Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus in an Endemic Area of Thailand: Burden Assessment toward HCV Elimination.

ABSTRACT: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. To eliminate HCV infection in an endemic area, an epidemiological baseline of the current HCV infection in the population is required. We therefore aimed to evaluate the HCV burden in the Thai Province of Phetchabun, which has the highest HCV infection rate in the country. Toward this, a province-wide district-based representative sampling of 4,769 individuals ages 35-64 years previously shown to represent high-risk age-groups were tested for anti-HCV antibodies using the automated chemiluminescent microparticle assays. Active HCV infection and subsequent genotyping were determined from serologically reactive samples by amplification of the HCV core gene. We found that 6.9% (327/4,769) were

SUBMITTER: Wasitthankasem R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7356443 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature