Recent advances in laboratory diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C in Prince Edward Island: a descriptive review of reported cases, 1990-1995

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of hepatitis C in Canada is not known. There is limited information on most small area populations such as Prince Edward Island.

METHODS

A retrospective approach was used to obtain detailed information on all cases of hepatitis C identified in Prince Edward Island from December 1990 to September 1995. Cases were reviewed for demographic, clinical and risk factor information, including blood donation and transfusion histories.

RESULTS

There were 54 RIBA confirmed cases of hepatitis C infection included in the Prince Edward Island Hepatitis C Database, of which 38 (70%) were males. Age ranged from 18 to 76 years, with a mean age of 38 years. Twenty-eight (52%) of the cases had a history of injection drug use, and 24 (44%) had received blood or blood products in the past. There were five cases with neither of these risk factors identified.

DISCUSSION

The results suggest that, in this small, primarily rural population, injection drug use is the most common means of hepatitis C transmission, followed by receipt of blood or blood products.