title: Endemic hepatitis C virus infection in a seaboard village of southwestern Taiwan.
abstract: This study investigated the rate of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection and identified the risk factors associated with a HCV infection at Ma-Sha-Gou, a seaboard village in southwestern Taiwan. In total, 240 subjects were sampled and stratified according to age and sex from 1,200 residents aged 20-64 years old. HCV-specific antibodies (anti-HCV Ab) in blood specimens were tested for HCV seropositive by the third-generation HCV ELISA system. The subjects, later identified as 152 seropositive and 88 seronegative, were selected for analysis of the correlates of HCV infection. They were interviewed to explore a variety of possible risk factors for HCV infection with a structured questionnaire. The results showed that the anti-HCV age-adjusted seroprevalence was 55.8%. Needle injection was significant to the increased anti-HCV seroprevalence, with multivariate age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) of 1.9 and 1.2-3.9 respectively. This study identifies Ma-Sha-Gou as an endemic area of HCV infection, in which needle injection from any medical activity was a possible transmission pathway in the village, and suggests the health authorities/community health nurses should give the residents a comprehensive community-based education program to interrupt HCV transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University. w49110@mail.ncku.edu.tw
authors.forename: Chih-Jane
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ying-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: LiLy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Ting-Tung
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018881:Suburban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies