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Hepatitis C Surveillance in South Australia

Hepatitis C Medical Notification 01/01/02 - 31/03/02

In the first quarter of 2002, 209 medical notifications of hepatitis C infection were received for 152 (63%) males and 91 (37%) females. Data from medical notifications show 181 (87%) individuals were first diagnosed with hepatitis C infection during this period.

Among the 209 notifications, 77 individuals reported a first positive hepatitis C test in 2002 while 28 individuals had earlier, positive tests (pre 1995). Thirty five individuals reported a previous negative test; in 24 cases, more than 12 months earlier, and 11 within the last year. In a further 69 cases the testing history was unknown. In 118 (65%) instances, past or present injecting drug use was reported as a likely transmission route for hepatitis C virus (Table 2.1).

At the time of diagnosis, the majority of individuals were aged between 20 and 39 years, 72 (64%) males and 44 (64%) females (Table 2.2). Four females and four males were aged less than twenty years, of these, six had a history of injecting drug use.

Newly acquired infections - Incident Cases

Incident cases are identified by hepatitis C antibody seroconversion within 12 months, or a positive test accompanied by acute clinical hepatitis not ascribed to other causes. During the quarter, 11 incident cases were identified, all had negative serology in the last 12 months and two also had clinical hepatitis.

The incident cases comprised two females and nine males. The probable mode of transmission for hepatitis C virus was injecting drug use in nine (82%) cases (Table 2.3). One further case had several risks for acquisition of hepatitis C virus, including recent injecting drug use; in another case exposure to hepatitis C has not yet been ascertained. The most common age-group at diagnosis was 20 to 29 years. One female and one male were aged less than 20 years at the time of diagnosis (Table 2.4).

Collated laboratory data for hepatitis C antibody tests performed during the quarter are shown in Table 2.5.

Table 2.1 Hepatitis C infection, 01/01/02 - 31/03/02. 
Exposure category by sex.

^{* includes IDU in combination with other categories
** includes -body piercing, blood contact
*** residence/medical treatment in a high prevalence country}

Table 2.2 Hepatitis C infection, 01/01/02 - 31/03/02. 
Age group by sex.

Table 2.3 Newly acquired infections (Incident cases*) of hepatitis C, 
01/01/02 - 31/03/02. Exposure category by sex.

^{* Incident cases are newly acquired infections, see text}

Table 2.4 Newly acquired infections (Incident cases*) of hepatitis C, 
01/01/02 - 31/03/02.  Age group by sex.

^{* Incident cases are newly acquired infections, see text}

Table 2.5 Summary of hepatitis C antibody tests, 
01/01/02 - 31/03/02. Laboratory by sex.

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