title: Hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors in the general population: a large community-based study in eastern China, 2011-2012.
abstract: Limited information is available on the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the general population in China. A community-based epidemiological study was conducted in three counties in eastern China. A total of 149 175 individuals were investigated in 60 communities in three counties in Jiangsu province, eastern China, of whom 1175 subjects [0·79%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·74-0·83] were HCV antibody positive. The prevalence was low in children (0·09%, 95% CI 0·04-0·17), but increased progressively from adolescents (0·20%, 95% CI 0·15-0·28) to adults aged ⩾21 years (95% CI 0·15-1·64). Women had a higher prevalence of HCV infection than men in most age groups. In a multilevel regression analysis, age, sex, education, occupation, blood transfusion [odds ratio (OR) 2·91, 95% CI 1·09-5·37], invasive testing (OR 1·28, 95% CI 1·14-1·61), and dental therapy (OR 2·27, 95% CI 1·41-3·42) were associated with HCV infection. In conclusion, although the prevalence of HCV in this population was lower than reported from national levels, the total reservoir of infection is significant and warrants public health measures, such as health education to limit the magnitude of the problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology,Medical Institute of Nanjing Army,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Epidemiological study; general population; hepatitis C virus antibody; risk factor