title: Co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C virus in former plasma/blood donors: challenge for patient care in rural China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Illegal commercial plasma donation in the late 1980s and early 1990s caused blood-borne infections in China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and to identify associated risk factors in central China with a history of illegal plasma collection activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2004, in which all adult residents in four villages in rural Shanxi Province were invited for a questionnaire interview and testing of HIV and HCV antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 3062 participating villagers, 29.5% reported a history of selling whole blood or plasma. HIV seropositivity was confirmed in 1.3% of subjects and 12.7% were HCV positive. Their co-infection rates were 1.1% among all study subjects, 85% among HIV-positive subjects, and 8.7% among HCV-positive subjects. Selling plasma [odds ratio (OR), 22.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 16.1-31.7; P < 0.001] or blood (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 2.3-4.2; P < 0.001) were independently associated with HIV and/or HCV infections. Although a spouse's history of selling plasma/blood was not associated with either infection, the HIV or HCV seropositivity of a spouse was significantly associated with HIV and/or HCV infections (both OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.0-5.2 in men, 2.0-4.9 in women; P < 0.001). For men, residence in the village with a prior illegal plasma collection center (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.7-3.7; P < 0.001) and for women, older age (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-14.0; P = 0.04) were associated with HIV and/or HCV infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV and HCV infections are now prevalent in these Chinese communities. HIV projects should consider screening and care for HCV co-infection.
authors.affiliation: National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Han-Zhu
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Sten H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Vermund
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kaslow
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Coffey
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chamot
authors.forename: Zhongmin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Yuliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003132:Commerce; D003415:Crime; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data