Vox Sang 1998;74 Suppl 2:143-146
Epidemiology of the hepatitis C virus.
Ebeling F
Finnish Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Helsinki, Finland. freja.ebeling@bts.redcross.fi
According to WHO estimations, about 3% of the world population may be infected
with the hepatitis C virus. The relative prevalences of subtypes of this virus
vary in different geographic areas. The main known routes of transmission are
parenteral; intravenous drug abuse, contaminated injection devices and receipt
of unscreened blood. Sexual, vertical, household and nosocomial transmissions
may occur, but seem to be rare. The risk of screened blood or blood products
is now almost eliminated, but unscreened blood is a considerable risk in areas
where screening is economically not possible. The future impact of this virus
is greatly dependent on the trends in intravenous drug use as well as the possible
emergence of increased late morbidity among present asymptomatic carriers during
the next decades.
PMID: 9704437, UI: 98370060
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