Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in different populations in Taiwan.

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) was investigated among different populations in Taiwan, where anti-HCV was detected in 0.8% (24/2,994) of adult volunteer blood donors, 0.1% (1/1,305) of youngsters and children, 12.5% (8/64) of adult volunteer blood donors with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT), 36.5% (23/63) of hemodialysis patients, 4.1% (13/318) of male homosexuals, 25.4% (16/63) of cases positive for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV), 82.2% (578/703) of intravenous drug users (IVDUs), and 10.3% (23/223) of female prostitutes (FPs). Among patients with chronic liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the overall prevalence rate for anti-HCV was 34.1% (42/123), and a higher prevalence was noted in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative cases than in HBsAg-positive cases. The prevalence of anti-HCV in volunteer blood donors and high prevalence found in IVDUs, hemodialysis patients, anti-HIV positive cases, and FPs are consistent with those results from other countries. These findings suggest that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is transmitted by both blood-borne and sexual contact routes. Among flavivirus infections, anti-HCV was detected in 0.3% (1/289) and 1.3% (4/310) of Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever patients, respectively. In conclusion, in Taiwan, an area with high endemicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the epidemiological status of HCV infection is similar to that observed in other countries, and no serum cross-reactivity was noticed between HCV and flavivirus infections.