Risk Factors for Acute Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis in the United States and Association With Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection. A case-control study of blood donors in the Trent Region (UK)

“…Previous studies of clinical cases have identified injecting drug use [3,4] and transfusion of blood products [3,4] as major factors in the transmission of hepatitis C infection. The importance of sexual transmission is less clear [5].…”

Hepatitis C epidemiology: Injecting new tools in the field

“…1 With blood donation screening, injection drug use emerged as the dominant mode of HCV transmission in many economically developed nations. 2 HCV transmission often occurs within months of initiating injection drug use, 50% to 90% of those who acknowledge the practice have HCV infection, and drug use is the only recognized exposure reported by many HCV infected persons. [2][3][4] Even in settings where injection drug use might not be anticipated, there are strong associations between HCV infection and injection drug use.…”

“…In the sentinel county monitoring done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one third of persons with acute infection have no apparent exposure to HCV. 2,4 Similarly, 15% to 20% of patients attending the Johns Hopkins Emergency Department and nearby sexually transmitted diseases clinics have HCV infection. However, fewer than half of those with HCV infection acknowledge percutaneous exposures like drug use and blood transfusions.…”

“…Similarly, in the sentinel counties monitored by the CDC, approximately 15% of persons with acute HCV infection reported high-risk sexual practices but no other exposures. 2,4 It is possible that both high risk sexual practices and intranasal cocaine use, like the use of marijuana, are markers for unacknowledged injection drug use. Conversely, low socioeconomic status and low education could represent settings in which one is more likely to encounter an HCVinfected sexual or cocaine-sharing partner.…”

Risk factors for higher anti-HCV positivity in a border city in southern Turkey with unique population characteristics

“…Among some potential exposures, nonparenteral drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, and low socioeconomic level can be considered (22,23). Twenty-eight percent of HCV-positive individuals were reported to have low socioeconomic level (23).…”