Hepatitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Hepatitis, including details on hepatitis a, b, c, causes, symptoms.

Epidemiological characteristics and medical follow-up of 61 patients with acute hepatitis C identified through the hepatitis C surveillance system in France.

Brouard C, Pradat P, Delarocque-Astagneau E, Silvain C

Institut de Veille Sanitaire, Département des Maladies Infectieuses, Saint-Maurice Cedex, France. c.brouard@invs.sante.fr

This study aimed to describe current epidemiological and clinical characteristics, medical follow-up and outcome in the real practice of acute hepatitis C (AHC) patients. AHC cases were retrospectively identified through the French Hepatology Reference Centres Surveillance system and additional data were collected. Sixty-one patients with AHC were identified (sex ratio: M/F 1.7/1; mean age 39 years). Forty-four (72%) had documented seroconversion within a 6-month period. Main reported risk exposures were intravenous or nasal drug use (35%), invasive medical procedures (25%) and sexual contact with a HCV-positive partner (20%). Spontaneous clearance of HCV RNA was observed in seven out of 16 patients followed without therapy. This study confirms the major role of drug use in HCV transmission and highlights the role of invasive medical procedures and occupational exposure.

Published 16 May 2008 in Epidemiol Infect, 136(7): 988-96.
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