INTRODUCTION: The study objective was to evaluate epidemiological aspects in patients with hepatitis C treated at the Clinic of Infectology and Travel Medicine in Kosice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 232 patients (132 males and 100 females, mean age 43.8 years) followed up and treated with the diagnosis of hepatitis C (HC) in 2003 through 2007. RESULTS: The probable sources of infection were most often blood transfusion (in 31% of patients), injecting drug use (9%) and invasive medical procedures (6%). Tattooing and piercing procedures were a potential route of infection in 4% of HC cases, while other risk factors were less common. None of the HC risk factors was identified in 41% of HC patients. HCV genotype was determined in 198 patients. HCV genotype 1 was detected in nearly 90% of the tested HC patients, HCV genotype 3 in 36.6%, HCV genotype 2 in 3 patients and HCV genotypes 4 and 6 in one patient each. Two HC cases were coinfections with HCV genotypes 1 and 3 or 1 and 4. The mean time interval from the first detection of elevated aminotransferase activity to the diagnosis and therapy institution was 6.3 years. CONCLUSION: The most common source of infection was blood transfusion, followed by injecting drug use and surgery. The prevailing HCV genotype is 1. In the future, it would be necessary to reduce the time interval from the detection of liver damage to the etiological diagnosis of HC, which has been too long.

Klinika infektológie a cestovnej mediciny LF UPJS a FN L Pasteura Kosice Slovenská republika

Epidemiology of HCV infection in the Central European region