Surveillance of HCV infection in the Netherlands.
Two surveillance systems exist in the Netherlands to monitor hepatitis C (HCV) infections. Aggregated weekly laboratory data have been available since 1990. In 1999, HCV infection became a notifiable disease. Data showed the number of reported cases has remained stable. Male cases predominated (66%), mainly between age 15 to 54. Injecting drug use was the main route of transmission (64%). Despite its added value, the notifiable system should include more clinical data to better scrutinize future changes in transmission patterns.
Chaves
S
S
Department of infectious disease epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, RIVM, The Netherlands.
Widdowson
M A
MA
Bosman
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology