title: Incidence and prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Chile.
abstract: Chronic hepatitis C is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological data regarding this infection in developing countries is scanty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) infection was investigated in a random sample of Chilean general adult population older than 20 years of age. Additionally, frequency of HCV infection was assessed in group of native Chilean Amerindians (Mapuche Indians) living in an isolated locality of the Southern Chile. Incidence of HCV infection was estimated using serum samples separated by 7 years (1993-2000).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 959 subjects, prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 1.15% (95% CI 0.48-1.82%) and 0.83% when only RIBA-confirmed cases were considered. Among these subjects, 62.5% had detectable HCV RNA in serum and 40% of them had a history of blood transfusion. Age distribution of cases showed a steadily increasing prevalence with age. Estimated incidence of new HCV infections was 15 per 100,000 subjects per year in the period 1993-2000. No cases were detected among the 145 Mapuche subjects studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV infection is a prevalent disease in the Hispanic population of Chile with a low incidence in the last decade, whereas it was not detected in an isolated Mapuche Indian community. Age distribution of prevalence suggests that the peak of infection in Chile occurred 30 to 50 years ago.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
authors: Robinson
authors: R
authors: González
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Soza
authors: Verónica
authors: V
authors: Hernández
authors: Rosa M
authors: RM
authors: Pérez
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Alvarez
authors: Arturo
authors: A
authors: Morales
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Arellano
authors: Arnoldo
authors: A
authors: Riquelme
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Viviani
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Covarrubias
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Arrese
authors: Juan Francisco
authors: JF
authors: Miquel
authors: Flavio
authors: F
authors: Nervi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*