[A cross-sectional survey on hepatitis C virus infection among residents aged 18-59 years in a former commercial blood donating community, Shanxi Province].
OBJECTIVE
To determine sero-prevalence of and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) among residents aged 18-59 years in a former commercial blood donating community, Shanxi province.


METHODS
A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 660 randomly selected residents aged 18-59 years from 12 villages in a rural county of Shanxi province. Structured questionnaire was administered to collect socio-demographic,medical and risk behavioral information. 7 ml-volume venous blood was collected for HCV antibody testing.


RESULTS
The overall HCV sero-prevalence rates were 8.2% and 27.7% among former commercial blood donors in the community. Data from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that people ever selling blood (adjusted OR = 14.28, 95% CI: 6.83-29.87) and receiving blood transfusion (adjusted OR = 8.66,95% CI: 2.31-32.47) were the primary risk factors for HCV infection. Subgroup analysis in blood donors explored that ever selling plasma (adjusted OR = 8.56,95% CI: 2.87-25.54) was the risk factor for HCV infection. Villagers who stopped selling blood in 1994 and thereafter were less likely to be HCV positive than those stopping selling blood before 1994 (adjusted OR = 0.32,95% CI: 0.11-0.93). Female donors had a lower risk than male ones (adjusted OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.10-0.83).


CONCLUSIONS
A HCV epidemic was once existing in rural community residents in the province that former commercial blood/plasma donation was the main reason for HCV epidemic in the community. It is urgent to make efficient measures to prevent HCV secondary transmission and provide patients with care and treatment to this community.
Shi
Xiao-ming
XM
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Mei
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Gao
Jian-hua
JH
Qiao
Xiao-Chun
XC
Qian
Han-Zhu
HZ
Jia
Wang-Qian
WQ
Yang
Zhong-Min
ZM
Zhang
Yu-Liang
YL
Zheng
Xi-Wen
XW
Wang
Ning
N