate the seroprevalence of anti-HCV among our population, 126 consecutive bloodborne pathogen exposure accidents were studied.


RESULTS
Of 8558 veterans tested for anti-HCV (EIA II), 2985 (35%) veterans were positive with a mean age of 48.4 yr (range, 28-89 yr). Sixty percent were between the age of 41 and 50 yr. Risk factors for HCV infection identified in 409 consecutive veterans were intravenous drug abuse (81%), unknown (11%), blood transfusion (3%), sexual/household contact (2%), transfusion and intravenous drug use (2%), and tattoo (1%). Of 215 consecutive anti-HCV-positive veterans whose sera were tested by polymerase chain reaction, 96% were viremic. The most common HCV genotypes were 1a (50.5%), 1b (22.8%), 3a (12.1%), 2b (9.7%), 2a (1.9%), undetermined (1.9%), and mixed infection (1%). Veterans infected with genotype 1b were significantly older. Among 126 consecutive bloodborne pathogen exposure accidents, hepatitis C serology was available for 72 index veterans involved in the accidents and 18% were positive.


CONCLUSIONS
We found the epidemiology of hepatitis C infection was different in the veteran population when compared to other published data on nonveterans. Hepatitis C infection was much more common among veteran, within a very narrow age distribution and intravenous drug use was the major risk factor.
Cheung
R C
RC
Division of Gastroenterology, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, California 94304, USA.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology