Known and probable risk factors for hepatitis C infection: A case series in north-eastern Poland

Table 1 Prevalence of all known and probable risk factors among 250 chronic hepatitis C patients (n, %)

Risk factors	Alln = 250 (100%)n(%)	Fn = 92 (36.8%)n (%)	Mn = 158 (63.2%)n (%)
Known risk factors
IVDU	22 (8.8)	4 (4.4)	18 (11.4)
Transfusion <1993	67 (26.8)	31 (33.7)	36 (22.8)
Hemodialysis	5 (2.0)	3 (3.3)	2 (1.3)
Occupational	34 (13.6)	21 (22.8)1	13 (8.2)1
exposure - health-care
Sexual exposure to HCV	2 (0.8)	0 (0.0)	2 (1.3)
Probable risk factors
Transfusions after 1992	17 (6.8)	6 (6.5)	11 (7.0)
Minor surgery	36 (14.4)	5 (5.4)2	31 (19.6)2

¹P<0.05, F vs M in occupational exposure - health-care group;

²P<0.05, F vs M in minor surgery group.

Table 2 Distribution of known and probable primary risk factors (one per person according to the hierarchy) stratified by age and gender

Risk factors	All n (%)250 (100%)	F n (%)92 (36.8)	M n (%)158 (63.2)	F<45 n(%)43 (46.7)	M<45 n (%)109 (69.0)	F>44 n (%)49 (53.3)	M>44 n (%)49 (31.0)
Known risk factors	112 (44.8)	49 (53.3)a	63 (39.9)a	26 (60.5)c	43 (39.4)c	23 (46.9)	20 (40.8)
IVDU	22 (8.8)	4 (4.4)	18 (11.4)	3 (7.0)e	18 (16.5)e	1 (2.0)e	0 (0.0)e
Transfusion before 1993	22 (8.8)	13 (14.1)k	9 (5.7)k	5 (11.6)	19 (17.4)i	13 (26.5)	15 (30.6)
Occupational exposure – health-care	22 (8.8)	13 (14.1)k	9 (5.7)k	5 (11.6)	6 (5.5)	8 (16.3)	3 (6.1)
Dialysis	3 (1.2)	1 (1.1)	2 (1.3)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.0)	2 (4.1)
Sexual contact with HCV	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Probable risk factors	35 (14.0)	6 (6.5)m	29 (18.4)m	4 (9.3)	17 (15.6)	2 (4.1)o	12 (24.5)o
Transfusion after 1992	13 (5.2)	4 (4.4)	9 (5.7)	2 (4.7)	3 (2.8)	2 (4.1)	6 (12.2)
Minor surgery	22 (8.8)	2 (2.2)a	20 (12.7)a	2 (4.7)	14 (12.8)	0 (0.0)s	6 (12.2)s
No known or probable risk factors	103 (41.2)	37 (40.2)	66 (41.8)	13 (30.2)	49 (45.0)	24 (49.0)	17 (34.7)

^aP < 0.05, known risk factors F vs M; ^cP < 0.05, known risk factors F < 45 vs M < 45; ^eP < 0.05, IVDU all < 45 vs all > 44; ^gP < 0.05, transfusions before 1993 F vs M; ⁱP < 0.05, transfusions before 1993 F < 45 vs M < 45; ^kP < 0.05, occupational health-care F vs M; ^mP<0.05, probable risk factors F vs M; ^oP < 0.05, probable risk factors F>44 vs M>44; ^qP<0.05, minor surgery F vs M; ^sP < 0.05, minor surgery F > 44 vs M > 44

Table 3 Potential sources of exposure to HCV among 103 persons without known or probable risk factors

Risk factors	Alln (%)103 (100%)	Fn (%)37 (35.9)	Mn (%)66 (64.1)
Surgery (other than minor)	49 (47.6)	24 (64.9)a	25 (37.9)a
Endoscopies	52 (50.5)	22 (59.5)	30 (45.5)
Hospitalizations (more than 5)	22 (21.4)	15 (40.5)c	7 (10.6)
Tattoo	11 (10.7)	0 (0.0)	11 (16.7)
Dental care	91 (88.3)	33 (89.2)	58 (87.9)
None of above	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (1.5)

^aP < 0.05, surgery (other than minor) F vs M;

^cP < 0.05, hospitalizations (more than 5) F vs M; ^cP < 0.05, tattoo F vs M.