			Home About us Contact

HCV Prevalence (hcv + prevalence)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	90%

Selected Abstracts

Can hepatitis C virus prevalence be used as a measure of injection-related human immunodeficiency virus risk in populations of injecting drug users?

ADDICTION, Issue 2 2010
An ecological analysis
ABSTRACT Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreaks occur among injecting drug users (IDUs), but where HIV is low insight is required into the future risk of increased transmission. The relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV prevalence among IDUs is explored to determine whether HCV prevalence could indicate HIV risk. Methods Systematic review of IDU HIV/HCV prevalence data and regression analysis using weighted prevalence estimates and time,series data. Results HIV/HCV prevalence estimates were obtained for 343 regions. In regions other than South America/sub-Saharan Africa (SAm/SSA), mean IDU HIV prevalence is likely to be negligible if HCV prevalence is <30% (95% confidence interval 22,38%) but increases progressively with HCV prevalence thereafter [linearly (, = 0.39 and R2 = 0.67) or in proportion to cubed HCV prevalence (, = 0.40 and R2 = 0.67)]. In SAm/SSA, limited data suggest that mean HIV prevalence is proportional to HCV prevalence (, = 0.84, R2 = 0.99), but will be much greater than in non-SAm/SSA settings with no threshold HCV prevalence that corresponds to low HIV risk. At low HCV prevalences (<50%), time,series data suggest that any change in HIV prevalence over time is likely to be much smaller (<25%) than the change in HCV prevalence over the same time-period, but that this difference diminishes at higher HCV prevalences. Conclusions HCV prevalence could be an indicator of HIV risk among IDUs. In most settings, reducing HCV prevalence below a threshold (30%) would reduce substantially any HIV risk, and could provide a target for HIV prevention. [source]

Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis among injecting drug users in Russia: a multi-city study

ADDICTION, Issue 2 2006
Tim Rhodes
ABSTRACT Objectives To estimate the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis in injecting drug users (IDUs) in Russia. Methods Unlinked anonymous cross-sectional survey of 1473 IDUs recruited from non-treatment settings in Moscow, Volgograd and Barnaul (Siberia), with oral fluid sample collection for HIV, HCV antibody (anti-HIV, anti-HCV) and syphilis testing. Results Prevalence of antibody to HIV was 14% in Moscow, 3% in Volgograd and 9% in Barnaul. HCV prevalence was 67% in Moscow, 70% in Volgograd and 54% in Barnaul. Prevalence of positive syphilis serology was 8% in Moscow, 20% in Volgograd and 6% in Barnaul. Half of those HIV positive and a third of those HCV positive were unaware of their positive status. Common risk factors associated with HIV and HCV infection across the cities included both direct and indirect sharing of injecting equipment and injection of home-produced drugs. Among environmental risk factors, we found increased odds of anti-HIV associated with being in prison in Moscow, and some association between official registration as a drug user and anti-HIV and anti-HCV. No associations were found between sexual risk behaviours and anti-HIV in any city. Conclusions HIV prevalence among IDUs was markedly higher than city routine surveillance data suggests and at potentially critical levels in terms of HIV prevention in two cities. HCV prevalence was high in all cities. Syphilis prevalence highlights the potential for sexual risk and sexual HIV transmission. Despite large-scale testing programmes, knowledge of positive status was poor. The scaling-up of harm reduction for IDUs in Russia, including sexual risk reduction, is an urgent priority. [source]

Hepatitis B and C virus infection in Crohn's disease

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 4 2001
Dr. Livia Biancone
Abstract Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are at higher risk of hepatitis C (HCV) and B virus (HBV) infection, because of surgical and/or endoscopic procedures. However, the prevalence of HCV and HBV infection in CD is unknown. This issue may be relevant because of the growing use of immunomodulatory drugs in CD. The purpose of this study was to assess, in a multicenter study, the prevalence and risk factors of HCV and HBV infection in CD. The effect of immunomodulatory drugs for CD on the clinical course of hepatitis virus infections and of interferon-, (IFN-,) on the course of CD was examined in a small number of patients. Sera from 332 patients with CD and 374 control subjects (C) were tested for the following: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb), HBcAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, anti-HCV, and HCV-RNA. An additional 162 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were tested as a disease control group. Risk factors were assessed by multivariate statistical analysis. Infection by either HCV or HBV was detected in 24.7% of patients with CD. In the age groups younger than 50 years, HCV prevalence was higher in CD than in C (p = 0.01). HCV infection in CD was associated with surgery (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.00,2.93; p = 0.04), blood transfusions (OR 3.39; 95% CI 1.04,11.04; p = 0.04), and age (OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.61,3.56; p < 0.001). The event CD-related surgery appeared to be the main risk factor for HCV infection in CD. HCV prevalence was higher in CD (7.4%) than in UC (0.6%) (p = 0.001). HBcAb positivity was higher in CD (10.9%) and UC (11.5%) than in C (5.1%) (CD vs. C: p = 0.016; UC vs. C: p = 0.02), associated with age (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.37,3.17; p = 0.001) and female gender (OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.37,3.17; p = 0.001) in CD and to UC duration (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.06,1.36; p = 0.002). Immunomodulatory drugs did not influence the course of HBV or HCV infection in seven patients with CD, and IFN-, for chronic hepatitis C did not affect CD activity in six patients with CD. It is concluded that HBV prevalence is higher in CD than in C at all ages, whereas HCV prevalence is increased in young patients with CD, because of a greater need for surgery. The higher HCV (but not HBV) prevalence in CD than in UC suggests that the host immune response may influence the risk of HCV infection. Although a relatively high proportion of patients with CD showed HBV and/or HCV infections, this should not influence treatment strategies for CD. [source]

Incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma in the U.S. and Denmark: Recent trends

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 7 2007
Peter Jepsen
Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence rates vary by gender, age, time and place. Geographic differences in gender-, age- and time-specific HCC incidence rates may improve the understanding of HCC risk factors. We computed annual standardized HCC incidence rates for the United States (U.S.) 1978,2004 and for Denmark 1978,2003. Among U.S. white men aged 45,59 the HCC incidence rates were comparable to the Danish rates until 1995, but more than tripled over the following 8 years to become over 2.5-fold higher than the Danish rate by 2003, with an additional small increase in 2004. HCC rates in black U.S. men aged 45,59 also increased sharply after 1995. Among women aged 45,59 the U.S. HCC rates were elevated in recent years, but did not show the sharp increase after 1995 observed among men; the Danish rates showed a decreasing trend throughout 1978,2003. U.S. rates in the 60,74 years age groups showed a protracted and gradual increase with no evidence of a sharp increase after 1995. In the 60,74 years age group, rates for Danish men were comparable to those for U.S. white men, but rates for Danish women decreased. The U.S. prevalence rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are 2.1 and 1.1% for men and women, respectively, the Danish 0.2%. The disparity in HCV prevalence is the most likely explanation for the differences between Danish and U.S. trends in HCC incidence. Intravenous drug use and blood transfusions are the major sources of HCV, and we suggest that increased HCV infection prevalence among Vietnam era military veterans may contribute to the earlier and steeper HCC incidence increase for U.S. men than for U.S. women. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Seroprevalence of hepatitis C in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic on haemodialysis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 6 2006
S. Ocak
Summary Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has emerged as the commonest cause of end-stage renal disease. Haemodialysis (HD) treatment constitutes a high-risk environment for the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV). The aim of this study was to establish a potential relationship between type 2 DM and HCV infection in HD patients. Of the 267 HD patients, 67 (25.1%) had type 2 DM and 200 (74.9%) were with diverse aetiology for end-stage renal disease. The serum markers of HCV infection were tested by a second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test for antibodies and by qualitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction technique for viral RNA. The overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA was found to be 12.7% (34/267) and 10.1% (27/267), respectively. Patients with type 2 DM were found to have a higher HCV prevalence compared with non-diabetic patients [20.8% (14/67) vs. 10% (20/200)] (p < 0.05). The mean period on dialysis of anti-HCV-positive patients with type 2 DM was shorter than that observed for anti-HCV-positive non-diabetic patients (43.9 ± 9.8 months vs. 59.7 ± 28.4 months) (p < 0.05). This study has shown that although the period on dialysis of diabetic patients are shorter than non-diabetic patients, the prevalence of HCV in HD patients with type 2 DM is higher than that detected in non-diabetic HD patients. [source]

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and hepatitis C virus Co-infection and viral subtypes at an HIV testing center in Brazil

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 6 2006
G.A.S. Pereira
Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing sites have been recognized recently as potential settings for hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening since both viruses share common routes of transmission. HIV and HCV prevalence, predictors, co-infection rates, and viral subtypes were studied in 592 attendants at an anonymous HIV Counseling and Testing Center in central Brazil. Anti-HIV-1 and -HCV antibodies were screened by ELISA, and Western blots were used to confirm HIV infection. Among HIV-seropositive samples, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested-PCR were used to subtype HIV-1 by the Heteroduplex Mobility Analysis (HMA) and HCV by the line probe assay (INNO-LiPA). HIV and HCV seroprevalence was 3.2% (95% CI 2.0,4.9) and 2.5% (95% CI 1.5,4.0), respectively. Intravenous drug use was the risk factor most strongly associated with both HIV and HCV infections, even in a population with few intravenous drug users (n,=,6); incarceration was also associated with HCV. HIV/AIDS-positive sexual partner and homosexual/bisexual behaviors were associated independently with HIV-1. The prevalence of HCV infection among HIV-positive persons was 42% (95% CI 20,66), higher than in HIV-negative persons (1.2%; 95% CI 0.5,2.5). HIV-1 subtype B was identified in the env and gag regions of the genome. HCV subtype 3a predominated among co-infected persons and one HCV subtype 1a was detected. Overall, a similar prevalence of HIV and HCV infections and a higher prevalence of HCV among HIV-positive persons were observed. Integrated HIV and HCV screening at HIV testing sites may represent a unique opportunity to provide diagnosis and prevention strategies at a single visit. J. Med. Virol. 78:719,723, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Improving Outcomes of Liver Retransplantation: An Analysis of Trends and the Impact of Hepatitis C Infection

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 2 2008
M. Ghabril
Retransplantation (RT) in Hepatitis C (HCV) patients remains controversial. Aims: To study trends in RT and evaluate the impact of HCV status in the context of a comprehensive recipient and donor risk assessment. The UNOS database between 1994 and October 2005 was utilized to analyze 46 982 LT and RT. Graft and patient survival along with patient and donor characteristics were compared for 2283 RT performed in HCV and non-HCV patients during 1994,1997, 1998,2001 and 2002,October 2005. Overall HCV prevalence at RT increased from 36% in the initial period to 40.6% after 2002. In our study group, 1-year patient and graft survival post-RT improved over the same time intervals from 65.0% to 70.7% and 54.87% to 65.8%, respectively. HCV was only associated with decreased patient and graft survival with a retransplant (LT-RT) interval (RI) >90 days. Independent predictors of mortality for RT with RI >90 days were patient age, MELD score >25, RI <1 year, warm ischemia time ,75 min and donor age ,60 (significant for HCV patients only). Outcomes of RT are improving, but can be optimized by weighing recipient factors, anticipation of operative factors and donor selection. [source]