Hepatitis C Medical Notification 01/01/04 - 31/03/04
In the first quarter of 2004, 213 medical
notifications of hepatitis C infection were received for 136 (64%) males
and 77 (36%) females. Among these 213 cases, 191 individuals were newly
diagnosed with hepatitis C infection (Table
2.1).
Medical notification reported 78 individuals as having no previous
hepatitis C test while 22 individuals had earlier, positive tests (before
1995). Thirty-one individuals recorded a previous negative test; in 14
cases within the last 12 months and in 17 cases more than 12 months
earlier. In a further 82 cases the testing history was unknown.
In 132 (69%) newly diagnosed infections, past or present injecting
drug use was reported as a likely transmission route for hepatitis C
virus (Table 2.1).
At diagnosis, most individuals were aged between
20 and 49 years, 107 (86%) males and 53 (79%) females (Table 2.2).
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. Sixteen
incident cases were identified in the first quarter.
Fourteen had negative serology in the previous 12 months while two
cases were diagnosed with clinical hepatitis.
The incident cases comprised ten males and six
females. The probable mode of transmission for hepatitis C virus was
solely injecting drug use in ten cases (Table
2.3). Most were in the 20 to 39 year age-group at 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, 01/01/04 - 31/03/04.
Exposure category by sex.
|
Exposure category |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
|
IDU1 |
81
|
65
|
40
|
60
|
121
|
63
|
|
IDU/Tattoos |
9
|
7
|
2
|
3
|
11
|
6
|
|
Blood transfusion/products |
6
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
8
|
4
|
|
Tattoos |
5
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
7
|
4
|
|
High prevalence country2 |
6
|
5
|
4
|
6
|
10
|
5
|
|
Other3 |
6
|
5
|
7
|
10
|
13
|
7
|
|
Unknown |
11
|
9
|
10
|
15
|
21
|
11
|
|
Total |
124
|
|
67
|
|
191
|
|
1
includes IDU in combination with categories other than tattoos
2 residence/medical treatment in a high
prevalence country
3 includes - perinatal
transmission, occupational exposure, sexual partner and body piercing.
Table 2.2
Hepatitis C
infection, 01/01/04 - 31/03/04.
Age group by sex.
|
Age group (years)
|
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
|
<10 |
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
|
10 - 19 |
3
|
2
|
7
|
10
|
10
|
5
|
|
20 - 29 |
23
|
19
|
18
|
27
|
41
|
21
|
|
30 - 39 |
44
|
35
|
20
|
30
|
64
|
34
|
|
40 - 49 |
40
|
32
|
15
|
22
|
55
|
29
|
|
³
50 |
13
|
11
|
6
|
9
|
19
|
10
|
|
Total |
124
|
|
67
|
|
191
|
|
Table 2.3
Newly acquired hepatitis C infection (Incident cases1)
01/01/04 - 31/03/04. Exposure category by sex.
|
Exposure category |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
IDU |
8
|
2
|
10
|
|
IDU/tattoos |
1
|
-
|
1
|
|
Tattoos |
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Occupational
exposure |
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
Unknown |
-
|
2
|
2
|
|
Total |
10
|
6
|
16
|
1 Incident cases are newly acquired infections, see text
Table 2.4
Newly acquired hepatitis C infection (Incident cases1),
01/01/04 - 31/03/04. Age group by sex.
|
Age group (years) |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
20 - 29
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
30 - 39
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
40 - 49
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
|
50 - 59
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
Total
|
10
|
6
|
16
|
1 Incident cases are newly acquired infections, see text
Table 2.5
Summary of
hepatitis C antibody tests, 01/01/04 - 31/03/04.
Laboratory by sex.
|
Laboratory |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Private |
3053
|
4468
|
7521
|
|
Public |
5662
|
7685
|
13347
|
|
Total |
8715
|
12153
|
20868
|
|
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