title: Risk factors for higher anti-HCV positivity in a border city in southern Turkey with unique population characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted as a seroprevalence study on hepatitis C virus infection in a small city located in southern Anatolia, to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus and to explore the potential risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection at this population level.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1427 (685 male (48%), 742 female) subjects agreed to participate in the study. Risk factors were examined using a questionnaire. All blood samples were tested using third-generation anti-hepatitis C virus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall anti-hepatitis C virus prevalence was 3.1% (44/1427). There was a steady rise in the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus positivity with age; the anti-hepatitis C virus prevalence was slightly higher in men (3.6%) than women (2.6%). The prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus positivity was significantly higher in primary school graduates (3.4%) (odds ratio [OR]: 4.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-11.6, p=0.0001) and in illiterate subjects (5.0%) (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.1-7.4, p=0.021) compared to secondary-plus graduates. Anti-hepatitis C virus positivity was higher (3.7%) in married subjects (OR: 8.7, 95% CI: 1.2-63.7, p=0.003) compared to single subjects (0.0%). Having dental procedure, delivery at home, provocative abortion, working abroad, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were factors found to increase the anti-hepatitis C virus positivity significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the region of the current study, the anti-hepatitis C virus seroprevalence was higher compared to the whole country. Illiteracy, previous dental procedures, and working abroad in neighboring countries seem to be factors that relate to this high ratio.
authors.affiliation: Başkent University, School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Adana, Turkey. birolozer@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Birol
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Özer
authors.forename: Gülşah
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seydaoğlu
authors.forename: Akatlı Kürşat
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Özşahın
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demırhındı
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies