[Investigation of anti-hepatitis C virus in the sera of different populations of Beijing].

A study of anti-HCV in the sera of different populations of Beijing was conducted. Of the general population, 2.1% (9/438) were anti-HCV positive, and of the patients that underwent blood transfusion 11.1% (6/54) were anti-HCV positive. Among patients with chronic liver diseases, anti-HCV was positive in 10.5% (36/342) of patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), 12.1% (13/107) of those with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 42.6% (63/148) of those with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 38.4% (20/52) of those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBsAg and anti-HCV were both positive in none of the general population, in 6.7% (23/342) of patients with CPH, in 8.4% (9/107) of those with CAH, in 31.1% (46/148) of those with LC and in 28.9% (15/52) of those with HCC. In the development of hepatitis into chronicity, detection of anti-HCV is of great significance. It was found that HBV-HCV coinfection made the condition of the patients with hepatitis worsened and it had close relations with hepatocellular carcinoma. Investigation in subjects below the age of 35 in the general population and in patients with chronic hepatitis indicate that besides the mother-to-infant route or the route of blood transfusion, HCV has other routes of propagation.