R C Cheung1. 1. Division of Gastroenterology, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, California 94304, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study reports the findings of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a large Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in suburban Northern California. METHODS: All veterans who had anti-HCV (EIA II) tested during a 6-yr period (7/92 to 6/98) were included in this study. To estimate the seroprevalence of anti-HCV among our population, 126 consecutive bloodborne pathogen exposure accidents were studied. RESULTS: Of 8558 veterans tested for anti-HCV (EIA II), 2985 (35%) veterans were positive with a mean age of 48.4 yr (range, 28-89 yr). Sixty percent were between the age of 41 and 50 yr. Risk factors for HCV infection identified in 409 consecutive veterans were intravenous drug abuse (81%), unknown (11%), blood transfusion (3%), sexual/household contact (2%), transfusion and intravenous drug use (2%), and tattoo (1%). Of 215 consecutive anti-HCV-positive veterans whose sera were tested by polymerase chain reaction, 96% were viremic. The most common HCV genotypes were 1a (50.5%), 1b (22.8%), 3a (12.1%), 2b (9.7%), 2a (1.9%), undetermined (1.9%), and mixed infection (1%). Veterans infected with genotype 1b were significantly older. Among 126 consecutive bloodborne pathogen exposure accidents, hepatitis C serology was available for 72 index veterans involved in the accidents and 18% were positive. CONCLUSIONS: We found the epidemiology of hepatitis C infection was different in the veteran population when compared to other published data on nonveterans. Hepatitis C infection was much more common among veteran, within a very narrow age distribution and intravenous drug use was the major risk factor.
OBJECTIVE: This study reports the findings of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a large Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in suburban Northern California. METHODS: All veterans who had anti-HCV (EIA II) tested during a 6-yr period (7/92 to 6/98) were included in this study. To estimate the seroprevalence of anti-HCV among our population, 126 consecutive bloodborne pathogen exposure accidents were studied. RESULTS: Of 8558 veterans tested for anti-HCV (EIA II), 2985 (35%) veterans were positive with a mean age of 48.4 yr (range, 28-89 yr). Sixty percent were between the age of 41 and 50 yr. Risk factors for HCV infection identified in 409 consecutive veterans were intravenous drug abuse (81%), unknown (11%), blood transfusion (3%), sexual/household contact (2%), transfusion and intravenous drug use (2%), and tattoo (1%). Of 215 consecutive anti-HCV-positive veterans whose sera were tested by polymerase chain reaction, 96% were viremic. The most common HCV genotypes were 1a (50.5%), 1b (22.8%), 3a (12.1%), 2b (9.7%), 2a (1.9%), undetermined (1.9%), and mixed infection (1%). Veterans infected with genotype 1b were significantly older. Among 126 consecutive bloodborne pathogen exposure accidents, hepatitis C serology was available for 72 index veterans involved in the accidents and 18% were positive. CONCLUSIONS: We found the epidemiology of hepatitis C infection was different in the veteran population when compared to other published data on nonveterans. Hepatitis C infection was much more common among veteran, within a very narrow age distribution and intravenous drug use was the major risk factor.
Authors: Joseph A Boscarino; Alexandra Sitarik; Stuart C Gordon; Loralee B Rupp; David R Nerenz; Vinutha Vijayadeva; Mark A Schmidt; Emily Henkle; Mei Lu Journal: J Community Health Date: 2014-10
Authors: Ke-Qin Hu; Sue L Currie; Hui Shen; Ramsey C Cheung; Samuel B Ho; Edmund J Bini; John D McCracken; Tim Morgan; Norbert Bräu; Warren N Schmidt; Lennox Jeffers; Teresa L Wright Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2007-01-17 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Rachel Hart-Malloy; Alvaro Carrascal; A Gregory Dirienzo; Colleen Flanigan; Kristi McClamroch; Lou Smith Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2013-06-13 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Christine M Rousseau; George N Ioannou; Jeffrey A Todd-Stenberg; Kevin L Sloan; Meaghan F Larson; Christopher W Forsberg; Jason A Dominitz Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2008-04-01 Impact factor: 9.308