[Hepatitis C--a health problem also in Norway].
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C is a large global health problem; approximately 20 - 30 000 are infected in Norway. Hepatitis C-infection is often chronic and can progress into chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The most important transmission route is through percutaneous exposure to infected blood. The aim of this article is to describe the clinical course, microbiological diagnostic approaches, therapy, prophylaxis and public health aspects of Hepatitis C infection.


METHODS
The paper is based on results from annual health examinations (conducted since 2001) of persons who abuse drugs intravenously in Oslo, from diagnostic work in a national reference laboratory for Hepatitis C and studies of literature (retrieved from Pubmed).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of Hepatitis C varies by country and subgroup of patients. In Norway the prevalence is 0.13 % among new blood donors, 0.7 % among pregnant women, 0.55 % in the general adult population and approximately 70 % among persons who abuse drugs intravenously. Treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin induces sustained virological response in 80 % of patients with genotypes 2 and 3 and in 30 - 40 % of those with genotype 1.
Vik
Inger Sofie Samdal
IS
Avdeling for virologi Nasjonalt folkehelseinstitutt Geitmyrsveien 75 0462 Oslo. inger.sofie.samdal.vik@fhi.no
Skaug
Kjell
K
Dalgard
Olav
O
Steen
Tore W
TW
Hoddevik
Gunnar
G
D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load