Endemic hepatitis c virus infection in a seaboard village of southwestern taiwan

This study investigated the rate of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection and identified the risk factors associated with a HCV infection at Ma-Sha-Gou, a sea board village in south western Taiwan. In total, 240 subjects were sampled and stratified according to age and sex from 1,200 residents aged 20˜64 years old. HCV-specific antibodies (anti-HCV Ab) in blood specimens were tested for HCV seropositive by the third-generation HCV ELISA system. The subjects, later identified as 152 seropositive and 88 seronegative, were selected for analysis of the correlates of HCV infection. They were interviewed to explore a variety of possible risk factors for HCV infection with a structured questionnaire. The results showed that the anti-HCV age-adjusted seroprevalence was 55.8%. Needle injection was significant to the increased anti-HCV seroprevalence, with multivariate age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) of 1.9 and 1.2 ˜ 3.9 respectively. This study identifies Ma-Sha-Gou as an endemic area of HCV infection, in which needle injection from any medical activity was a possible transmission pathway in the village, and suggests the health authorities/community health nurses should give there sidents a comprehensive community-based education program to interrupt HCV transmission.