title: Surveillance for newly acquired hepatitis C in Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present paper was to determine recent patterns of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in Australia through a national system of enhanced surveillance of newly acquired hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic, clinical, and risk behavior information on newly acquired hepatitis C cases from 1997 to 2000 was collected. Newly acquired hepatitis C included cases of HCV antibody sero-conversion within a 12 month period and acute clinical hepatitis C cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine hundred and twelve cases of newly acquired hepatitis C were identified, representing 2.8% of all HCV notifications for this period. The majority of cases (72%) were diagnosed in people aged between 20 and 39 years. Injecting drug use was reported in the vast majority of cases (93%), with sexual transmission (2%) and tattooing (2%) reported in small numbers. HCV antibody sero-conversion was the mode of diagnosis in most cases (78%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Injecting drug use is the main route of HCV transmission in Australia. As only a small proportion of HCV infections are detected as newly acquired, enhanced surveillance procedures, including increased regular HCV testing of at-risk populations are required to more effectively monitor recent patterns of transmission.
authors.affiliation: National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Monica C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Robotin
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Copland
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tallis
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Carolien
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giele
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Jenean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kaldor
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance