title: Epidemiology of HCV infection in Central and Eastern Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  is the estimation of prevalence of HCV infection in fourteen Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This review describes the comparative data of persons possessing anti-HCV antibodies and persons with HCV viremia (% of population and number) in fourteen Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). The study was performed according to data on the ≥15 years of age populations obtained from the Statistical Offices of the countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of anti-HCV in populations varied between 0.27 and 3.5%. The lowest values were reported from Kosovo, Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic; 0.3-0.6%. The highest values of anti-HCV antibodies were noted in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania; 2.4, 2.85 and 3.5%, respectively. From eight countries the percentages of persons with HCV viremia were available (0.2-3.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paper gives an estimate of the number of people infected with HCV in the general population of 8 countries from the CSEEC region. This number is approximately ~1.16 million.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Laboratory of Immunopathology of Hepatotropic Infections National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madaliński
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Laboratory of Immunopathology of Hepatotropic Infections National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.|Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Warsaw.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zakrzewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Laboratory of Immunopathology of Hepatotropic Infections National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kołakowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Laboratory of Immunopathology of Hepatotropic Infections National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godzik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies