Prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among young Thai men

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are unusual in developing countries, especially Thailand. We evaluated the prevalence and risk factors for HCV among military conscripts, including a sample of 5,246 men (1:30 sample), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 positive men (N = 500) between 2005 and 2008. The HCV prevalence was 2.2% in the sampled group and 8.4% in HIV-1 sero-positives. Among the sampled group, HIV-1 infection, injection drug use (IDU) history, and unsafe injections were associated with HCV infection; adjusted prevalence rate ratios [RRs; 95% confidence intervals (CIs)] were 3.7 (1.04-12.77), 1.9 (1.04-3.54), and 1.8 (1.02-3.11), respectively. Among HIV-1 sero-positives, an IDU history and residence in southern Thailand were associated with HCV prevalence; adjusted RRs (95% CIs) were 3.5 (1.71-7.24) and 2.6 (1.18-5.61), respectively. Public health measures to prevent HCV in Thailand should focus on reducing injection drug use and other exposures to unsafe injections among young Thai men.

Figure 1.

The enrollment of the study population from conscripts' induction and HIV-1 sero-surveillance nationwide system from November 2005 to May 2008. Note that the sample group of young men (*A) consisted of both HIV-1 sero-positive and HIV-1 sero-negative men, and 13 participants were excluded (10 HIV-1 sero-negative men with inadequate information and 3 HIV-1 sero-negative men with no sera for HCV testing).

Figure 2.

Proportion of anti-HCV positive and percutaneous risk factors among the sampled men (A) and HIV-1 sero-positive men (B) by year of induction from 2005 to 2008. UNSI = unsafe injections by non-medical practitioners or lay injectors; IDU = injection drug use; HCV+ = anti-HCV positive; HIV+ = anti–HIV-1 sero-positive.