SEROEPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF HEPATITIS-C VI RUS-INFECTION IN A GENERAL-POPULATION FROM THE REGION OF LA RIOJA, SPAIN

BACKGROUND: TO assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infect ion in a general population and to identify risk factors for acquiring infection. POBLATION AND METHODS: A cross section of the general urba n population of La Rioja aged between 14 and 65, was studied by choosi ng a random sample (n = 890). Serum samples were screened for HCV anti bodies by second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and rec ombinant immunoblot assays. We investigated the relationship between H CV serostatus and age, intravenous drug use, tattoos, blood transfusio n, history of hepatitis, previous surgical operations, the administrat ion of parenteral treatment and the number of sexual partners. RESULTS : The overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 2%. The logistic r egression analysis confirmed a statistically significant association b etween anti-HCV positivity and intravenous drug use (OR = 169.67; CI 9 5%: 21.1-1, 364.75), exposure to a bood transfusion (OR = 10.41; CI 95 %: 3.03-35.75); tattoos (OR = 9.04; CI 95%: 1.25-65.36), and male sex (OR = 5.35; CI 95%: 1.34-21.42). However, that 38% of subjects had no risk factors for HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: These results show a high proportion of people were found to have anti-HCV antibodies. The poss ible mode of infection in one third of these subjects is not known. In the half of these cases the infection was found have been acquired by an intravenous mechanism: blood transfusion or drug use.