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Hepatitis C virus infection in Iceland: a recently introduced bloodborne disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

A. Löve  and
B. Stanzeit
A. Löve
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Virology, University of Iceland, Ármúli la, P.O. Box 8733, 128 Reykjavík, Iceland
B. Stanzeit
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Virology, University of Iceland, Ármúli la, P.O. Box 8733, 128 Reykjavík, Iceland
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Summary

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This study demonstrates a very high prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among Icelandic intravenous (i.v.) drug users. Of 152 identified i.v. drug users 95 (63%) were shown to have antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. In contrast the seroprevalence in the general Icelandic population is low, (0·2%). Almost all cases of hepatitis C virus infection in Iceland are due to i.v. drug use or to use of infected blood or blood products. Sporadic cases with unexplained modes of transmission, a significant portion of hepatitis C infections elsewhere, are virtually non-existent in Iceland. The results of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that the sporadic community-acquired cases could be caused by blood transfer due to bites from insect vectors such as mosquitoes which are not found in Iceland.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 113 , Issue 3 , December 1994 , pp. 529 - 536
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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