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Transmission of HCV in the Vietnamese community

Transmission of HCV in the Vietnamese community Sonia Caruana, Scott Bowden and Heath Kelly Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown to be the major causative agent of parenterally transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis.1 In developed countries, HCV is primarily transmitted through injecting drug use.2,3 Prior to widespread testing, infected blood and blood products were also a common source of infection. Other reported, yet less common, modes of transmission include mother-to-baby, needle-stick injury in the health care setting and sexual exposure.2,3 None of these routes of transmission adequately explains the high prevalence of HCV infection seen in a number of developing countries. While mother-to-baby transmission may account for some cases, it is relatively inefficient and could not account for the maintenance of a large pool of infected individuals. A number of published reports have implicated past medical procedures involving the use of inadequately sterilised equipment in some countries.4,5 The genome of HCV is heterogeneous and sequencing data has allowed the virus to be classified into distinct genotypes. The geographical restriction of different HCV genotypes may reflect different modes of transmission.6 In the last two decades, Australia has welcomed migrants from countries, such as Vietnam, where HCV is hyperendemic.7 The modes of transmission of HCV in Vietnam are likely to be different from the transmission modes in Australia but there is little published information to establish this. We performed a pilot study to determine possible differences in the transmission modes and genotypes of HCV in Vietnamese people in Australia and Vietnam. After appropriate ethics approval, we recruited Vietnamese patients aged at least 18 years from the outpatient clinics at two public hospitals in Melbourne. We administered a questionnaire, in English or Vietnamese, which covered a wide range of issues relating to potential sources of exposure to HCV. The questionnaire also explored participants’ knowledge of HCV infection and its likely modes of transmission. Where possible, each participant provided a blood sample, http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Wiley

Transmission of HCV in the Vietnamese community

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References (16)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
1326-0200
eISSN
1753-6405
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-842X.2001.tb00578.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Sonia Caruana, Scott Bowden and Heath Kelly Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown to be the major causative agent of parenterally transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis.1 In developed countries, HCV is primarily transmitted through injecting drug use.2,3 Prior to widespread testing, infected blood and blood products were also a common source of infection. Other reported, yet less common, modes of transmission include mother-to-baby, needle-stick injury in the health care setting and sexual exposure.2,3 None of these routes of transmission adequately explains the high prevalence of HCV infection seen in a number of developing countries. While mother-to-baby transmission may account for some cases, it is relatively inefficient and could not account for the maintenance of a large pool of infected individuals. A number of published reports have implicated past medical procedures involving the use of inadequately sterilised equipment in some countries.4,5 The genome of HCV is heterogeneous and sequencing data has allowed the virus to be classified into distinct genotypes. The geographical restriction of different HCV genotypes may reflect different modes of transmission.6 In the last two decades, Australia has welcomed migrants from countries, such as Vietnam, where HCV is hyperendemic.7 The modes of transmission of HCV in Vietnam are likely to be different from the transmission modes in Australia but there is little published information to establish this. We performed a pilot study to determine possible differences in the transmission modes and genotypes of HCV in Vietnamese people in Australia and Vietnam. After appropriate ethics approval, we recruited Vietnamese patients aged at least 18 years from the outpatient clinics at two public hospitals in Melbourne. We administered a questionnaire, in English or Vietnamese, which covered a wide range of issues relating to potential sources of exposure to HCV. The questionnaire also explored participants’ knowledge of HCV infection and its likely modes of transmission. Where possible, each participant provided a blood sample,

Journal

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public HealthWiley

Published: Jun 1, 2001

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