title: [Hepatitis C in Northern Norway--an 8-year material].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 1992 a screening and medical follow-up programme of patients with hepatitis C was established in northern Norway. We report the data from the eight-year observation period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with positive recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) confirmation tests of hepatitis C from the counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark were referred from primary care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of 1999, 1,132 RIBA positive hepatitis C patients were registered, giving an estimated prevalence of 0.24%. 236 patients were included in the follow-up study. 75% were between 17 and 39 years of age. Drug abuse was the mode of transmission in 67%. Mean age by the time of transmission was 23 years (range 12-63 years). 103 patients were treated; 136 patients did not fulfill the criteria for treatment. At the time of inclusion, 76% had no clinical symptoms. 36% treated with monotherapy and 47% treated with combination therapy had no detectable virus six months after end of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis C infection is a disease among young people; intravenous drug abuse is the most frequent mode of transmission. The initial phase of the disease has few symptoms. A hepatitis C programme run by public health authorities is highly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Medisinsk avdeling Nordlandssykehuset 8092 Bodø. gakristi@online.no
authors.forename: Magnhild Gangsøy
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gutteberg
authors.forename: Leif Kyrre
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Haakon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sjursen
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Florholmen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction